Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-02-04

Washington. Feb. But four weeks
Of the present Congress remain and
the work of that body has not been
nearly concluded. The Republican fill
buster in the Senate has prevented
business from taking it's normal course
and the result is that the business be-
fore Congress is far from being at
tended to. It. looks more and more
every day as though an extra session
of the coming Congress would be nee
essary to take proper care Of the pub
lie business. The President insists that
the ship-purchase bill must be passed
in order to provide means for shipping
to European countries our surplus
goods which the nations of Europe de-
J sire to purchase, but which can not now
J be delivered because of the lack of
shipping facilities. Republicans in
) Senate and House oppose this plan and
. have started out TO defeat the ship
purchase bill at whatever cost. All
night sessions and long hours in day
! time mark the deliberations of the Sen
! ate, while the House is working early
and late, but even with extra hours it
would seem impossible to consider all
the necessary legislation before the
fourth Of March. The President has
cancelled his trip through the Panama
Canal in March and there is every indi-
cation that an extra session of Con-
gress will be called, which will keep
Congressman Nicely, Brown, Moss and
Sutherland here after the adjournment
: and will necessitate the coming of Con-
gressman-elect Adam B. Littlepage
and Edward Cooper. A caucus of the
Democratic members of the next House
will be held here this week and in ad
dition to Mr.. Nicely and Mr.. Brown it
is expected that Adam B. Littlepage.
o of Charleston. will also be present to
assist in making the selections for the
more important committees of the
next House. Mr.. Brown will be moved
up to the ranking member of the com
mittee on banking and currency, mean
ing that his rank will be next to thai
of the chairman. He may. however,
be given chairmaoship of some 9TH
committee, relinquishing his position
on the banking and currency commit
tee. but this remains to be seen. Con
gresham Nicely seems to have good
! chance to get on the House judiciary
e committee. He has strong recommen
o dations for appointment to that com
e mittee and it is understood that his
n 4charces are good for the position, al.
though there are many applicants for
each vacancy that will occur on this
a committee when the present Congress
e goes out. Still, there is reason to be-
9 lieve that his chances for this commit
9 tee are good. Where Congressman
! Littlepage will be placed in the forma-
tion of the committees remains to be
!. seen. When he was IN ongress two
e years ago, he was on the committee on
/ insular affairs and the committee on
= mines and mining. 1t is probable that
e he will be assigned to the commit ee
: on mines and mining, as representing
9 mining State, and that he may get q
: place on the committee on good reads
e Ons difference between the national
Congress and the West Virginia leais-
e lature-- and there are many differences
n is that the national Congress is trying
e to put economy into effect and is cut
i ting dawn on appropriations till there
i are complaints that enough will not be
G appropriated to run the government,
while the West Virginia legislature Is
continuing to create new Offices and to
u expend more money than can be raised
by present methods of taxation. The
G outcome will he that the nation will
/ get upon more economical basis,
while the State will be run still farther
8 into debt and will have TO adopt ex ra,
IS ordinary means 10 make b-sth ends
r meet. Economy, however, has been
s the watchword of Dem. cracy fof years
while extravaganza has always marked
s Republican rule.
: Fourteen new census bureau employees
: from West Virginia have been appoint
ed and have begun their duties oil, tax
; ing the census of manufactures in the
: State They were named by Senator
Chiffon. One was named from the first
I congressional district, two from the
;. second, one from the fourth and five
from the third and fifth.
) rngressman W. G. Brown has had
! another Of his attacks of illness which
!. come to him in winter, but Is much
better now. He contracted severe
!. cold, which developed into siege oil
! the grip. Pneumonia was feared but
he drew that off and has improved rap.
= idly. SO that he is expected to be back
at his work again in few days.
! Thomas E. Hodges, former president
of the West Virginia University anG
TDemocratic nominee for Congressman
at Large in the campaign of 1914, has
been recommended by Congressman
Il Brown for appointment as postmaster
at Morgantown. MIR. Hodges resigned
the presidency Of the university to &C
: cept the nomination for Congress and
to make the race for it. When he was
: defeated he was left without position
4 and the appointment as postmaster will
! bring him salary of 81. 800 year AMI
! at the same time permit him an oppor-
) tunity to look after personal business
. in Morgantown also