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% The Pioneer Press. HERE TI1E PRESS, THE PEOPLE^ KK.IiTS NAINTAIN, UNA\UD BY INKi.liKNl'K AND UNBRlUEE) BYaAIN" KSTA B 1.1 SI I ED 1S82, Vi ART INS BURG-, W \',v? SATCKDW, AUGUST 22. 1914. VOL. 33 NO. 25 mh mi Of the F-liosc of the S-jn Tomorrow In Europe, Asia and Part of America. WASHINGTON7 1). C., Aug. 20 The eel pse of the sun tomorrow total n part of Europe and Asia and a part eclipse in northwestern Amer ica? has been attracting wide-spread ?".Mont on among astronomers and : f '??: : ist y, h: i now :< :s feared that - ti." Knropean war will seriously in te?'t.orr> wth, i>v< m if it does not en tirely prevent the obscVvat'ons whbdi the scientists had planned to make of the plienornenon. The eclipse will he observable along a I'ne extend'ng from Alsteno. of the west coast of Norway, through llernosand, 011 the Swedish eoa.-t, Riga on the Baltic, Minsk and Kiev in central Russ'a, and leaving Eu rope at Eheidosia on Ihe Crimean coast. Many scientific expeditions In 1 heen planned to observe the eclipse. , The most of these expeditions were designed to take their observations from points in Russia, where the du r?ition of totality will be longest. Uu (ier existing conditions it will of course be imposs'ble for the scientis'.: of other lands to visit. Russia at thf present time. At the resent tiin ; : will be almost equally impossible J or the scientists to change the base of their operations to the Scandinavia.) peninsula, for the reason that weeks of preparations are necessary to s-?' up their instruments and make other necessary preparations. The diflieu! ty of reaching Norway and Swede:1 at. the present t'me is so great that it is unlikely that any expeditions ic those countr es will be undertaken In view of the existing c'rcumstances it is probable that 110 noteworthy ob servations will be made of tlie eclipse with the possible exception of thoro 11 ? at may be nr re by the U;:ssi:p astronomers themesel ves. iiefore the outbreak of the wa nearly all civilized countries wen preparing expeditious for llic stir.r of the eclipse, and a number of pri vate expeditions were also being lit ted out. As previously stated the most of them had chosen Russia for their goal. Among other German cities, Hamburg was fitting out i". expedition, while a second one. su j sidized by the Prussian Stat, was be ing planned by Professor Miethe of the Chariot .ten burg Technical School. In England steamboat parties vfer ? being made up to view the eelips-? from Alsteno and Riga, and from the faet of the eclipse coming in the hol iday season it. was expected that great numbers of* sightseers woul 1 avail themselves of the opportunity, which will not recur in Europe .ill 1927. Professor C. G. Abbott, head of tne astronomical branch of the Smith sonian Institution, and a recognized authority on solar phenomena, gives the following account of the eclipse and the scientific results sought from such events. Tommorw the moon will pass ex actly between the earth and the sun, and there will be a total nolar eclipse. It will not be observed In America, except as a small partial eclipse at sunrise in the norther states and Canda, but in Persia, Russia and Scandinavia the full ?ffect will bo seen. Although the moon looks about the same size as the sun, it is very much smaller and nearer. The sun is KS3, 000 miles in diameter and 93,000 OuO miles away, while the moon is 2,1*53 miles in diameter and 23!>,000 miles away. On account of the moon's small size compared with the sun the shad ow cast by the moon is a cone, and the point of this cone just barely reaches the earth. In tomorrow's eclipse the diameter of the cone at the earth's surface is only about 85 miles, so that the eclipse is visible as total only in a belt about 85 miles wide, stretCiiin4 SENATE WOULD CLIP OSTOI .. ?* \ vJ L Passes Bill Taking From It Exclusive Jurisdiction In Many Cases. I WASHINGTON*. Au.sf. l!?.- No long er will the Customs Court be the final arbiter of all customs controver sies if a b 11 slipped through the Sen ate \<>.st<>niay afternoon during a lull in the trust debate is approved by the House and signed by the Presi dent. Cudcr the terms of this hill I ho powers of the Customs Court are clipped severely and to such an ex tent that some Senators' expressed the opinion that the Customs Court i ? destined to follow the Commerce Court out of existence. According to the b 11 as passed tiio Customs Court's decisions will be sub ject to review by the Supreme Court in cases which involve treaties or constitutionality, and in all cases arising under the new tariff law. The court s lell as filial arbiter on all cases arising cut of the old tariff law and out. of the reciprocity law. There I are few such. j Appeal to the Supreme Court is allowed in cases where treaties or constitutionality is not involved, by a statement filed by the Attornev ".eneral to the effect that in his opin I on the questions coming before tin 20iirt are of such grave importance J hat they should be decided finally ;y the Supreme Court. It wj\s po:ntod out in senatoria' circles last night, after the first sur ; pr'se at the action on the bill had ,.T.ssed away, that the Customs Court | ">as been reversing cases the govern | 3d down opinions which cost ih<> | ment liad won, having