Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-04-20
s WASHINGTON LETTER
FssA Geo. W. summsrs.)


Washington, ApeI ls. Republicans
generally are disappointed over the
way in:Which the Democrats in Congress
are going about the work Of putting
through Democratic legislation. aIt
took few days after the organization
Of the House to get the wheels Of legis-
lation started but once in motion they
have been grinding pretty steadily and
come Demoeratio ideas are being put
into law.
The first thing the House, with its
Democratic majority, did after it got
started 70 work. was TO pass the reao' u
ton providing for the election of Sens-
tors by direct vote Of the people, The
Democrats members Of Congress from
West Virginia all voted for the reso!u-
ton: The resolution Is expected to pass
the Senate. and West vlrginia's Sera-
tors will assist in passing it. At the
last session. when similar resolution
was voted down by the Senate Senator
Watson, who was then in the Senate,
voted for the resolution. He bad al
ready declared himself in favor of The
election of Senators by direct vote of
the people. SO that his vote was expe ct
ed. He has not changed his mind since
the vote was taken in February, and
when it comes to vote in the Senate
again his vote will be cast as it was be-
fore.
Senator Chiffon has declared himself
in favor of the direct election of Sena-
tors and his vote will be given to The
resolution. This wiz be gain over the
vote of the last session, as Senator
Scott, whom Senator Chiffon succeeds,
voted against the resolution at the last
session,
The next measure the Democrats of
the House took up. after passing the
resolution for direct election of Sens-
tors, was a bill requiring publicity of
campaign contributions before elections.
Representative Gaines, OF Charleston,
who was chairman of the committee on
election of president, vice president and
representatives in Congress during the
last few years, opposed this measure
Consistently and it was only after strong
pressure had oeen brought to bear and
under threats from the House that he
permitted his committee to report a
bill for any kind of campaign publicity,
This bill provided for the publicity af-
ter instead of before the election, and
was not all satisfactory to the Demo-
Gratis who want the public to know who
puts up the money for the candidates
before. the votes are cast. The bill
which has passed the House, if it passes
the Senate, will accomplish this, and it
is confidently expected the Senate will
pass it. If it does not, it will be The
Republican majority which will defeat
it.
It is conceded on Sli sides-even by
Republicans who had hoped theS Demo
crata would make fools of themselves
that the Democratic majority in the
House is acting wisely and making q
splendid party record. Almost every
matter which can come before tile
House caucus has been decided almost
unanimously All the votes taken. in
the house have been almost unanimous
SO far as the Democrats are concerned,
and harmony and unanimity seem to be
the guiding forces OF. the Democracy,
In the Senate the situation is almost
the same. There has been more or less
talk Of a lack of harmony in the Sem
ate because there was contest over
the leadership of the Democratic eau
Gus. but there is no basis in fac fer
the prediction of a Democratic split
there.
The fact is that in both the House
and Senate the Democrats are showing
capacity to govern wisely and well,
which,surprises the Republicans, whose
stock argument for years has been that
the Democrats are not competent to
rule. They are being shown a few
things by the Democrats who were put
into power by those who considered
them far more able to govern than the
fellows whom they turned out.
With practically all the delegation
from West Virginia of the last Con-
gress turned out and back in private
life, and with Republican President
unwilling to act upon the recommends
ton of Democratic Congressman or
Senetors, the question has arisen as to
who is to distribute the Federal patron
age in the Senate. A beautiful Republi-
can row is consequently in progress.
Senators Watson and Chiffon and
their wives were guests of President
Taft at a dinner in the White House
last Saturday night. The President
invited all the Senators and their wives
SO that he might become acquainted
with them. Phe dinner was purely
a social affair, no political Importance
beng attached to it at all,
Second district post Offices are still
causing the Republicans all kinds of
trouble, In the meantime, ConKfess-
man Brown is not consulted BY the
President or the Postmaster General
/ in roOard Ia apxr oVnr;nA,oon%n II.