Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-07-20
WASHINGTON LETTER
by Geo. w. Summers)

ry OF the state was the record Tor
West Virginia in 1915, according to
figures given out by the United States
Geological Survey. The State main
tanned its position as second only to
Pennsylvania in the production of
coal, the output for 1915 being IT,
,069 tons, valued at $74,561 ,349.
The number of persons employed in
the production of this coal was 1882
and they were employed an average
of 208 out of the 365 days of the
year.
But eight States in the Union had
better crop prospects for the year
1916 on the first of July than West
Virginia, according to figures from
the Department of Agriculture. Plac-
ing the average crop at 100 per cent,
the general crop conditions in West
Virginia for the year were estimated
on the first of this month to be 1862,
showing very high crop condition in
the State. The only States where
conditions were estimated to be better
were Maine, New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island,
New York, Kansas and Arkansas.
Judge John H. Clarke, of Cleveland,
Ohio, has been nominated by Presi
dent Wilson for associate justice of
the Supreme Court, to succeed Justice
Charles E. Hughes, who resigned to
accept the Republican nomination for
President. 1t was thot for a time
what possible the appointment might
go to Solicitor General John W. Davis,
Of Clarksburg, on that it might go to
Attorney General Gregory and that
Mr.. Davis would succeed him as At
torney General. But the appoint
ment of Judge Clarke ends both of
these possibilities and practically as
sures that Mr.. Davis will continue
throughout the remainder of this adj
ministration to be Solicitor General
of the United States, the highest leg
al position in the administration, as
even the Attorney General is not re-
quired to be lawyer.
Another Office which it was hoped
might be given to West Virginian,
was lost when the President appoint
ed Congressman James Hay, of Vir-
ginia, to be judge of the court of
claims to succeed Judge George w.
Atkinson, of West Virginia, who re-
Gently retired on full pay. Senator
Chiffon tried to induce the President
to appoint Clyde B. Johnson, of Char
lesion, to succeed Judge Atkinson, but
the President handed the nice plum
| of alife position at $4,000 a year to
Mr.. Hay, who has been chairman of
the House military affairs committee.
Word has come from West Vir-
ginia that Samuel Davis Stokes, of
Williamson, and Samuel Tilden
Spears, of Elkins, will be candidates
for the Democratic nomination for
judge of the Supreme Court of APP
apeals of West Virginia, before the
State convention to be held at Park
ersburg August 2. The Samuel Til
den in Mr.. Spears name indicates his
brand of politics.. His personal char
acter is said to be beyond reproach,
his knowledge of the law profound
and his conduct such as to commend
him to those who would have public
officials who can commend public con-
fidence He is a hard and successful
worker and his friends are strong in
their support of him. Mr.. Stokes
located in Williamson in 1898 after
graduating in law from Washington
and Lee University. In 1900 he was
defeated for the State Senate by
Clark V. May. His legal practice has
been wide and varied. He represent
ed the parties who had Mr.. Booton
removed as mayor of Williamson and
representing the Lilly forces in
their fight for a fair count of the Re-
publican ballots cast in Mingo and
Mcdowell counties. Both names here
mentioned will be presented to the
State convention at Parkersburg on
August 2.
| Charles Cameron Lewis, Jr., of
Charleston, newly elected chairman
of the Democratic State committee of
/ West Virginia, spent day in Wash
ington recently, comforting with Sena-
tor Chiffon and Representative Nicely
and Littlepage. Mr.. Lewis said it
was not the intention to open the
campaign headquarters till after the
meeting of the State committee on
July Is. He expects then, however,
/ to make a vigorous campaign for the
success of every Democrat on the
ticket from Woodrow Wilson down.
The Senate has passed the resolu-
ton recently introduced by Senator
Chiffon suggesting that the President
| set aside day upon which a direct