recently hand government about $3,000,000. Local Dealers Fear the European War Will Greatly Increase Their Cost Potatoes bid fair to lead the va'i in Mie high cost of living parade th'.i winter. Local dealers fear that tin* European war will put potatoes be y.md the highest price mark on rec or.l this fall and winter. So far no increase in potatoes has developed i from this source, but with the crop 1 cut short in many sections of this j country and the likelihood that no po ; tatoes will be imported from tho ' present outcrop, the outlook for po tatoes is indeed dismal. Germany ! is one of the greatest potato import ers in the world to this country, and it Is hardly probable that the liar rassed empire will send any of her potatoes to this country this fall. over the countries already named. \? a partial eclipse it will be se^n over a very wide area, including nonh easlern America, Greenland, Europe, half of Asia and half of Africa. With in this region only a part of the sun's disk will be hidden by the moon. Wherever the solar eclipse is seen as total, the sky will become neatly as dark as full moonlight, and a few of the brighter stars and planet:? may be seen. Sometimes the moon and sun occupy such positions thit, al? thtng]' the moon passe.* directly be tween the eath and the sun, shad o\v cone does not quite reac.i the earth. Such solar ecllps >s :ire calb-d "annualr" and are nowhere total eclipses. In the mo?t favorably rase a total eflipso may last sevoa nrn uies at a station, but km^Ii occasion? are very rare. There will be tela, re'ipses visible in the United States , in 1018, 1928 and 102i>. SENDS HiS REPLY Acknowledges Receiving of the Un.t ed Stales Good Olfices?No Word From Russia. Genuan\ ha; acknowledged retvijU 01 the President's proffer of good of fices in mod ation' or arbitration. All the warring fount ries except Russia l.ave now replied. The Secretary of State, eons'stent w.tli his refusal to discuss the replies from any of the powers, would not go into details as to Germany's ac knowledgement, but it is understood iike the others received to be only ;?.( knowledgoment. Difficulties of communication wiih He rliii are taken as the cause for the delay in Emperor William's reply. It is known that the offer lias boon received at the St. Petersburg foreign (Jliec. but because Russian ollieia.s : av they have been unable to get it to Kmperor Nicholas, acknowledg ment has been delayed. The reply of the French premier ) the President's offer of medidation aotu nderst.ood to be final at the t tate Department, nor as indicat ing indisposition 0:1 the part of the French government to consider the ? iv.poral. It is construed only as a polite acknowledgment of the offer ? iul about what was to be expected t this time. The administration did not expect, hat mediation would be considered ri he first heat of conflict, and before any great or decisive battles had been fought. The offer was made simp'y to remind the participants in the war that the United States stands ready to act without, discrimination in the effort to bring about, peace when he ime is ripe. This view was set forth clearly by the Secretary of State i2^ recent comment upon the President's mod iation offer: "It may be some time before the nations engage in the European war will be willing to listen to any sug gestion of mediation," he said, "but the President, in tendering the good offices of the government at this time, has measured up to the responsibili ties of the nation and to the expecta tions of the American people. The United States stands for peace?for its preesrvation as long as it can possibly be preserved?and, in case of war, it stands for ther estoration of peace at the earliest possible mo ment. When the anger of the belli gerent nations has sufficiently abated, they will find the President wait'ng to render such assistance as bay be within his power in the direction of accommodation and concilation. He has sent the dove out of the ark *.n search of dry land. God speed its return with an olive leaf." While none of tin; replies receive! from any of the European govern ments specifically rejects 1he tender of good offices made by the United States, some acknowledgements .ire accompanied by statements of the ie plying nations' position in the con fliet. Department otlicials wore i n - clined to regard the answers as iioii 1 committal. ami believed later, esp?i J chilly if an\ of the principals in thy | the war showed an inclination to treat for peace. v'ltL! I La) I uUmmluurJi < si Orchards Almost F'ee From Pest Where Cedars Have Been Romoved. A meeting of the State Crop Tost Commission was held here vestcrda with Dean 10. Dwight Sanderson, >f j | the West Virginia College* of Agri | culture, chairman, and State Knlo.ii 1 olog'st W. I'i. Uninsey, secretary, and S. II. Pulton, of Sleepy Creek, pres i ; cut. Stale Commissioner of Agrical j ; ure Howard K. Williams, of Charles i ton, was unable to attend. Local Or chard Inspector Uodd \v.