Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-09-01
Washington Letter.
[From Geo. ". Summers. !

W dSblffStotl, august 20. - + OF sCN 6Idi
days within the past week interest in
West Virginia affairs has been trans
ferred from Washington to Richmond.
the capitol of the old Southern Confed-
eracy, and present location of the Fed
eral Reserve Bank with which almost
all of West Virginia will be associated.
While Congress has been doing little
of special interest to West Virginians,
the final hearing in the Virginia debt
suit has been on in Richmond. Charles
E. LittleielG. special master of the
Supreme Court of the United States,
has heard the testimony of West Vir-
ginia regarding the claims which it has
made for credits on the amount set
aside by the court as West Virginia s
part of the old State debt. For nearly
two months West Virginia has had
about dozen accountants going oyer
the books and the result of their inves-
legations had been presented as testi-
mony before the master, in support of
West Virginia's contention that the
amount of the debt, for which West
Virginia has been found to be liable,
should be reduced by at least IS, 900. 900
because of assets owned by Virginia at
the time Of the separation of the
States, for which West Virginia has
received no credit Master Littlefeld
announced that he would take testi-
mony and make report.
The campaign of 1914 will soon open
in West Virginia. The nominations
are all made and the candidates are
known. Democratic, Republican and
Prog ressives are getting in shape for
the fray, and from now till the 3rd day
of November the State is expected to
be battle-ground for the three politi-
cal parties. Theodore Roosevelt, the
founder of the Progressive party, has
promised to make speaking campaign
in West Virginia in behalf of the Pro-
gressive candidates there. Plans of
campaign for the Democrats have not
been made, or at least has not been an
nouDced, further than that Congress
man Nicely has again selected his part
ner, Henry Lively, of Fairmont, for
chairman of his Congressional Commit
tee, while Congressman Brown has
been authorized to select the chairman
of the Second District Democratic Com,
mittee, but has not done so yet. 1t is
expected that all the machinery will
soon be started for the campaign and
that it will be kept up vigorously till
election day.
Both Democrats from West Virginia
in the House of Representative have
been remaining steadily in attendance
upon the House. The situation brought
about by the European war situation,
is such that it is considered impossible
for Congress to adjourn. Many men,
bers of the House have left for their
homes to get into their campaigns, but
SOHS 1NCCit ILOWh
remained here, and expect to remain so
long as Congress remains, and that
probably means that they will not be
able to make much of campaign this
fall,
The search for West Vlrginians who
have been in travelling in Europe is be-
ing continued by the State Department.
A good many persons from the State
have been abroad and many of them
have not been heard from since the
war started. The State Department
is trying to locate all Americans for
whom request has been made for infor-
nation, and no pains have been spared
by the government in its efforts to To-
cate the friends of persons on this side
of the ocean, who make requests for
assistance in locating their friends
abroad