The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-05-13
NEWS NOTES
From the Nations Capital, of Interest
10 West YirginianS.
icy George W. Summersl

Washington, Before the Sen
ate concludes its contemplated
investigation Of the manner in
which the civil service laws are
enforced there may be more
places available for West Virgin
la Democrats than there are now.
Senator Overman Of North Caro-
lima has undertaken to get an in
vestigation of the civil. service.
against which he has heard nu-
merous charges. He read in the
Senate an extract from the re-
port made to President Taft
shortly before the end of his
term of office by the Presidents
economy and efficiency commits
sion. appointed by Mr.. Taft.
This report severely scored the
administration Of the civil ser
vice laws and stated in plain lam
guage that they had been made
to accomplish the very thing they
had been enacted to prevent
the perpetuation of the spoils
system, instead of placing the
government service on a non-po-
litical basis. Senator Overman
stated that he did not see how
the civil service laws could have
been properly enforced when i'm
one of the departments 90 per
cent of the employees are Repub-
licans. If the proposed investi-
CATION shows that tie civil ser
vice has been made to provide
method of putting Republicans
into office and keeping Demo
Gratis out, as it probably will
show, it is not improbable that
some method will be found to
open up part of the office so as to
at least let the Democrats have an
equal share in the patronage OF
the government. In this man
ner some of the West Virginia
Democrats may be able to get po-
sitions which under the law are
now denied to them.
In the meantime applications
for appointment to federal po-
sitions still pour in until Senator
Chiffon and Congressman Davis
and Brown are simply over
wheImed. They can not give
something to verybody and it
is very trying for them to select
from the many applicants those
whom they have a chance to re-
ward. So far only three post
masters have been nominated for
offices in West Virginia and only
two of them have been confirmed
by the Senate. Many persons
have been recommended to the
President but the matters Of
national and international inn
portance to which the President
has been compelled to give at
tentiOn have been so numerous
that he has had little time to de-
vote to the mere question of
which individual shall have GER
tain office. When the japanese.
Mexican, Chinese and British
questions have been settled and
the tariff bill is out of the way.
then the President is expected to
get down to the details of pat
ronage, but until such time it is
not believed he will get around
to the making of many appoint
ments.
kf
Vice President Thomas r.
Marshall, when he started from
Washington last Saturday night
to make an address at the
hundredth anniversary of the
establishment Of the First Pres
byterian church at Lewisburg.
w. Va. declined the offer of a pri-
vate car for himself and Mrs.
Marshall. He told Senator Chill
ton, who had asked him to ride
IN a private car. that he wanted
to travel like any other American
citizen. The drawing room Of
an ordinary sleeping car was OBJ
tanned for him. Senator and
Mrs. Chiffon and the Senator's
Secretary. Henry Fry, acoompan-
led the Vice President to Lewis
burg.