Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-14
"A GROSS pDsvnas1oN orrAoTs."

We, made the statement, q lev days
ago, that although the interest which
had accrued from that part Of the
School Fund loaned TO the State, was
not paid last year, nevertheless the
schools had their regular annual allow
ance and were not deprived of one dol
lar on that account.
The LHteHigencrr calls this statement
ga gross peryersion of facts" 49,
Since that rsrdeioeIs journal leaves its
assertion to stand alone without'a scin-
tilla of proof 10 back it, it wound be en-
tirely superfuous for US to more than
reiterate our statement, although we
have the proof at baud to substantiate IT,
We are willing that our bare state
ment should 20 to the public with the
bare contradiction.
We therefore, content ourself with
simply saying that the statement hereto
fore made is entirely accurate and abso-
lutely true.
II the editor OF the Iatciiiqsncer did not
presume so much upon his own store oil
wisdom, and would occasionally consult
the Constitution, which is supposed to
regulate and control the disposition OF
this school fund, he would not fall into
so many egregious bIunders.
He, for instance, might have discov-
cred that il the Constitution has been
complied with, the statement we made
must necessarily be correct, for only by
violating the terms OF that instrument
could the interest which has been over
due on said loan from the State have
been distributed to the schools IN the
last two years. The Constitution ex-
pressly declares that "dDy portion Of sad
interest remaining uncrpenaed at the close
Of a 6scal ycsr, shall be added TO and re-
main a part Of he capitol OF the School
Fund"
1t is plain, therefore, that il the inter
est due for any particular past year, and
not paid and expended at the close OF
that fiscal year, were paid now it would
not be counted asinterest, but as part
OF the principal of the fund due from
the State and be added to the capital,
and not distributed to the schools.
In the management OF the school
revenue, each year is made to provide
for its own necessities. There is so
much money to. be raised; so much ex-
pense to be met; and il the revenue is
not forthcoming from one source it is
obtlined from another. The schools
have, each year, been provided for, Just
as though the State had been paying in
terest on its loan, and they have not
been deprived OF one dollar by the
States default in the matter OF interest.
We do not say this to justify the poll
cy of postponing or neglecting the an
nual payment OF interest, but simply to
show that the schools have not suffered
thereby.
The editor Of the ht,Higencer has been
making wry faces about the manage
ment OF the school fund, for week or
two, but we have failed to discover in all
its twisting and turning OF this subject,
just how il wonld have managed better
under the circumstances, or just what
change in the policy it suggests or is
willing to commit itself to.
We believe it has tacitly ii not active
~ endorsed the measures by which the
principal part of the loan has been
made. Now, it talks about 20 levy be-
ing made for its payment. What kind
of levy does the Hic'iicRcer want? Is
II a levy sufficient TO pay this entire
debt next year? Is it simply an in
crease Of the rate OF taxation? Or does
the IptsHjgH,cT know what il does
want? Ii the editor will post himself
little about the matter, perhaps it will
assist him to get the twist out OF his
mouth.