The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-09

to "yalus at certain price or degree" the
resources and asletts OF each State grow
ing ont Of the debt The mere fact Of 90
much territory Is not all, no more than 1t
would be in dividing an estate whsreon
rested mortgage. II one hall Of the
farm had been improved by the mortgage,
in the way Of buildings, fences and care
iul culture, and the other hall left in
state OF nature, no one would say that the
mere acreage Of the estate was an equit'
able basis on which to distribute the
mortgage liability,
The principle on which the Commits
siouers Of West Virginia proceeded in
1871 was to ascertain, % near as might be,
the relative expenditures in and for each
State out Of the public treasury, and out
OF the proceeds Of the bonds representing
the debt. They submitted as lar as they
we're able an itemized account, Their in.
yestigations revealed the fact that the
overwhelming odds were in favor Of Wiz.
ginia. She was the favored child while
West Virginia was the poor relation. The
Commissioners took occasion to remark in
their report that "the vlndication Of the
step taken BY West Virginia during the
war in separating from the old State con-
ststs largely OF this traditional discrImina'
ton against her," They said further; "We
have charged West Virginia with all that
We have found expended within her lin.
its," and I'VE have credited her with her
share OF the estimated value Of the public
property and assets OF Virginia" They
submitted this principle OF investigation
to the legislature Of West Virginia, togeth.
or with such facts in regard to the debt as
they could ascertain.
The equitable share OF West Virginia in
the debt Of the old Stale may be, one,two,
three or more millions. This Ia the point
to be ascsrtaiasd by a proper inVsstiga.
ton. West Virginia does not admit
liability for one.thlrd Of 1t simply because
she has one.third Of the old territory. On
this point We will quote the language Of
the Commissioners in 1871, as follows:
"When these tables are consulted they
will show an expenditure OF over thirty mil.
lions in Virginia and about two and q half
millions In West Virginia. Much oil this
latter was expended at comparatively re.
cent dates, whereas the expenditures In
Virginia range through period Of ffty
wears, with benefits acCruing more or less
throughout that period. We submit that
no intelligent mind, wishing only TO do
Justice, can doubt for O moment that
The benefits conferred, ana not the terri.
tory and population, should be the prinCi.
paI'ii not the only basis Of an adjustment OF
the debt.
ION the one hand we see rich cities,
commercial wealth OF oil kinds, naviga.
BILE rivers, fue harbop, o highly i'm.
proved and productive territory, wealthy
capitalists and Q we'll to do people, public
institutions such as q State Capitol and
extensive public grounds, an Executive
Mansion, q Penitentiary, Armory, Uni.
verBity, and LunatiC Asylum, o Military
Institute, Blind Asylum, valuable mis-.
cellaneous and law library, a large literary
fund, and the United States deposit
OF surplus revenue. All these resources
In addition TO the vast millions invested
in canals and railroads and other avenues
OF inland commerce.
"On the other hand we see set In the
balance against these rich resources the
territory Of West Virginia, less than one.
third Of the old state, much OF II broken
into barren mountains and hills, no navi.
gable streams penetrating 1t In every di.
TeCtion, no railroads but the Baltimore 4
Ohio, no public works or institutions, her
lands mostly covered with unhroken for.
este, and rewarding industry but grudg.
ingly, no outetsln the interior for the little
surplus existing the people poor and sub.
sisliug by rough work In the woods aud
fields, possessed Of no capital wherewith
either to develop their localities or anne.
liorate their own condition in life; In fact
their wealth being for the most part their
poor soil, their untiring perseverance and
their indomitable love Of liberty"
"And yet, Notwithstanding this great
discrepancy between the condition and
resources OF the two States, Virginia
assigns one third OF her iunded and
com pounded debt to West Virginia, simp.
ly because the latter has onefhird OF the
territory and one fourth Of the population
formerly belonging to the whole State.
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