Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-12-12

CtAl5+ rD11 A1-eA>sNAlI 4Y1LI Au1WUcE VI
the delegation from that State in both
Houses having returned 10 Washing
ton for the closing resdion oflthe Sixty
second Congress. For Senator Wat
son and for Congressman LittIepage
and Hamilton this win be the last ses-
sion of their service unless they should
be elected again at some time in the
future. Not only for these men but
for the other West Virginia fepfesen-
tatives ia both Houses, the short ses-
sion Of Congress which has just begun
and will end on March next will be
very busy session. Each one of the
West Virginia delegation has pending
at least one important matter while
some Of Them have many matters up
before Congress which they viii en-
deavor to conclude before the end Of
the present SESSION Any matters NOT
Concluded wien N Congress whicl, ax-
pires by limitation Gi,s with the Cong
ress>and if it is brought up for future
action it must start entirely afresh in
any subsequent Congress. Therefore
the members whether their terms ex-
pire or not will enaeavor 10 pass ali
the measures WHICH are now pending
in which they are Interested before
the end Of this session. In I'D ii ion to
matters of LEGISLATION which win oc-
cupy. the atfcRtion of The West Vir-
gipia delegation there will be ques-
tons of patronage to consider and UPON
which to confer which win keep the
Idefec alton busy practically, air the time
between now and thu. End of the ses-
sion. The term Of service of the Dem
acratic members OF tho West Virginia
.delegati has been marked by an I'M
usual deg'ee of activity and it is thu
intention Of the members of the dele
cation to continue this activity as long
as they remain in Congress Few
members of congress who retire at
the end of two years service go out
with as complete records for activity
and matters accomplished as do Sena-.
tor Watson and Congressman Little
page and Hamilton,
The matter of distributing. the fed
eral patronage for West Virginia has
not yet been taken up by those who
are to be the advisers of President
Wilson in the matter of his appoint
ment in that State. But, one thing is
certain: that there will be many disaI-
pointmeuts. There are many persons
all hard WORK ing deserving Democrats
and competent to fill the positions to-
which they aspire who will seek APP
pointments which they will not receive,
for the list of offices to be filled isI
limited and will not begin to go around.
Probably few of the offices will be
filled for a long time as it is under
stood through friends OF the President
elect that he will move slowly in fill
ing the positions at his command.
The Washington Post in On editorial
recently published, gives Senator Elk
ms the credit for carrying West Vir-
ginia for the Republicans and says
that he deserves the Senatorship for
doing SO. Friends of Senator Elkins
here claim that he has already pledged
to him forty of the sixty-nine members
of the legislature who are expected to|
caucus on the Republican nomination
for Senator. 1t has been suggested
that W. NJ. o. Dawson in order to get
away from the action of the caucus
may reconvene the Republican state
convention which met in Huntington
May Is last and adjourned subject to
the call of the Chairman. If reconven-
ed this convention might nominate a
candidate for Senator and call upon
the Republican members of the legis-
lature to support the nominee. While
this convention when it met in May
was absolutely under the control of W.
M. 0. Dawson, friends of Senator
Elkins now assert that even if the Con-
vention when it met in May was abso-
iutely under the control of W. M. o.
Dawson, friends of Senator Elkins
now assert that even if the Conven-
ton were reassembled Elkins would
be its nominee. Mr.. Dawson has no
intention of letting Elkins captured the
Senatorship if he can prevent it. But
the work which Mr.. Elkins did in Sc
lecting STRONG candidates for the legis-
lature and helping to elect them seems
to have put him in the lead in the race
for Senator.
When Congress adjourned last Aug
ust the appointments of Postmasters
at two good offices in West Virginia
has not been confirmed by the Senate.
The President had appointment Albert
Snedeker as postmaster at Wellsburg
and Robert D. Watson as postmaster
at Cameron. If the Senate should
fail to confirm them during the pres
emit session there positions would be a.
mong the first to be filled by the new
President.
Congressman John w. DAVIS was one
of party which took the trip to Pana-
\ L.. "a N.