Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-07-25

WORK OF MR.. MARTIN
Senior Virginia Senator Working
Early and Late in Bringing the
Claims Before Congress.

Washington, D. c.. July 25,-0
the deepest interest to Virginians is
the omnibus claims bill now pending
before Congress.
Senator Martin, Of all the members
of the United States Senate, has done
more to secure justice for these
Southern claimants than has any
other Senator. One must be thor
oughly familiar with the routine
stages through which these war
claims must pass and the difficulties
and obstacles in the way of final
success before he can fully appreciate
the fight through period of many
years which the senior Senator from
Virginia has made to have the claims
paid. Up until the recent change of
administration the Republicans had
Dominated the Senate committee on
claims, Of which Senator Martin has
been member for years, and the
disposition of the Senate was un-
favorable to the payment Of these
Southern war claims, yet that did
not discourage the Virginia Senator.
Congress after Congress he fought
for the claims ia which his State was
so deeply interested and many of
them were paid from time to time.
This was not accomplished without
struggles in each instance, which
often resolved itself into 4 question
of endurance. In many cases the
fighting Virginia Senator emersed
victor simply by p'outgaming" his
opponents. The Virginia people know
! that tom Martin is a fighter, and
the expression: "He gets what he
goes after" applied to him is often
heard in the: capitol where even his
political, opponents admire his splen-
nd ability.
For the benefit Of those who may
not know the nature of the so-called
| om->Sus claims bill it may be well
to. state here that this measure is
one which contains the claims of in
dividuals against the. government fol
i damage to property and losses during
! the Civil War. In private or indi
vidual claim it is necessary for it tt
be afirmatively proven that thu
claimant was loyal to the Fedora
government during the war, before
his claim will be considered for in
: corporation in an omnibus claim bill
even if all the other eXacting re
ouirements are met. While Senate
Martin has done everything it wa
: possible for him to do for these pri
vate claims of Virginians, his "hobby
s (if it may be termed as such) ha
!. been the church claims At the tim
of the recent change of administra
tion when a new list of conlmitte
:. assignments was being made Up an
!. few of his envious colleague
Il thought that Senator Martin was
member of too many large commi
l. tees, besides being chairman of tt
> most powerful Senate committee-al
u propriations- found it necessal
to chose between the committee
claims and another far more attra
tive and desirable committee. WI
:, he undecided as to which he shou
= retain? Not ne, for he saw clair
committee of which Democra
would be the dominant members a
as & member of which broader fe
= would be opened up to him for
- efforts in behalf of the Virgin
" churches. In sight was the goal
his endeavors, extending over peri
~, " of many years. He realized that
~ claims committee would entail up
r him ten times as much labor as
y" committee he relinquished, but Sel
tor Martin seems to thrive on wo
He chose the Committee on clai!
and as. result the above ia
vii show that Virginia has cause
g congratulate herself that he made
=, choice he did.
~ Senator Martin is quiet, unassu
m ing man. He never makAs a
F. speech on the floor of the Sena
he does not play to the gallerie;