The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-11-09
WEST ylRGINIA's NEEDS.
Letter fvoin the Venerable William
Nrowa, OF prrsiDn County.

West Virginia is unlike that Of any OF hel
sister States; she was cmphatically the Off
sprins OF the late terrible civil war. AT the
breaking out OF the war her people were
about equally divided on The questions oni
at which II grew, hence she furnished sol
.lie,s Tor both OF the hostile armies, by
reason Of which she lost greater per cen.
Of the labor aud lives Of her people, than
probably any other portion Of the country.
Her territory was alternately o'erruh py
the co.i,cndsnH and hostile armies, and she
suffered her full share III the loss ana De-
strnction' Of property. These causes LEFT
her people ut the close OF the war poor IN
deed; but TO add to her em barrasstnent,t1ee
new State, OH taking leave Of har honored
old mother, honorably promised to assume
and pay her equitable proportion OF the
debt Of the old State. At the close OF tn:
war tlle Legislature Of Vtrginia renewed
her obligation to pay her indebtedness,
about ,wo.ttirds thereof, without condi.
ton, and the residue when shecould have
settlement with West Virginia.
Although West Virginia has ever since
been willing and anxious 10 have this set.
Element, it has never been made, aud so
long as it is delayed neither Virginia or
ivest Siginia' hope to advance much
either In wealth or population. But have
no idea that West Virginia is seriously in.
debted on lair settlement, but should it
turn ont otherwise it is far better for both
the States to honestly und honorably settle
and pay their indebtedness!f they can, and
il not, renew their promises 70 pay when
able. Both individuals. and States cam hon.
Grably acknowledge and out their debts,
but they cannot honoably repudiate them:
hut there is but little danger Of West Yir-
ginin having much, il any, OF the ''irginla
debt 10 pay, aud it is ofthe utmost import
suce that the public men OF Yves, Virginia
should turn their attention 10 the settle
mentoi the question. The only controversy
between the two States is or can be, what
proportion OF the debt OF Virginia should
they respectively pay. This the Supreme
Court Of the United States can settle il it
becomes necessary.
The climate OF West Virginia is equal to
that of any OF her neishboring States, and
much better than that OF most OF the Wcs-
tern States. Where families separate here,
par, going to the Western states, those
emisrating, Us Il general rule, die long be.
lore those remaining At home. Doctor bills
here ''are few and far between" compared
with those in most Of the Western States.
West Virginia has hundreds Of thousands
Of virgin acres covered with fine timber,
underiaid With fine beds Of coal and min
eral, and when prepared for cultivation,
will prodnce any Of the agricultural pro-
Aucts equal TO any Of the lands OF the Ess.
tern or Middle States. The census OF 1850
,liscloses the fac, that in 1879 the lands Of
West Virginia produced more wheat to the
acre than those OF Pennsylvania, yet on.
lands sell for little moro than half what
they command i'll our neighbor!Dg States.
Our own county, with an area Of near 500
square miles. Will, a population Of only
about 10000, eau furnish comfortable
homes for as many Elore, for hall they
would cost in the adjoining counties Of
fayette and Somerset, Pennsylvania.
Would il not be well for the press Of our
State to call the attention OF the public to
tt,ese and kindred facts" 1t seems to me
that the Virginia State debt, particularly.
sifoHld be settled. As Il now stands, it
drives both capital and population from
our borders. WV. G. BEo~N.
This letter, Us will be seen, takes, sub.
stan.iAlly, the ground taken by Senator
H. q. Davis, last winter, who ct that time
started up quite an agitation in favor Of 4
speedy settlement of the Virginia and
West Virginia deb. question as a necessary
condition precedent to our greater develop.
ment and prosperity at the hands Of rapi.
talsts and immigrants. 80, s,. - To-
Looked at from this special phase OF the
question, we do not see much in the views
expressed BY Senator Davis or Mr.. Brown.
We see no reason to suppose that the non.
adjudicated debt question between the two
States has either hurt or helped West vir.
gina; certainly it has not hurt her. There
is no Reputation OF the debt on her part,
and therefore no finger OF scorn on the
hands OF capitalists can be pointed ut her.
True, it would have been better had the
debt been settled long ago, and West vir.
ginia was ready to adjust it long
ago. This much is known in
Europe and the United States. It Is
eleven years since direct overturcs were
made by this State to Virginia for au ad-
jnstnenL This overture is 4 matter Of
no,orieiy among Pill holders Of Virginia
bonds. They are aware that there can BIZ
NO settlement SO lar as thls State is con-
eernad without. previous ADJUSTMENT
with Virginia, and they are aware shst
Virginia purpossIy keeps out OF the way Of
such M adjustment aud is determined 10
have none. IN r,al.,s ~
How then are we 10 meet the views OF
Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Brown or OF any others
who are urging n debt settlement? Is it
TO receive sealed proposals from the hold.
ers Of the "deierred certificates" rs to what
they will take for them! We see no other
way, and that way would look like first
acknowledging said certificates us an
obligation and then trying to buy up an
obligation cheap. How would this place
us before the woeld? Not in q very very
favorable light. And if not. how would
the State derive benefit from such settle.
nient OF the debt question - ~ N"2s
The fact Is that the public who attach
any importance to the debt question BY
reason OF either pecuniafy orsent;mental
interest ii, have long since ceased to &c.
pece settlement Of it, and look upon the
"certiicates"a good deal as they do on Con.
ielerate bonds, as something to speculate
in bit as having little Or no value as an III,
vcs.ment. It is generally understood that
West Virginia has no recognized debt, and
hence has no taxes to raise 10. pay interest
or principal in that way And this asump.
iion does not, as far as known. deter either
investments or settlement from the State,