Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-05-25
Our Washington Letter.
Washington. May %, 191

direct vote OF the people, the resolution
of inquiry as to the rights of Senator
Lorimer to seat in the Senate and the
reapportionment 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
a 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 majority
of the Senate. Neither have the Repub-
licans had a majority, for the reason that
those Republicans known as "Insur-
gents" or "Progressives," as they pre-
fer to be called, have not affiliated 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 Progressive Repub-
licans" majority of the Senate and in
sures action OF some kind on the meas
ures for the election OF Senators by the
people, the reapportionment bill and the
Lorimer case.
The Lorimer case, il is understood, is
brought up again because OF the fact that
new evidence has been discovered, which
was not brought into the former conSid-
Grafton of the case. 1t is said the testi-
mony which will be brought against Sen
ator Lorimer in case another investigation
is undertaken will be much more con-
elusive than that which was presented on
the former consideration OF the case and
that some votes which were cast for Lor-
inner before will be against him this time
because of the new testimony.
The apportionment bill, giving West
Virginia an additional Congressman, will
be passed. There is no opposition to it
in the Senate and if has already passed
the House. 1t provides that in the event
of State being given an increase in the
number OF Congressman with no session
of the Legislature to reapportion 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 Virginia will have an additional
Congressman 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" Republic
cans have agreed upon the measure. To-
gether they hold the balance OF power
and the measure doubtless will be passed.
Both West Virginia Senators are on rec
ord as favoring the election OF Senators
by direct vote, and both will support the
measure, unless the Sutherland amend
ment or some other such modification is
tackled onto it, in which event they doubt
less will oppose the measure.
Senator Watson has introduced bill
which has attracted lot OF favorable
comment. 1t is a bill in the interest OF
labor and 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-calied protective tariff
system oftoday protects the manufacturer
and not the laborer; that the protection
not only does not raise the wages of the
working man, but that il does increase
the cost of living; and that the way to
protect the laboring man OF the United
States is to keep out foreign competition
in labor. His bill is intended to keep
out the Immigrants from Europe who
have been taking the places OF American
laborers at lower wages, and to enable
American labor TO get fair price for its
output.
West VirginianS in Washington are in
terested 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 nomna-
tions and elections to office and used
strong language which is generally I'M
derstood here to refer to Mr.. Scott The
Interesting point about it is that the at
tack on MIR. Scott is considered as indi-
eating political breach between Glass
cock and Scott, which at this time would
mean much in West Virginia politics.
The Governor, of course, is the chief dis
penser OF State patronage, and his entire
administration must be considered as
lined up with him in the fight for control
OF the party machinery, while the Federal
patronage has been definitely shown TO
be in the hands OF former Senator Scott
and former Senator Davis Elkins.
On the one hand are the State officers,
while on the other are the Federal office
holders and all the stand-patters of the
Republican party. The big fight for
party control promises to come to head
in the selection of delegates TO the national
convention of the Republican party next
year. There will be two candidates for
the presidency, according to present in
dications - President Taft and Senator
I.aFollette. the latter reDreSentinp the
Progressive" or "lnsurgent'' Republi-
cans-and the interest in West Virginia
is in whether former Senator Scott and
his Federal office-holders can deliver the
delegation from West Virginia to Taft or
whether the Governor and former Gov
ernor Dawson can deliver the State to
LaFollette.
All doubt as to the official dispenser of
Federal patronage for West Virginia was
removed when the nomination OF Frank