Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-13
MIR KOINER is NAMED.
THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS HIM
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.
WILL SUCCEED COLONEL WHITEHEAD.
The Latter to Go Ont January i't'
After Twelve Years service-Mny
Recommend That the once nc
AboItsbed-The Hancock Case.

| Governor Tyler yesterday appointed Mr..
George wellington Koiner, of Augusta
county Commissioner Of Agriculture, TO
serve two years from January l. 1879 MT
Koiner succeeds Colonel Thomas White
head, who has occupied the position Tor
| twelve years, or will have done so at the
1st of January next.
The appointment Of Mr.. Koiner by Gov
ernor Tyler caused a great deal OF sur
| prise when II was announced seVeral
weeks ago that 1t would be made. 1t was
thought that Colonel Whitehead would be
reappointed, though the Dispatch stated
exclusively the day before the inaugu-
ration of Governor Tyler that Colonel
Whitehead would be succeeded by an Au-
gusta county man.
Colonel Whitehead has a large number
| of friends in every county in virginia,
and these were strongly opposed 70 seeing
| him lose his place. 1t was also urged that
Mr. Koiner had practically been citizen
Of Greensboro, n. c., for over year.
While Mr.. Koiner has been engaged IN
! business in North Carolina for some time
he has always regarded Augusta county
as his home, returning there TO vote ana
10 take an active part in politics.
/
garded as one Of the best. practical farm
ers in Augusta county He IS fine man
personally, a lifelong Democrat and has
| served in the House of Delegates from
Augusta county
/ The salary Of the Commissioner OF Agri-
culture was reduced by the last Legisla-
ture from S15OO TO Sl,200, and that OF his
clerk to $500; these, together with other
expenses Of the department, TO be borne
out Of the fertilizer fund.
OFFICE MAY BE ABOLISHED.
The office of Commissioner OF Agricul-
ture narrowly escaped adjustment at the
last session of the Legislature. 1t Is
| certainly that If the department does not
prove to the satisfaction Of Governor Ty-
| Ter that it is a success under the manage
ment Of Mr.. Koiner he will recommend
| that It be abolished.
There is a plan i'm the Governors mind
| 10 recommend the Legislature TO unite
the office of Commissioner Of Agriculture
with that Of Labor Commissioner, giving
| to the latter a clerk who could perform
the duties now devolving on the clerk to
/ the Commissioner of Agriculture and aid
/ the Labor Commissioner as well. Tho
| inspection of fertilizers could he thinks.
! be transferred to the Board of Visitors
of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute at
/ Blacksburg
! one Of the chief duties Of the Commits
/ sioner of Labor is the collection and tabu-
| lation of statistics regarding the condi-
| ton of labor in Virginia, and it is argued
| that the Commissioner could very easily
collect agricultural statistics, and, with
/ the aid of a clerk. tabulate them in the
required manner. Some such plan as this
Is almost certain to be proposed TO the
next Legislature.
JOHN HANCOCK'S SENTENCE.
| Governor Tyler has as yet received no
application for a pardon or Communication
of sentence for John Hancock, the negro
who is TO be hanged in Lynchburg De-
/ cember Goth. The Governor granted re-
spite until the above date, and did SO at
the request Of prominent citizens Of
Lynchburg, who thought the case should
be reviewed by the Governor As the re-
suit of having granted the reprieve, Gov
| ernor Tyler is receiving many letters CEN
surfing him for extending pardon or urging
him not to do so.
Governor Tyler has written Mr. d. c.
Purse, president of the Savannah Board
Of Trade, thanking him for an invitation
to be present at the grand review OF
troops there December nth, and regret
ting that he cannot accept.