The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-06-01

OF ten months at that distant point.
and yet we had had . building with
no exhibit
An arrangement was made between
the commission and the Department
ct Agriculture. whereby the depart.
ment agreed that until funds could
be secured from the sale OF moving
picture films to the Industrial insti.
tuttons Of the state, the State depart.
men OF Agriculture would guarantee
the payment Of all expenses OF a NOV.
Ing picture show represented as near
ly as possible all phases OF our indus.
trial life and our resources and DOS.
sibilities, including u instructions.
a very full picture Of the annual foot.
ball game, West Virginia university
versus Wesleyan. This we did at a
cost of sl1,610.79. During the time
the agricultural films we're being tax.
en-, however. and included in the same
cost, hundreds Of feet Of film were
taken representing the manufacturing
plants and industries throughout the
state, from which the state has al.
ready receive the neat little sum Of
$11,603.50 with some two or three
thousand dollars not yet collected.
Substracting the receipts from the
disbursements any school boy and Ger.
tainly the editor Of a great daily news.
paper can calculate that the entire
exhibit Of West Virginia made ready
for the Panama.pacfc exposition cost
the taxpayers only 1923, not count.
ing bills collectable.
The tax commissioners report to
which the article refers, was for the
fiscal year ending July LIST. 1916, and
long before the transaction was COM.
pete and then final settlement made.
There is perhaps another phase OF
this question which might be OF In.
terest. 1t was from this source that
funds Eel derived for the payment
OF bills and accounts against the state
for the maintenance Of the building
and exhibits during the two or three
months OF the financial moratorium.
The article states 1.-THE commits.
sioner spent s1,337.66 for automobile
hire and repairs while he sojourned
at tho Panama.Pacifc exposition"
Nothing would have pleased me better
than to have taken an automobile trip
across the continent and "%sojourned"
for a few days at such a great exposi.
ton. but as a matter Of fact I was
not there.
1t Is true that I spent S1.2S7.66 of
the states money for automobile hire
and repairs, ETC., which item includ.
ed, by the way. the services OF a shat.
feur and helper, travelling over West
Virginia with q moving picture artiss.
for the purpose Of securing the best
scenes and exhibits. and I defy any
gentleman to go over the same roads
and make the same trips into all the
mics OF this state and carry the
same machinery and outfits which was
necessary In that case at a much less
expense.
The Times article further makes
reference to the payment of a sum of
money to a Mr.. Wnssells for a "for.
mula for preserving fruit" and says
"in view of the fact that It is general
knowledge that the U. S. government
maintains q department and corps of
the finest experts to scatter this sort
OF advice and knowledge 1t looks
mighty suspicious that the department
Of this state could not avail itself OF
his advice, etc" ar: well aware that
we have thousands of people in West
Virginia, who can preserve fruits for
''-Doees and | am aware that
the federal government. maintains eS-
perts to find out such matters. / do
not doubt that the ediors of he Times
or the Gazette can put up "%airtights"
but this Is not the character of our
work and~I wish to say for the bene-
fit Of the editors Of the Times and
Gazette that I made a thorough in.
yestigation and say without fear of
successful contradiction that there
was not at that time and so far as I
know. There Is not at this time any
formula In possession Of state or fed.
eral departments Of agriculture WHICH
havo proven successful in the pre-
%servatioE. Of fruits and vegetables re.
tanning their natural color ant an.
pearance Tho only work OF this Mind
which has been successfully donn ilss
been S.,:::e fy the Great Northern Rail.
way crr.fany, and a small or u, ns
people In Inc fruit section of Calf.
ornia. who 8 the same formula .id
Tor the snr'a purpose-the mos, ct.rC.
tive advertising in all the world.
WIh proper encouragement West
Virginia Is destined to be the leading
apple and peach producing state on
this continent, but it will require some
sensible advertising SO that the an.
pie and peach consumers throughout
the world may know It Anyone fam.
liar with such preservatives where.
by u fruit and vegetables may be
preserved In natural colors and con.
diiinns ngo shown In our own and dis.
tant markets. The article further
states "The departmet Of agriculture
paid s220.5l OF he peoples money to
send J. B. Krak to Holland" and fur.
Their "Truly with the commissioner
hiking West to Frisco and Krak 20.
ing TO Holland the department was
represented both East and West" AS