Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-12-29
DELEGATION is BUSY
Virginia Senator's and Representa-
tives Working Early and Late in
Interest of Old Dominion.

While Virginia has not been 10
the front on the floors OF congress
so far this session the Virginia deie-
CATION has nevertheless been very
busy. There has been much commit
tee work and if they had nothing
else to do some of the members
would have been much occupied N
taking care of the communications
Uncle Sans mail carriers brought
them. Judge Harrison, for instance,
the newcomer to the national halls
of legislation, has been very mucn
surprised at the size of congress-
mans mail The worries about the
Virginia boys on the border have
brought a perfect deluge of letters
to the delegation. Many of the folk
back home seem to think that all 4
congressman has to do is to make u
request and straightway the rest OF
the nation will accede to it. Despite
efforts of Senators Swanson, Mar
tin and Representative Glass, who
were especially interested in the re-
turn Of the Virginia troops. the
First Virginia will not get home un-
til the time mentioned few days
ago in the Gazette.
There are number Of things
pending in which Virginia has spe-
cial interest. The armor plate plant
decision may be month off. Where
appropriations are to be made it is
doubtful whether Virginia will get
much, for there will be big fight
in all probability on the public build
ings bill and the rivers and harbors
bill. Representative Montague APP
peared before the rivers and har-
bors committee and made strong
argument for the James river I'M
provcmelt. The representatives. per-
sonal friendship for the, chairman or
that cor 1mittee might be supposed t"
be an asset, but the whole bill may
60 by the boards The following Viz
ginia items will be found in the pub
lie buildings bill to be considered af-
ter the holidays: For postoffices and
government buildings-Alexandria,
$4,000; Harrisonburg, 100000; Roa-
noke, $4,000; Staunton, $S5,O0N;
West Point, $25,OOO; Bristol, $50
600. and Norfolk Ito include court
house), $650,000, not exceeding $500
OGO. of which amount is for addi-
tional land
Senator Martin has been more ac-
tive on the floor than any other Nlr-
ginia legislator, though MIR. Flood
took prominent part in the discus
sion on the diversion of the waters Of
the Niagara river, and as chairman
of the committee on foreign affairs
in the house, reported the diplomatic
bill. Mr.. Holland offered a bill to
authorize the secretary of the treas
urv to cause to be secured an ade-
ouste site in or near Norfolk and
the erection upon it of a marine hos
pital. Senator Swanson duplicated !
in the senate the bill introduced by
Mr.. Carlin in the house looking to
the settlement of certain claims be-
tween citizens of the United States
and Chile:
Mr. Harrison introduced in the
house the same bill which Senator
Martin introduced in the senate, "to
supplement existing laws against
restraints and monOpolies." Another
important bill was Senator Martins
for the erection OF a monument to
the memory of Matthew Fontaine
Maury, which passed the senate, but
NAV not get any further. A few
yirrinians are affected by bills IN
troduced by Messrs. Langley and
Powers for the allowance OF eer-
tain claims of back pay growing ouF
of service in the army ana navy dC:-
ing the civil war.