West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-12-19
WAS HlNGT TON LETTER.
Senator Lodge Comes to The Front
And Mark Hanna Takes a
Back Seat.


And Mark Hanna Takes a
Back Seat
The Farmer Will not be In IL this Con
g:eSs After all the Promises
Made Him.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Q, TOOL
There has been little that was re-
markable about the opening of the
Fifty seventh Congress and the re-
ception of the Presidents message.
There was the usual crush in the
Senate galleries and on the floor of
the House, the usual abundance of
flowers, largely provided by the
polite lobbyists, and the usual self
congratulations of the party in the
majority. a notable incident in the
Senate was the extreme discontinue
OF Senator Mark Hanna as the
todies gathered around Senator
Lodge who is now recognized as
the Presidents representative in the
Senate, position which the Sena-
tor from Ohio has occupied with
great complacency for a number
of years.
The Senate caucus determined TO
reduce democratic presentation on
the committees by the adoption of
new rules. Heretofore the repub-
licans have been content with a
majority of one on all important
committees but under the new rules
the democrats will be completely
barred from representation on a
number of the committees among
them agriculture, appropriations,
finance, etc. This is, of course, a
serious violation of the rights of the
minority but there is nothing the
democrats can do but abide by the
rule of the majority and reflect that
when it comes to explaining their
mistakes to the country the repub-
licans will have only themselves to
blame.
I /
understand that it is the inten-
ton of Speaker Henderson to fol-
low the precedent set by the Senate
to some extent, at least, and cut
down democratic representation on
the various House committees. In
the House all responsibility for such
action will rest on the Speaker and
1t is therefore possible that he will
hesitate about going as far as has
the senate where the action is the
work of the majority. There is lit.
tie doubt that on one ground or an
other the republicans will appropri-
ate to themselves practically every
thing worth having.
I I I
The introduction of bills of all
kinds and description has begun at
rapid rate. In The House, Rep
resentative Littlefeld, of Maine, has
introduced an antitrust bill drawn
on lines similar to those of the meas
ure passed by the House last ses-
sion 1t provides for publicity, as
advised in the Presidents message,
but goes much farther in its provis-
ions and provides penalties, etc. for
combinations of capital which, in
view OF the caution of the Presi.
dents message, will hardly meet
with the approval of the Senate
even if it should pass the House.
TIT
There were number of repre-
sentatives who desired TO pose as
friends of the farmer and introduce
an electromagnetic bill similar
TO the Grout bill which died in com
mittee last session but Representa-
tive McCleary secured the floor and
introduced a bill which will be
known as House Record No I.
Representative Tawney of Mime
sofa introduced another form Of
GIout bill and Representative Da.
vison reintroduced the Grout bill.
Between so many ardent champions
the farmer will probably be per
mitted to fall to the ground.
I tt
Among the nearly two thousand
bills which were introduced in the
House the first day was one by rep
resentative Fowler Of New Jersey
providing for the establishment Of a
reciprocity commission as recon.
mended by the recent reciprocity
convention in this city. Another.
introduced by Representative Crum.
packer provides for the admission