Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-08-04
Washington Letter.
From Geo. w. Summers. ]


Washington, July 2S-Political mat
ters, so far as West Virginia is con-
cerned, is in quiet state The Dem
ocratic Congressional nominations have
been made; the Progressives have
named nearly all their candidates and
those who are to be nominated are
pretty well known: while there's doubt
about only one of the Republican can
didates for Congress. that in the Sec
ond District. The campaign has not
started and with many of the nomi-
ness of both the Democratic and Re-
publican parties tied up in Congress,
lit looks as though the the start
of the Congressional campaign would
be late this year. Midsummer dullness
is on in Washington just now and little
of interest to West Virginians is trans
piring in the national capital The
news of the resignation of Governor
Hatfield, followed by the withdrawal of
his resignation and the dispute as to
whether it should be recorded in the
minutes of the Board Of Public w orks
caused considerable interest here, con-
sternation being noted among the Re-
publicans and amusement among the
Democrats. The general belief is
here that the Governor could not be
pried loose in any way from his pres
ent Office unless he could get into the
United States Senate, and that his eff
forts in that line will be as futile in the
future as in the past.
Crop conditions in West Virginia
are lowest of all the States in the
Union and Virginia is next" according
to the general review of crop condi-
tions on July |, just published by the
Department of Agriculture. Tobacco,
hay. oats and potatoes are particularly
low in condition, continues the report,
while the expectations are wheat and
tree fruits. The apple and peach crops
of the eastern part of West Virginia
are reported exceptionally good this
year. Corn, hay. oats and tobacco are
not up to the standard in the State.
Senator Chiffon made an Intellectual
attempt to have the appropriation of
$40, 900 for remodeling the public build
ings in Martinsburg embodied in the
general deficiency bill by the Senate a
few days ago. The appropriation
was opposed by Senators on the ground
that the Treasury Department had said
the appropriation was not needed at
this time and could not not be used
now. Senator Chiffon said he was tir-
ed of Departments CT the government
making the excuses that they were not
ready to carry out the directions of
Congress. but the letter of Acting
Secretary of the Treasury Byron New
ton explained that the office of the SUI
pervising architect now has more than
six years work before it and is taking
projects in regular order which would
prevent work at Martinsburg for more
than a year. So Martins burg will have
to wait.
Leave of absense has been granted
by the Postoffice Department to all
postmasters of the first, second, third
and fourth classes in West Virginia for
as many days as may be required, not
to exceed three, to enable them to at
tend the meeting of the w. Va. Post
masters Association at Huntington,
Sept 10 and IL.
Figures from the Office of the U. S.
Geological Survey show that West Vir
ginia has reached third place among all
the States in the Union in the manu-
facture of pottery of different kinds.