Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-05-25
WASHINGTON LETTER
Orrom Geo. W. summsr..)
Washington, May. q,

Washington, May %,
An agreement has been reached by
the Democrats and Progressive" Re
politicians in the Senate by which the
resolution for the election Of Senator'S
] by asdirect vote of the people, the res
olution of inquiry as to the right of
Senator Lorimer to seat in the Senate
and the reappointment bill. giving West
| Virginia one additional member of the
House of Representatives, will all be
taken up by the Senate and kept before
that body till vote can be had on each
of them. This will insure some activity
in the Senate in the immediate future,
whereas SO far the Senate has been
very inactive,
The Democrats have not had ma
jority Of the Senate. Neither have the
Republicans had a majority, for the
reason that those Republicans known
as sIpsufgents'' or HProgressives, as
they prefer to be called. have not af1i-
lated with the regular Republicans and
have held the balance of power Their
decision to act with the Democrats on
the matters mentioned above gives the
combination of Democrats and PRO
gressive Republican" a majority of
the Senate and assures action of some
kind on the measures for the election
Of Senators by the people, the reap
pointment bill and the Lorimer case.
The Lorimer case, it is understood, is
brought up again because of the fact
that new evidence has been discovered,
which was not brought into the former
consideration of the case. 1t is said
the testimony which will be brought
against Senator Lorimer in case another
investigation is undertaken will be
much more conclusive than that which
was presented on the former consider
alton of the case and that some votes
which were cast for Lorimer before
will be against him. this time because
of the new testimony.
The appointment bill, giving West
Virginia an additional Congressman,
will be passed. There is no opposition
to it in the Senate and it has already
passed the House. 1t provided that in
the event of a State being given an in
crease in the number of congressman
with no session of the legislature to re-
apportion the State before the next
election, the additional Congressman
shall be elected at large. Unless the
Governor calls another extra session of
the legislature, therefore, West Vir-
ginia will have an additional Congress
man at the next election to be elected
by all the voters of the State.
The measure for the election of the
Senators by direct vote of the people
doubtless will pass the Senate, since
the Democrats and Progressive" Re
publicans have agreed upon the meas
ure. Together they hold the balance of
power and the measure doubtless will
be passed. Both West Virginia Sena-
tors are on record as favoring the cleo
ton of. Senators by direct vote, and
both will support the measure, unless.
the Sutherland amendment or some
other such modification is tackled onto
it, in which event they doubtless will
oppose the measure.
Senator Watson has introduced bill
which has attracted lot of favorable
comment. 1t is bill in the interest of
labor provides that the tax on all
foreigners admitted to the United States
shall be raised from four dollars to one
hundred dollars. Senator Watson be-
lieves that the so-cailed protective tariff
system of today protects the manufac-
| turer and not the laborer; that the pro-
lection not only does not cause the
wages of the working man but that it
does increase the cost of living; and
that the way to protect the laboring
man of the United States is to keep out
the foreign competition in labor. His
bill is intended to keep out the immi-
grants from Europe who have been
~
/ taking the places of the American lab
orers at lower wages, and to enable
American labor to get fair price for
its output
lest Virginians in Washington are
interested in what is considered here as
direct attack on former Senator Scott
by Governor Glasscock in his message
to the special session of the legislature.
The Governor bitterly attacked the ex.
penditure of money in obtaining nomi'
nations AND elections to Office and usec
Y strong language which is generally IN
4 derstoodl here to refer to Mr.. Scott
The interesting point about it is thai
the attack on Mr.. Scott is considered a:
indicating a political breach between
Glasscock and Scott, which at this time
would mean much in West Virginia pol
itics. The Governor, of courses-is the
s chief dispenser of State patronage ant
his entire administration must be con
sidered as lined up with him in tn
A444x4sAfks ~ ~ ~ 4 4l4ea ~ !
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