Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-18
A PLAIN TALE WILL PUT HIM
DOWN.

There is no more effective way OF Civ
ing MALONE his due than in the plain
statement of his position upon the debt
of Virginia. Ii his position as the leader
Of the "Realjuster" party Of his State
we're thoroughly understood, il would
enable the country to better appreciate
the bargain to which the Republican
leaders OF toe United States Senate have
become a party.
The RIDDLEnERGER bill passed by the
Virginia Legislature last year, but vetoed
by the Governor, takes the amount oil
the debt before the war, 81, 900, 900, re-
pudiates the unpaid interest, sets Of
one-third OF the principal to West Nir-
ginia, and. on the balance, about s2O,'
600 900, proposes to pay interest at 5
per cent. Beside reputation Of all past
interest, it makes. no exemption from
taxation, and repeals the previous legis-
islation making coupons receivable Tor
taxes. RIDDLEBERGER, who gave his
name to this bill, is toe Republican can
didate for Sergesnt-at-Arms OF the Senate,
nominated by MALONE, aud for whose
elevation to office the public business Of
the Government is now put aside.
The Richmond Dispatch OF late date
endeavors to clear up the misapprehen-
sions and misrepresentation which
have been made in this connection rela-
tive to West Virginia's share in this
matter. II says:
LISA waste Of time, no doubt, to try
10 induce Northern people 10 study the
question long enough 10 enable them to
understand the state Of parties in Nir-
ginia; vet We will try once more to cor
rect the statement this time appearing
in the Chicago TribUnS) that General
Malone is willing TO pay all Of the debt
of Virginia except that portion OF il
which is Justly owing by West Virginia.
One fact is that in 1871 Virginia as
signed TO West Virginia fifteen millions
out of the iorty-five millions the old
State owed-largely more than West
Virginia ought to have been expected to
nav. The remaining thirty millions 1--WE
use round numbers) Virginia promised
to pay.
Now, at this late day comes General
Mqbone and iavors the reduction OF
yirginia's debt 10 less than twenty mil
lions Of dollars. lie proposes TO repudi-
ate more than one-third OF the debt as
ascertained by the fnndirg bill OF 1874.
lie proposes 10 repudiate outright some
twelve millions of the debt as II now
stands, including accrued Interest,"
debt with which West Virginia has
nothing to do. All the post-bellum
Governors Of Virginia Walker, kem-
per and Holliday-maintain that the
State owes al least the debt as ascertainsd
by the funding bill OF 1874, (well know
ing that too mueh OF that debt had
been assigned to West Virginia in lS7l.)
The legislature has more than once
taken the same position, And lastly,
the Supreme Court Of Appeals has de-
cided that the funding act of 1874 is
binding upon the State. 1t is that debs
of which General MALONE proposes to
repudiate more than third.
West Virginia's fifteen millions have
now grown by the addition OF interest,
NOT one dime OF this ever having been
psid-to immense proportions. Ten
years interest amounts TO 90 per cent.
Of the original sum, or nine millions Of
dollars So that West Virginia
now owes twenty-four millions
Of dollars without charging her
with the ten or twelve mil
lions to be repudisted by the Riddleber-
ser bill, and which the Chicago Tribune
supposes isalI that General Malone pro-
poses to turn over TO West Virginia.
The same journal evidently believes that
the charge Of being q repudiationist
which is brought against General
Malone has no other foundation than
his desire to assign to West Virginia so
much Of Virginia's debts as the former
State Justly owes. The fact is that il
these ten or twelve millions were added
TO the debt of that little State, her debt
would be some thirty-four TO thirty
six millions of dollars, whilst Virginia,s
debt would be under the Riddleberger
bin less than twenty Millions of dollars.
What il the use OF talking about that
sort OF division Of the debtS