<s with (he part y. The purpose of the meeting was ?o investigate in regard to Cedar Rust in Berkeley county, and the party visited, a number of local orchard sections. The consensus of opini m is that much good has been accom plished to the fruit industry by the cutting of cedars in the early spring, as where they have been removed even a reasonable distance from the apple orchards, there is almost an entire absence of Cedar Rust infec tion. which is very noticeable in cer tain other orchards exposed to cedar groves, known to be infested wiih mst. On one large orchard Cedar Itnst is to he found in damaging amount, which is directly traceable to cedar trees that are badly infected with ('edar Rust, which are half a mile away from the apple orchards, led. the prevailing winds are in tin* di rection of the orchard. The work of cutting and destroying infected cedars was stopped with the advance of spring, but will be resumed again next winter. To Purchase Occan-Going Vessels and Solve the Trans-Oceanic Trouble. Quickly. WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 !?. The pur chase ocean-going vessels by the 1'nited States, as the best method of solving the trans-oceanic transporta tion trouble, has been agreed to by the president and congressmen at a conference today. The bill will be immediately drawn to meet the sit uation. It is understood that $25, 000 one will be provided to purchase the ships. How To Pronounce Them (The accented syllable is printer] in bhir-1'.; Alsace Blamont Chalons Kesemael (Flemish) I labinville Huy La Fere Landen Liege Lille Longuyon Longwy Marville Al-sass lila-mon Sha h-lon Ex-mahl Hab-lan-veel ] lo i La Fair Lahn-den Lee-ayth Leel Long-yon Lon-woe Mali-veel M ulhaus^n Mfiirth" of-MoselW: Mr-J J HO Motircl m change Monon villcrs M mt mcdy Naniur Nfsbayo IIok'TvIIUts f-?t. Trond Tliion ville Tirlomont Tongro M ul -how-son M frt-ay-Mo-selle Mors Mon-sH Mor anzh M o-n in-vee-ay M on-meed-co Nali moor Nez-bav Uozhor-vee-ay San Tron T y-on-veel Tongres Teerlmon ! State of V.rginia Had $2^,500.000 In vested In Twenty or More of Theni. KM'IIMONI), \'a., August lit That. iIm? Siai?' hi Virginia had .$L'-l,r?oo,on ? i 1 '?1 v' 5?* i in some twenty or inorc rail roads ;ii i lie tinn* I lie state was di j vided and iliat West Virginia had re J ceived no credit for any part of this , in fixing its part of tho state debt : l!i" testimony of ('. \V. 11 ill man. ( before Special Master Lit t leliehl. | 11 i 11111:111 is tin* chief accountant who with nine assistants and the legal I help oi Kohert I(Iregory, has spent several weeks going over the records i in Richmond, auditing the hooks and j verifying the claims of West Virginia. Ilis testimony, based entirely on I pnhlic resords, and verified as to ? every tatemcnt hy reference l.? volume ami pane, shows that the old stale ol \ irginia mad*- loans to some railroads and hough! slock in olheis lo encourage development.; thai tho slate was financially interested in one ol these t wo ways in ahonl twenty railroads ami that a portion ol stale debt was incurred in order to assist these roads. 'I'liev were all in what is now Vir ginia although the pari that, is now West Virginia helped tr> pay for them, and received ercdit for no part, of tho invest meni when tho Supreme Court fixed its share of the debt. The testimony today shows that tho auditing of tho books not. only sub stantiates the claim of West Virginia I hat it should have credit for $20,800, uno of railroad slocks and loans, huh it actually increased the amount orig inally claimed by about. $.'*,700,000. It is believed the testimony of ac countant llillmaii will bo completed tomorrow. This places Mi the rec ord of evidence that is relied upon to cut down YVesI Virginia's part of tho debt from more than $7,000,000 to lesa than $2,000,000. It is understood that Virginia will demand that Hie value of the stocks, bonds and other holdings of Virginia be ascertained as of June 20, 180.', I he dale when West Virginia was ad mitted to tie! union, instead of Janu ary 1, J HOI, the date fixed by the Su preme Court, for the assumption by West Virginia of part of the indebt ed ness. As the Civil War has smashed ill values by 1X0:1, it would be disastrous lo West Virginia if tho court, should agree to start tho debt at one time* and the credits at another and coin sel for West Virginia do not believo Iht; court will do so. As anticipated counsel for Virginia today made a motion that the special master fix June 20, 1X02, when West Virginia was admitted to the union c-C the states as the time for valuing tho assets of Virginia. This motion was stoutly resisted] j b> West Virginia. John II Holt, an I C I*). Hogg, addressed the master. Mr. Holt made an ospoeiallly strong: speech showing that the Supremo Court had fixed January 1, 1X0' as tho date of which the debt should be an ccrtained and contending that it would not be fair in any case where a partnership was dissolved to fix tho liabilities as one date and the assets as of another. He held that as .Jan. 1, 1X01, had been fixed as the date for ascertaining the debt it should also he fixed as the date for ascertaining the, assets. If June 20, 1 X02 is select ed as the date for valuing the assets it will add several million dollars to West. Virginia's liability. At the conclusion of the arguments | Speeial Master Litllefield ruled that he would hear evidence as to the val ue of Virginia's assets both as oC January 1, 1X01, and of Juno 20, 1X02. He s ad he would determine J later whether he would recommend that either date be adopted or wheth er he would make an alternative re port. The presentation of testimony; | was then concluded.