Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1914-07-21
Washington Letter.
From Geo. W. Summers.


nary investigation into the charges OF
the official conduct of Judge A. G.
Dayton, of The Northern District OF
West Virginia. has been practically
completed All day Thursday and Fri
day the committee sat in almost con-
tinuous session examining witnesses
who appeared in support of the charges,
and an adjournment was taken over
until this week TO await the arrival of
another witness who was expected to
testify for those who are back of the
proceedings. Congressman Nicely, who
filed the chare es was in charge of the
witnesses and was the only person 9TH
er than members of the committee
present during the examination of the
witnesses.
Solicitor General John w. Davis has
been receiving congratulations on the
exceptional legal record made by the
Department of Justice during the first
full year under Attorney General Me-
Reynolds. The credit for this enviable
record is admitted to be largely due to
Solicitor General Davis, who is in charge
of all litigation before the Supreme
Court Of the 20 cases before that
court in which the United States was
party. the government represented by
Mr.. Davis, was successful in 80. Of
the cases taken up to the Supreme
Court by litigants other than the gov
eminent, only seven were decided
against the government.
The national forest reservation com.
mission has recently approved for pur-
chase tract of 5000 acres of land in
Randolph and Tucker counties, and SO
acres in Hardy county, These tracts
bring the total purchases along the
headwaters of the Monongahela river
in West Virginia up to 1887 acres,
and along the Potomac headwaters up
to Sc, 405 acres. The total acreage in
the State approved for purchase is 1O5-
480 acres. The average price paid for
these lands lands is less than SIS an
acre.
DR.. Thomas E. Hodges, president of
the West Virginia University, who was
nominated at the Democratic State
convention at Parkersburg last month
for Congressman at Large. spent a
day in Washington last week, confer.
ring with Senator Chiffon, Congress
man Brown and others. 1t was stated
by persons in close touch with him that
he had decided to accept the nomlna-
ton rendered him and that in few
days he will make definite statement
to that effect.
Congressman Brown is fortunate in
living so close to the Capitol that he
can make frequent trips to his home
without loosing any time in Washing
ton. He speut the fourth of July at
home returning in time for all the du-
ties of the last week, and then went
out again last Saturday to enjoy the
cooling mountain breezes over Sunday
Mr.. Brown is seldom absent when mat
tiers of Importance are up, but likes to
get breath Of West Virginia mountain
air when he can.
Congressman Brown has introduced
bill providing for the payment of a
pension to Charlotte L. Arnett, OF
Charles Town
Hon. William Campbell, of Charles
Town, who is largely interested in
fruit growing in West Virginia, passed
through Washington on his way to
Southern George. where the peach
crop is now being shipped out.
1t begins to look a little as though
George NJ Bowers, of Martinsburg,
who it was thought was slated for the
Republican nomination for Congress
man in the Second District, will not
get the nomination without hard fight.
w. Taylor George. of Philippi, who
was here last week to help substantiate
the charges against Judge Dayton, and
WiiO ID uUuSISlOOu W nave e6NCIctJ dI-
raigned Judge Dayton in his testimony,
announced while here that he is can
didate for the nomination for Congress
on straight, out and out Stand-Pat
ticket, with no ambition to have the
Progressive endorsement. In addition
to this he is said to have severely criti
cised Theodore Roosevelt while here
showing that he has no desire to b.
affiliated with the Progressive party
L. j. Forman, of Grant county, is un
derstood to be a candidate also, whilt
Tracy l.. Jeffords, of Harpers Ferry
is understood to have put feeler on
last week with view to entering thu
race if his replies are favorable. Their
are almost as many Progressive can
ddates for the nomination as Republi
can. Among the number are said to b,
Jack Henson, of Martinsburg; d. H
Courtney, of Morgantown; N. g Keim
of Eikins, and Sam B. Montgomery, o
Preston county. In fact it looks lik'
there would be hot fight over tn
nomination in each of the parties which