The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-08-26

can take all the money they choose
from the school fund without even
guaranteeing or attempting to pay
any interest for the use of the same,
but forsooth because the Democracy
rather than increase the rate of ,Axa-
tion did In pursuance of law, borrow
from the said fund the sum of 1927,
600, plevlging for the payment OF
both principal and interest the credit
of the State, there is heard a howl in
the Republican camp reaching all
the way from Dan to Beersheba!
But the'uninformed reader may ask,
why did tire Democracy get so far
behind in using the genera, fund for
State purposes, that it became neces-
sary to borrow money at all? The
answer is easy and clear; The new
State house at Charleston now in
process of erection, rendered neces-
sary by the removal Of the State gov
eminent to that point in 1885, has
cost up to the present time $134, 900.
In addition to this sum there had
been previously expended on the old
Capitol building insCharleston $780,
600, $4,000 of which was for repairs
and improvements, and $4,000 for
rent paid to the citizens of that city,
to whom the building belonged, and
from whom it was leased while the
seat of government formerly remained
at Charleston. The State of West
Virginia docs not now and never has
owned State house in which her
various coordinate branches of gov
eminent could meet and perform their
several functions. Realizing the
necessity Of possessing absolutely
property OF this character, as;soon as
it was definitely known and deter
mined that Charleston would be the
permanent scat of government, the
Legislature directed the erection of
suitable buildings for governmental
purposes, and have so far appropri-
ated the sum named above to be put
to that use. The are probably some
other expenditures the necessity for
which, added to the amount expended
on the State house, compelled our
Legislature to either pursue the
course they did-that is, borrow from
the school fund, or increase the taxes.
The wisdom of the former course is
recognized at once, for the money
thus obtained only costs the State the
amount of interest on that sum at 6
per cent. per annum, which is 1890.
III this money had not been used by
the State it would have been put out
on interest by the board into whose
keeping the irreducible school fund
Is by law, reposed, and as the inter
est has been promptly paid what does
1T matter if by force of circumstances
that investment is made in and the
interest comes from the State of West
Virginia? Is not the State as good
and responsible creditor as any
other corporation, or in fact any pri-
vate individual? Is there in point
of truth any danger whatever that
the State will never pay this money?
Certainly not, and any statement to
the contrary is all bosh. 1t is quite
likely that the entire sum will be
fully paid before the close of the
next fiscal year. If the back taxes
due from the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad, corporation which Rad
ical Legislature released from taxa
ton, are collected within the present
year that sum will suffice to wipe
out the States Indebtedness to the
school fund.
From the foregoing it is plain to see
which of the two parties has honestly
and economically administered the
affairs of government in this State
The record of the Democratic party
is so clear that even he who runs
may read it and learn wisdom.
There has been no attempt to hide
or cover corruption wherever it ex-
listed in the ranks of the Democracy
Good and capable men only have
been kept in positions of honor and
trust. Honesty, fidelity and zeal have
received proper recognition, while
jobbery and robbery have been pun
ished at the hands of the Democratic
party-that party which above all
others approaches nearest the purest
form of government known to the
human falnily-"a government Of the
people, for the people, by the people"
Are we not, therefore, justified in
saying that all the charges brought
by blatant Republican press, Sec
onded by lot Of would-be Radical
leaders, against the Democracy of
West Virginia are, to borrow the for
chile if not classic language of the
immortal Vaughn, "too darned rotten
thin!'-IRdeG.
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