The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-04-02

WASHINGTON, D. G., April 2.-The
Virgin Islands of the United States,
formerly the Danish West Indies, be-
came an insular position Saturday.
when Secretary of the Treasury Nc.
Adoo delivered to the Danish minister,
Constantin Burn, a treasury warrant
for $25, 100000. which is said to be the
biggest check ever drawn by Uncle
Sam. The name by which the new
possession is henceforth to be known
is that which was given it by, Spanish
havigators nearly 600 years ago.
There Is passing interest for some
West Virginians IN this transfer, aside
from the value OF the acquired islands
in trade and strategic sense, due to
the fact that the consul general of this
government at st. Thomas is a West
Virginian, and one who signaliy dis
tinguished himself as leader OF his
race in that state, resulting in his pass.
ing into the diplomatic service by ap-
pointmeIt of President Mckinley
early in his first administration. The
consul is Chris. H. Payne, an educated
mullato, an ordained minister, a nat
ural born orator and one of the great
est West Virginia ever produced, and
the first negro who was ever elected
to any office in the state. He served
In the House Of Delegates as a repre-
sentative of Fayette county.
DIR. Payne, almost wnite, welded an
influence in the House of Delegates.
He had equable poise, fine sense of
his position, and conservatism and
moderation, which marked him as a
man exceptionally we'll balanced. He
enjoyed the respect Of members Of
both parties, and his race in West Vir-
ginia, 1t can truthfully be said, never
developed finer typo than DR.. Payne
When he received his appointment he
was a resident of Huntington.
He has never held but one diplomat
ic post and that at st. Thomas where
the dark.skin races outnumber largely
the whites. 1t is not known what eff
feet the change in the ownership of tho
islands may have on DR.. Payne's posi-.
ton, but there is strong belief tina.
he is likely to love 1t. In that event,
whether he would be transferred to
another post is problematical.
The House caucuses of the two pc.
liticai parties were unattended by Rep.
/ resentative Edward Cooper. (R), and
Representative M. NJ. Nicely, CDJ.
Both will be in the House Monday at
noon. however, when 1t is called to or
der, and. both, their friends say, will
vote in support of the caucus program
of their respective parties. The other
members from West Virginia attend
ed. Mr.. Cooper, as is we'll known by
now, was stricken with erysipelas OF
the leg on the very day he arrived at
his home in Bramwell after the ad'
journment OF the last Congress and
has had a serious time OF 1t. He is
slowly recovering, but 1t was thought
best that he should not return to his
official duties here until the very last
moment. He win arrive, accompanied
by Mrs. Cooper and trained nurse,
Sunday night. Major Nicely was de-
tanned at Fairmont by a murder trial
In which he is one Of the attorneys
He has telegrsphed that he will an.
syer 10 the roll call on Monday. AS
both absentees are strict party men,
their failure to attend caucus is untm'
portant and will have no bearing on
the final result. Both are expected to
line up on the side Of the political
household where they belong.
AmonS the notable examples,of the
art of Sir Moses Ezekiel, the Amert
can sculptor whose death from pneu'
MONA occurred in Rome, Italy, this
weak. Is the bronze statue Of Stone
wall jackson, which stands in the Cap
itol grounds at Charleston, w. Va.
Others OF his well known works are
"Religious Liberty in Fairmoun. Park,
Philadelphia; Virginia Mourning Her
Dear" at Lexington, Va; statue OF
Thomas Jefferson at the University of
Virginia, and 1.-THE Outlook" his mem.
orial to the Confederate prisoners of
/ war who died at Johnson's Island, in
Lske Erie.
Noses Ezekiel was born in Rich.
nond in 1874. He was knighted by the
King Of Italy, had an honor conferred