Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-05-08
tFrOm Gee. w. sumnsrs.l

forced there may be more places avail
able for West Virginia Democrats than
there are now. Senator Overman of
North Carolina has undertaken to get
an investigation of the civil service,
against which he has beard numerous
charges. He read in the Senate an ex-
tract from the report made to Presi
dent Taft shortly before the end of his
term of office by the Presidents econ
omy and efficiency commission, appoint
ed by Mr. Taft. This report severely
scored the administration of the civil
servisela laws and stated in plain language
that thsy hsd been made to accomplish
the very thing they had bean enact d
to preventive pefpstuation of the
spoils system, instead of placing the
government service on non political
basis. Senator Overman stated that
he did not see how the civil Servic'.
laws could have been properly enforced
whea ia oae of the departments IS per
cent of the employees are Republicans
Ii the proposed investigation shows
that the civil service has been made to
provide method of putting Republicans
into offices and keeping Democrats-o 1t.
as it probably will show. it isi not; An
probable that some method will he
found to open up part of the Offices 50
as to at least let the, Democrats have
an equal share in the patronage of the
government. In this manner some of
the West Virginia Democrats may be
able to get positions which under the
law are now denied to them.
In the meantime applications for ap-
pointment to federal positions still pour
in until Senator Chiffon and Congress-
men Davis and Brown, are simply over
whelmed. They cannot give something
to everybody and it is very trying for
them to select from the many appli-
cants those whom they have chance
to reward. So far only three p )sttnas-
tiers have Deen nominated for ffices 10
West Virginia and only two of them
uoSO OCCtl will Wy IilO OcDdtc.
Many persons have been recommended
to the President but the matters of
national and International Importance
to which the President has been com
PEELED to give attention have been 50
numerous that he has had little time t.
devote to the mere question of which
individ Ial shall have certain office
When the japanese, Mexican, Chinese
and British questions have been settl. 4
and the tariff hills out OF the way,
then the President isexpected to get
down to the details of patronage. hui
until such time it is not believed he will
get around to the making of many ap
poIntments.
Whether Congressman Davis is ap.
pointed to the federal bench or not, he.
will have the atisfaction of knowing
that he was recommended for appoint-
ment by the Department of Justice af--
ter his record had been very carefully
investigated. The Attorney General
is known to have considered him fully
qualified for the position.
E. l. Allen, post office inspector. who
has been on duty in West Virginia foud
many years, has been removed from
his position following q;larrel be
tween him and Henry Harnish, assist
ant postmaster at Parkersburg 1t is |
understood that Mr.. Harnish may also
be removed from the service.
Contract for the construction Of the
new post office building at Grafton has
bsan awarded by the Treasury Depart
ment to Fissell & Co. of New York
at their bid Of Sill. 500
Senator Chiffon, bill to create an adj
ditional judgeship in the fourth judicial
circuit has passed the Senate. 1t il
expected to pass the House in few
days. If the bill passes it is expected
that Congressman John W.-DaVis will
be one of the two judges to be appoint
ed.
Always loyal to West Virginia, Cong
ressmaa Brown left his duties at the
capitol and went to College Park, Md,
WHARF the West Virginia University
baseball team played the Maryland Ag
riculturaf College team He then en-
tertained the members of the Univer-
sity team at the Willard Hotel for din
ner that right.
hoa II
for midshipman at the United States
Naval Academy at Annapolis Warren
v. Lamb. Of Terra Alta; with W. Oliver
Barnard, of Pchard. and W. Earl Dsdd,
of Martlnsburg, as alternates.
Vice President Thomas r. Marshall,
when he started from Washington last
Saturday night to make an address at
the hundredth anniversary of tie es-
Enlistment of the First Presbyterian
church at Lewisbarg. w. Va, declined
the offer of private car for himself
and Mrs. Marshall. He told Senator
Chilton, who had asked him to ride in
private car, that he wanted tt, travel
IKE any oIucF AMERICAN eltlzen. Inc
drawing room of an ordinary sleeping
car was obtained for him. Senator and
Mrs. Chiffon and the Senator's secre-
tary, Henry Fry. accompanied the Vice
President to Levi; burg.
TIE entire West Virginia delegation
in Congress went on Saturday 10 pro-
testt to the Secretary of the Interior,
Franklin K Lane. against the discon-
tinuance by the federal government of
the geological survey of West Virginia
The State has been cooperating with the