Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-08-11
FROM OUR WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT.

n.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 2, 1905
1t is surprising how few people
understand the manner in which q
bill introduced in Congress becomes
law. If the whole people did un-
derstand it Virginia would become
possessed of its old time prestige
before the lapse of many years. Som,
States seem TO have learned how these
things are done aud they are taking
advantage of them; and it is to thi,
that they owe their influence.
We will take piece of Virgins
legislation that is now on the statute
books to illustrate how it is accom-.
plished. For years and years the
Virginia delegation in Congress has
been trying to secure the passage OF
legislation, recognizing and estab
fishing the claim of the State of Vir.
ginia against the National Govern
ment growing out of advances of
money made by the State to the
Federal Government for the equip.
ment of troops during the war OF
1912. The Federal Government held
bonds guaranteed by the State of
Virginia, which, with interest, sg.
gregated nearly two million dollars.
They were as good as gold and could
have been collected whenever the
Government saw fit. On the other
hand Virginia had to offset this a
claim morally good, but legally worth
less. Not a Senator from Virginia
since the close of the Civil war has
failed to try to secure legislation
giving the Virginia claim legal
status. In each instance it had failed
until Senator Martin took it up. AS
the ranking member of the Demo.
cratic side of the Claims Committee
of the Senate he had the opportunity
of insisting that the Committee put
it on the Omnibus Claims bill as a
Committee amendment. He did in.
sist and it went there. The House
had passed its bill and had sent it to
the Senate, which body referred it to
the Committee on Claims. 1t was
here that Senator Martin tackled the
on. The bill was then
reported to the Senate, and it passed
that body with the Martin amend
ment on. Then it was necessary, as
everything must pass both bodies
before 1T can become law, that the
bill go back to the House and that
body be asked to agree TO the
Senate amendments. This the House
promptly declined to do, and asked
for conference on the matter. This
means that the House appoints three
members of its Committee which has
to do with the subject, to meet
similar Committee from the Senate.
These three men from either side are
the two ranking members of the
majority party on the Standing Com
and the ranking members of
the minority party. Senator Martin
Is the ranking member of the Demo
Gratis on the Committee on Claims,
and ne was one of the six men who
had the final duty of reaching some
sort of an agreement which thev
could recommend to both branches
for passage. Here then was the
strategic position. Here were the
Blk men who held the situation in
the hollow of their hakds. 1t was
the key to the whole business. Sena-
tor Martin made the most of his op-
portunity. They fought it out, and
6y standing pat he won. The con-
ference report recommended that
the House recede from its position.
and 1t did so. And the bill was
passed and the settlement authorized.
Senator Martin nor any other Senator
from Virginia could have secured it
unless ne had held the position Sen
ator Martin held. And so it is with
practically ali the legislation that
goes through. Just as the strategic
position is the essential thing to an
army SO it is in the Congress whether
IN the House or Senate. Senator
Martin has had an eye to these things.
Good general that he is he has got
ten on Committees where he can
command these things. He holds
this position on the Claims Commit
tee and on the Committee on Dis.
trict of Columbia. He is second.
and upon the retirement of Senator
Berry will be first on the Committee
on Commerce, the Committee that is
more closely related to matters that
interest Virginia, the one that pro.
vides for her Rivers and Harbors.
than any other. He is second on
The Naval Committee, and if con-
tinued in service may soon be first.
These positions 90 by precedence.
The new man without exception gets
1t the bottom of the Committee. All
hose ahead of him have to die or re-
ire from the Senate before he can
get to the top. This being the case
whenever any State turns good man