The Washington herald., 1922-02-05
VIRGINIA FARMERS
HOLD MAJORITY
MSTATE SENATE
Object to ''Bloc" But Can
Block Unfavorable
Legislation. !.

,
tical control of the general assem-
bly,. According to o. A. Thomas.
business manager and legislative
agent of the Virginia Farmers Edu-
cational and Cooperative Union.
who Is In charge Of the unions
headquarters at the State capital,
twenty-eight senators, more than
a majority, and forty-one out of
100 members of the house, are in
the agricultural conference"
Members of the Conference OBJ
ject to be dubbed u bloc" but, re-
gardless of what name II goes by,
there Is an organization such as
the farmers probably have never
before had In the general assembly.
According to one of the news let
ters of Agent Thomas, which cir
culate throughout. the membership
of the State union. the following
members of the general assembly
have Joined, the conferences:
Those IN conference,
Senators: Beverley, Early, JEFF
freys. Woodson, Ferguson, Hennins,
Goode, Sergent, Harringer, Mitch
ell, Smith, Leedy, Miller. Parsons,
Cooke, Paul. Gravett, 10th, Oliver,
Byrd. Booker, Corbettl, Hyatt, Dick
erson. Layman, Epes, Russell, and
Crockett
Delegates: Turner. Keezell, Keen,
McNutt, Hurt, RAINY, ozlin, Story,
Bondurant, Cummins, Jeffryes, Mas
sey, B. s. Warren, Patterson, Pitts,
w. c. Hoover, Adams, Pratt, c. R.
Warren. Bowles, Deane, Price, Ew-,
ell, Gibson. Charles F. Smith, Hall,
Ramsey, McCotter, Bolton, Ford,
Graham. Richards, Smell, Moffett,
Hicks. Gray, Hylton. Roger, Dot
son, Rev, and woodville.
Inauguration of Governor,
The outstanding event of the week
occurred here Wednesday. when
E. Lee Trinkle, Of Wythe, took oath
of office as the forty-seventh gov
ernor of the Commonwealth of Vir-
Ginia. The inaugural, lacking the
pomp of an outdoor ceremonial, but
clothed with solenfnity, was held in
the hall of the house of delegates
in the historic capitol
Three former chief executives OF
Virginia, as well as the retiring
governor, saw the oath adminis-
tered by Judge Joseph L. Kelly.
president of the Virginia Supreme
Court of Appeals.
Following the administering of
the oath to Governor Trinkle, Lieu
tenant-Governor Junius Z. West. of
Nansemond. was sworn in. Oaths
were also administered to seven
other State oflcials-John r.
Saunders, Attorney-General; B. o.
James, Secretary of the Common
wealth; Judge Martin P. Burks,
Supreme Court of Appeals; Charles
A. Johnston, State Treasurer: Har-
ris Hart. Superintendent of Public
Instruction; George w. Koiner,
Commissioner of Agriculture and
immigration. and Berkeley D.
adams, State Corporation Commits
sioner.
The selection Of Harry Flood
Byrd. of Winchester, to head the
state Democratic Committee, to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of
his uncle, Congressman Hal D.
Flood. was accomplished by the
State committee in Richmond Tues
day night. The nomination Of the
Winchester Senator came from
George C. Perry. Of TazeweIl, who
is being prominently mentioned as
the selection of the Democratic
party in the Ninth district to op-
pose Representative slemp next
fall.
Opposes Highway Regime.
Mr.. Byrd has been chairman Of
the Seventh Congressional Com
mittee for a year. having been
chosen to head that district at the
time Judge R. T. W. Duke, jr., re-
signed. Senator Byrd 10 one of the
best known young men in the VAL
ley and he is attracting no little
attention in the Senate now because
of his determined opposition to the
present State highway regime.
The open session Of the house
committee on general laws to be
held next Tuesday night in the hall
of the house of delegates, promises
to attract a large gathering, for
the sitting of the committee is for
the purpose of hearing the advo-
Gates and opponents of the much
talked of river antipollution bill.
Residents Of the upper James River
valley and of the valley of the
Shenandoah River, said to<be the
worst afflicted parts of the State
from Industrial pollution, are ex-
,pected to make a considerable
showing in Numbers before the