Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-06-09
JOHN MCGRAW IS ON TOP
Would Be MADE United States
Senator ii Democrats Win,
MANY DEMOCRATS OPPOSE HIM
Dispatch From Washington Tells OF
the Value of Senator Elkins to
the State He Represents.
Special correspondence 10 The World

the state ne represents.
Special Correspondence 10 The World
Washington. ID. C June 5.-Reports
coming to Washington indicate that
John T McGrsw holds the four aces in
the situation among the democrats
and that..if the Legislatures should 90
democratic he would be the nominee
the democratic caucus for senator.
And vet the very feeling that he
would be. il is said, will deter thous-
ands of democrats from going to the
polls next fall, for they would rather
see Elkips senator than McGraw.
The result is that it will make the
certain reelection of Senator Elkins
doubly certain.
Senator Elkins, is. as was stated in
this correspondence he would be,
chairman of the conference committee
that is just now hard at work getting
the rate bill into final shape for APP
prevail by the senate. This is the
strategic point of the whole fight, the
key to the situation. West Virginia
is to be congratulated that she, one
of the smallest states in the union,
has the dominating figure OF that
committee. Senator Elklins is en-.
countering some opposition to his
amendments in the committee, enough
in fact to show conclusively that if
he were not a member of that confer
enee committee his amendments
would be lost. But Senator Elkins is
a past master in such things. and he
feels pretty certain that his amend
ment, pronounced in the senate by
members of both parties TO be the
most valuable and far reaching feat
ures of the bill. are out of the woods.
They are particularly valuable to West
Virginia, for it is recognized that the
abuses they seek to correct are more
pronounced in West Virginia than in
any other state.
Suppose West Virginia should send
a democrat to the senate TO succeed
Senator Elkins. He is chairman of
the interstate commerce committee, a
member of the committee on appro-
priations. and a member Of the COM
mittee on commerce, These are the
three most important committees of
the senate to West Virginia. The in
terstate commerce committee deals
with the great transportation problem.
The importance of the sort of legisla-
ton dealt with by it to West Vir-
Rinians has been demonstrated during
the present session. The committee
on commerce has to do with all legis.
lation or the improvement to rivers
and harbors. When a river and har-
Dor bill is pending membership on
his committee is a very valuable posi-
ton, aud enables the members thereon
to see to it that the states they repre-
sent get their fair share Of the appro-
priations. West Virginia has, through
this committee assignment of Senator
Elkins, gotten hundreds of thousands
of dollars for the improvement of her
rivers that she might not have gotten
nut for the membership of Senator
Elkins on the committee. And then
it is the appropriation committee that
has the final say on all expenditu e.
of money. Here again is a valual i,
assignment from a West Virginia
standpoint. Thus Senator Elkins has
secured the three most valuable as
signments that could we'll be given to
one state. Should he be defeated ana
a democrat SEN in his place all of
these valuable positions would be lost
ana his successor would lsye to take
any little old assignments that a weak
minority could give him, places that
would afford little or no practical OPP
portunities for usefulness to the state.
Ii is The majority senator, and the
one who has, through length OF SER
vice risen to good assignments, who
is able TO render the most service to
the people who elect HIM. A demo.
cratic senator in a republican senate
can do li4tle but object.