The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-05-30
WEST Virginia AT WASHINGTON
Our state Growing More Prominent
Under Democratic Representation.
GEO. w. SUMMERS.

GEO. w. SUMMERS.
The Democratic House OF Repre-
sentatives has been doing more for
the peope of West Virginia in the
last week while the Republican Sen
ate has tried to undo some of the
things which the House has been
endeayoring to accomplish, The
Democratic majority in the House has
decided that so far as the House is
concerned there shall be no tolls
charged for the passage of American
vessels through the Panama canal. A
bill to this effect has passed the
House and will become law II the
Senate concurs in it. West Virginia
ought to become one of the greatest
users of the Panama Canal. The West
Virginia coal which will oe shipped
down the Ohio and Mississippi. rivers
can be taken through the canal to-
markets ON the Pacific Coast at a.
cost which will enable it to compete
with all Goals in that part of the
United States. II tolls were to be
charged by the United States for TAX
! ing vessels through the Canal the
Canal would be practically useless,
SO far as West Virginia is concerned,
for it would place prohibitive
/ freight rate on coal shipped to the
far West. There was considerable
opposition to the proposition for
/ free tolls for American vessels. But
the West Virginia Democrats in con-
gress and other members of the
/ Democratic House decided it would
not he best to charge any tolls to
American vessels for passing through
the Canal and passed the bill with
provision for the free transportation
OF all American vessels through the
Canal.
While the House with it's Demo-
cratic majority was putting through
this bill for the benefit of West Vir-
ginia and it's coal industry, the SEN
ate was engaged in cutting out all
the appropriations which had been
made by the House to pay what are
lknown as war claims to residents of
West Virginia and several other
states. The House passed bill APP
propriating about $4,000 to pay
the claims of some sixty or more
West Virginians for damages to prop
erty taken or destroyed by Union
soldiers during the Civil War With
the exception of about six items in
the bill every appropriation for West
Virginia war claims was stricken
from the bill by the Senate Commit
tee. The larger number of claim
ants under this bill were churches of
4 almost every denomination, whose
buildings had been occupied, damag-
ed and in some cases practically de-
stroyed by the Union soldiers. Most
of these churches are struggling for
an existence and in the opinion of the
House they were entitled to relief
from the Government. But the SEN
ate Committee appointed by Repub-
liran President and with ma
iority vt Republican members las
decided that the Government shall
not pay these churches or individuals
for the damages done by it's soldiers,
regardless of what the House thinks
of the matter.
The indications from West Virginia
|are that the hackers of Theodore
Roosevelt for the presidency are
working hard to get the same old
bunch of Roosevelt appointees back
into office. Gov. Glasscock who in
Estituted the, Roosevelt movement in
West Virginia, was Collector of In
ternal Revenue by appointment OF
president Roosevelt and doubtless he
expects to he reappointed in the same
position in the event of the Colonei {
election. General C. d. Elliott was
Marshal by the grace of Theodore l.
and it is understood that he will be
appointed again to the same position
|, If his favorite should be chosen Pres
ident. Frank H. Tyree, Marshal OF
the Southern District of West Virgin
|ia, was the constant companion and
personal ibodyguard of Mr.. Roosevelt
while he was President 1t is under
stood that he would be restored to
his former position In the event OF
the success of the Roosevelt ticket
A large number of the postmasters In
West Virginia who we're appointed
by President Roosevelt and superced-
ed by others when President Taft en-
tered the White House, are also ex-
pecting to get back into their old
jobs. Several federal officeholders
who have been protected by Mr..
!, Taft against attacks from their po-
litical enemies are slated for imme-
diate removal in the event of Col
Roosevelt's election. In fact it Ii
proposed that there shall be gen
eral cleaning out of Taft officeholders
!, and reinstatement of Roosevelt
men all along the line II Roosevelt
, should become President again.
Whenever there is crisis In the
Republican party in West Virginia
and the party seems to be in an ex-
IRENE situation there is call fol
Judge Goff to retire from the bench
and help the party out Of it's difficul-
ties. This call has been made again
since the Dawson people have oh.
tanned control of the party in Wesi
Virginia and Judge Goff has again
been brought out as candidate fol
= the Sonata The faRtiOm of the mart