The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-12

The Register had one OF its characteristic
CslIy reckless editorials yesterday, in re.
yard to the school fund. 1t tries to create
the impression that there Ia nothing ire.
giIar, unconstitutional or wrong In the
way that the fund has been dealt with by
the Democratic party. Here Is specimen
Of its reckless disregard Of facts in the
case;
"Hho fact Is, that tho money borrowed by
the State from this fund Is yielding a better
and more reliable revenue TO the schools
than could be derived from any other in.
yestmeut. Tho State Is paying 6 per cent
interest on every dollar 90 borrowed. A
good, sRip investment at that rate OF In.
terVst, cannot easily be found, at this
time, There has not been one dollar
unIawIulIy withheld from the schools.
The Legislature failed to provide for the
payment Of the interest due on a part Of
this fund, At the last session, but the
schools Of tho State had their regular ap.
pOhOnment annually made for their sup.
port, and II this interest due from the
State had been made 1t would simply have
been added to the principal Of the school
lnad as provided by the Constitution.
ThesChO0ls did not need 1t.
This statement Is about as wide OF the
truth as anything that has appeared in
the Register for some time, and that Is say.
ing good deal.
Itisnot Il fact that the money borrowed
from the school fund is paying one dollar
Of intereat to tho school fund. There is
nov in possession ol tho State $l27, 500 be.
longing to the school fund, and not dol.
lar interest has been paid since the frat
amount was taken to cover deficiency in
1873, Year after year the money OF the
Inud has been used in the plainest viola.
tion 1.-THE constitution 10 cover over de-
fcits Of long standing, and not penny
Ot interest has boon paid TO the schools.
And yet the Register says that "there has
not been one dollar unlawiully withheld
from the schools" Does the writer know
what he is talking about2
The Fourth section OF Article Twelve ol
the constitution says that the interest oi
the school fund "shall be annually applied
to hesupport Of FREQ schools throughout
the State, and 10 no other purpose Rhatettr."
Has this been done2 II the editor ol
the Register knows anything at all about
the facts in this matter, he knows that II
has not. And vet he ass erts that there
has not been one dollar unlawiully with.
held from the schools" What would be
aCOmpliance with the Constitutional pro
won on the'subject, and what would be
an unlawful Withholding Of money from
the sChoolsP Can anybody imagine2
But this Is not all. The Constitution
says Section 8, Article y that "when
ever any deficiency In the revenue shall
exist in any year, II the LeglSlatureI
shall, at the regular session thereof held
next after the deficiency occurs, levy a tax
for the ensuing year, sufficient, triM Mt
NH'' VWuhW WtUWoi W Wtt SWCtt uDsVWHCyi
"a wll as The estimated crpcnSs Of such year"
Has this been done2 Has 1t been done
in ninge instance since 1892 Did the
Legislature Of 1876 obey the constitution
and levy for the deficiency Of 1897 Did
the Legislature Of 1877 levy for the
amounts taken in 1852 Did tho Legisla.
thte of 1870 levy for the amount taken in
1877
Not inA single instance has such a levy
been made. So far from 1t, the amount
hasbaenconstantly swelled, and IL is now
si27boo, aud there is not the slightest
manifestation thus far Of any purpose on
the part Of the Democratic party In the
Legislature TO levy for one dollar Of the
amount thus taken, II We had to take an
even bet to-day IL would be that the inter.
est long over due and unpaid, together
with that accruing this year and next,
will not bc levied iot at this session Of Tho
Legislature. The disposition seems rather
IA In - t,tUV.tns A. +. -.