Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1922-12-22
STATE DEMOCRATS
ORGANIZE In CAUCUS
CONTINUED from first page)


two stenographers, Miss Pauline Car
son, Dover, Miss Helen Beckwith, Har-
rington, salary, $500 each.
After the caucuses it was found thai
each house had elected Miss Beckwitt
of Harrington as one of their steno-
graphers. Miss Beckwith is a steno-
grapher in the business Office of Sen
ator Murphy in Harrington and bel
employer had desired her services fol
the Senate. However, when he learned
what had occurred, he agreed to lei
the House have Miss Beckwith as
their stenographer and he said the
Senate would have to select another
one.
It may be seen that there is big
difference in the salaries to be paid
by the House and Senate for the Ear1-
GUS offices. For instance the Senate is
to pay their chaplain 5000 while the
House is going to give their spiritual
advisor $500. The Senate had at hrsl
fixed the salary of their chaplain at
only $3.50, but when the members
learned the House was paying theiI
clergyman $500 the Senate increased
the pay to 5000.
Salary Reductions
The.salary of 81 500 each for the at
torneys of each branch is a big re-
duction in the salary paid the attor-
news for the last legislature. Each OF
the chief clerks will be paid the same.
The Senate reading clerk will get
$3.50. which is $50 more than the
House reading clerk will receive. The
Senate bill clerk will get $3.50 which
is $50 more than the House bill clerk
will be paid. The Senate sergeant-at-
arms will get 5000 or $100 more than
the House sergeant-at-arms Will re-
ceive. The stenographers will be paid
the same in both houses. The tele-
phone messengers will get the same
but the House page will receive $500
or 500 more than the Senate page
will be paid.
]. Rogers Holcomb of New Castle,
more than one of whose ancestors had
sat in the House of Representatives as
Sneaker. aspired to the Office and al
though late getting into the field was
able to poll ten of the % votes IN the
caucus. Following his defeat for the
presiding citizenship. Representative
Holcomb was nominated for perma-
nent chairman Of the caucus and was
elected to this place by reclamation.
This makes Mr.. Holcomb the major
ity whip, or floor leader.
Joint Conference
Prior to the separate caucuses there
was a Joint conference at which the
members of the State advisory COM
fnittee appointed two weeks ago were
present and they made report rela-
five to a letter from G. G. Buck, act
ing chief engineer of the State High
way Department, inviting thorough
Investigation of that department. 1t
was decided to advise him that instead
of an investigation of the Department.
affairs the committee would prefer to
have Mr.. Buck submit to them a COM
plete statement of the Highway De-
partment's affairs. This report, it is
hoped, will be in hand by the time the
legislature convenes on January 2, so
it may be submitted to the General
Assembly or a committee. A question
airre is to be compiled and Mr.. Buck
will be expected to answer all the
questions contained therein. They will
deal with the departments revenues,
expenditures, number of employees on
the pay roll, the duties of each, the
salary paid each, just what T. Cole
man du Pont has given the depart
ment for roads and other details. Some
of the members, however, are not
quite satisfied with this arrangement
and they stated they will demand that
an investigation of the department be
made by the legislature.
To Select Committees
The presiding officer of each branch
will begin at once the compilation Of
the committees of each house. In most
instances they will consist of seven
members, five Democrats and two Re
publicans. In some cases there will
be but five members, three Democrats
or possibly four, and one or two Re
publicans. It seemed to be the con-
census of opinion among all the mem
bers that the Republican minority
members of both houses were not en-
titled to very large representation on
any of the committees, especially the
more important ones.
The question of legislation did moi
come up at either of the caucuses. The
entire afternoon was devoted to the
selection of officials and there were sc
many candidates that several hours
were requiredtO get the states fixed
I'D. There was a sentiment among
some of the House members to post
pone the caucus until the night be-
fore the day of meeting but the pre-
penderance of opinion was to go ahead
at once and have the matter settled
With the organization completed anC
all committees named the Legislature
will be ready to take up the business
of considering legislation as soon as
they meet on January 2. Heretofore II
has been the custom to meet on thai
day and adjourn for a week to give the
presiding officers time to name theil
committees. The plan adopted by the
Democrats will, therefore, save al
least a weeks time and will enable
them to finish all business within the
sixty-day time limit fixed by the con
stitution.
In each caucus the salary to be pait
for each Office was fixed before the
consideration Of the candidates for ap
pointment was taken up. During the
session, it is understood, much of the
work will be done by the committees
and practically all of the members
have agreed to remain in Dover a
night if that be necessary to complete
whatever business may come before
them, thus eliminating the necessit!
for either house sitting at night. 1t Il
also proposed to avoid as far as pos
sible Joint sessions and to let the com
mittees do the work.
In the House conference there Wer|