Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-06-15

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Of measures of Importance to the en-
tire country, while the Senate is frivol-
ing away its time with no present pros
pect Of considering many of the bills
which have already been sent over from
the House. Hsl
The Republican majority in the Sem
ate is responsible for this situation, the
the Democrats and especially those
from West Virginia having repeatedly
urged action on the part Of the Senate
and voted against the frequent adjourn
ments Of three days at time. Whether
the Senate win agree to take up any
measures others than reciprocity is q
question, and it may be that the reap
pointment bin will not even be passed.
It begins to look as though the Repub-
licans are afraid to pass the reappor-
tionment bill lest it should provide for
new Democratic members. They are
believed to be in favor of letting the
present reapportionment go over till
after the next election lest the new re-
apportionment should make it easier fol-
the Democrats to elect a. majority OF
the next House.
The present week should see the end
lof the debate in the House on the wool
schedule and the beginning of the de-
batesin the Senate on the reciprocity
bill. When the debate in the Senate on
the reciprocity bin will end can not be
foretold, but there is opposition to II
and the debate probably will be long
drawHout The chances now are ever
against its passage at all. The Senate
may eventually pass the bill with
amendments, but the Democrats of the
House have served notice on the Senate
that the House will refuse to agree te
any amendments unless the entire bill
is opened to amendment and that. woulC
defeat the purpose of the agreement
entirely.
The Insurgents in the Senate have
disagreed among themselves and have
divided in their support of a Presidential
candidate. It was supposed they woulc
be solid for Senator LaFollette for the
nomination, but some of them have de-
clafed themselves in favor of the re.
nomination of President Taft. Ever
Theodore Roosevelt has been quoted as
saying that he favored the denomination
of Mr.. Taft and with the recent defec.
ton from the LaFollette ranks it woulc
seem that the Insurgent Republicans
will again be overwhelmed by the '.OlG
Guard and that they will be without
any influence in the next administration,
as they have been in this one, without
even the right to name postmasters in
their own States. This will be great
disappointment to Governor Glasscock,
Elk Governor Dawson and others Of
that element of the Republican party in
West Virginia who had hoped to turn
that State over to the Insurgents and
deliver its vote in the Republican ma
tional convention to LaFollette and
against Taft. The failure of the In
surgent move will leave the same old
crowd in charge of Republican politics
in West Virginia, with Scott debating
the Federal appointments as at present
and with the State committee as usual
debating the State nominations. The
Eeforts of the Republicans to purify
their own party in West Virginia have
signahV failed and now that the Insur-
gent element IN the nation has failed to
reform the Republican party, it would
seem that there IS no way to remove
the Republican party in West Virgihia
from the control of the same old ele-
ment which has DICTATED the nomina.
tions for so many years and prevented
the nomination and election of independ.
ent Republicans.
Thos. E. Hodges, president-elect OF
the West Virginia University, and
Messrs. J. B. Finley and G. A. North
colt, Of the State Board Of Regents,
were here last week. Dnring their
stay, it came out that DR.. Hodges, who
has been prominently mentioned fol
Governor, will not be candidate fol
that Office. He is entirely satisfied to
be president of the University and has
given up all political ambition he ever
had to devote his time to the education
of the youth of West Virginia. posi-
ton he prefers to any political office.
Dr. Hodges is understood to have given
his word to the regents before he was
fFelected president of the University that
he would not engage in politics and he
intends to keep his word.
Senator Chiffon spent several days
last week in Philadelphia on legal bust
ness. The Senate was mot in session
during his absence and he had nothing
to keep him here as the Senate com
mittees are not holding sessions at
present.
Senator Watson has returned from
New York where he spent a few of
his idle days of the Senate. During
his absence nothing of any consequence
to the people of West Virginia was
under consideration and he did not miss
an important roll call The Senator is
now back to urge action on the part Of
the Senate and to be present while the
Senate is in session.
The entire West Virginia delegation,
Senators and Representatives, except
Congressman Hughes, who is away
III a