Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-12-15
Washington Letter.

session OF the Sixty-Third Congress ha
commenced and the West Virginia del
egation in both houses is back in Wash
Iington and on the job. For two of tn.
members this will be the last session o
service. But for Congressman Neel,
and Brown, of the first and second dis
| tricts; Moss of the fourth and Suther
land, at large, the closing session of tht
| Sixty-Third Congress is but prelimi
nary to the full two years of the nexi
Congress, to which they have been re.
elected,
| None of the West Virginia members
will have very busy time at this ses-
sion, for the probability is that little
will be done beyond the consideration
of the appropriation bills. 0mitting the
usual Christmas holidays, there will be
but ten weeks of the session and that
IS scarcely time enough to pass the APP
preparation bills if nothing else is con-
sidered. 1t is possible that even some
of the appropriation bills will have to
fall by the wayside, as there will be
such opposition to some that not all of
them will come to a vote. The greatest
opposition will be to river and harbor
bill. Friends of river appropriations
who last session agreed to a reduction
in the amount of the bill did so with
the understanding that a bill would be
passed at this section. But the opposi-
ton is still strong enough to cause a
bitter fight over the waterway measure
and If a bill is passed at all it will be
for small amount.
In all probability there will be no
public building bill at this session, and
few appropriations for buildings already
authorized. The reason for this is that
the Office of the Supervising Architect
is so far behind with its class of work
that even if more money were appro-
priated now there would not be a chance
to use it. The appropriations already
made will care for all the work that
can possibly be turned out during the
coming fiscal year and so no further
appropriations are required now. In
Guided among the estimates of the
Treasury Department for appropria-
ton to be made at this session is pro-
vision that the unexpended balances al
ready appropriated for public buildings
and not used be apportioned among sew
eral buildings. The new building at
Williamson and the addition to the one
at Huntington are included among these
and if the recommendations of the
Treasury Department are carried out
they will be the only public buildings in
the State to get aid from the present
Congress at this session.
Congressman w. G. Brown, of King
wood. who is completing his second
term as representative of the second
West Virginia district and has been re.
elected for the third term, surprised
his friends here last week by notifying
them of his marriage at Baltimore on
Saturday, Dec. 5 to Miss Izetta Jewel
Kenney, Babylon. Long Island. just
outside of New York City. For several
years Miss Kenney, under the stage
name of Izetta Jewel, delighted Wash.
ngton audiences. among whom presi-
don't Taft and later President Wilson
were often to be found, as leading lady
in popular stock company. Miss Jewel
became a society fayorite here and
among her other admirers were num-
bered many in official life, some of whom
stood much higher officially than Mr..
Brown. They will spend the winter
seasons at Congress Hall in Washing.
ton
Some West Virginia political gossip
has drifted back to Washington with
the return of the statesmen and others
which may throw some light on some
of toe political moves among the party
which is dominant in the State. One
thing that is reported by persons just
back from she State is that in his am
bition which he has long entertained to
become Senator from West Virginia,
II. c. Ogden, of the Wheeling Intelli-
gencer. looks upon the governorship as
stepping stone, and will undertake to
succeed DR.. H. d. Hatfield as Governor
of West Virginia. Because of his ex-
ceptionaIly strong showing in his two
races for Congressman at Large. both
in 1912 and 1914, it has been widely be.
lieved that Howard Sutherland would
be the logical candidate of the Repub-
Iicans. But, to get him out of the way,
Ogden is said to be encouraging Suth-
erIand to make tue race for the Sena-
torship nomination, against Governor
Hatfield. who is expecting the nomina-
ton for Senator as Senator Chilton's
successor. Some time ago it is under
stood the Governor decided to get rid
of Howard Ogden, member of the
Public Service Commission, because he
was too untractable to suit him, but at
the same time the Governor wants the
support of Ogden's newspaper and
Howard Ogden still holds his place.
Whether, in the final roundup, Ogden
will support Sutherland or Hatfield for
the Senatorship is matter that is in
teresting many persons. Sutherland is
not nevice On politics and may not
consent to be switched away from the
Governorship nomination to further the
ambitions of Ogden. And there is the
situation. There are three candidates,