The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-19

WHAT IliE hkPUbLlIANo Blbs
Mr.. President, sometime ago begun an
investigation OF this whole matter. had
read 10 much in the newspapers about the
Republicans using the. School Fund, and
about their leaving debt Of $4,000 when
they went out Of power, that determined
to ascertain for myself the facts about 1t.
And now say,
Flrst-That the old Constitution did not
prohibit the using OF the School Fund.
Second-That the law,up to the adoption
OF the new Constitution, indirectly author
lied the use OF 1t.
These are my conclusions. l was happy
to find quite lately that they were rein.
forced by good Democratic authority. The
language comes from such good Demo-
cratic source, is so pertinent to the points
under consideration, that cannot refrain
from quoting 1t here for the benefit OF my
friends on the other side:
Said Governor Jacob in his message OF
October 20, lS73-a year after the new Con.
stitution went into effect: "The amount Of
revenue coming in during the present
quarter, will necessarily be small, and
probably be inadequate to meet the de-
mands on the treasury. This Is not new
condition Of things; 1t has frequently
existed before, but heretofore when it hap.
pened that the fund provided for general
purposes was exhausted, it was the custom
TO use temporarily the General School Fund
until sufficient revenue should come in.
10 "BUT CHANGES IN THE CONSTITUTION
AND LAWS HAVE PUT AN END TO THIS CUSTOM.
THE school law Chapter l2S. section 90,
OF Acts OF 1872 81, however, provides tha,
the general School Fund shall be annually
applied TO the support OF schools through.
out the State, and to no other purpose
whatever2 This provision OF the law is in
accordance with section 3, Act 10, Of the
Constitution, which contains the following
clause: Nor shall any money or fund BIZ
taken for any other purpose than that for
which 1t has been, or may be, appropriated
or provided
"rhe Attorney General was requested by
the acting Auditor to give his opinion as to
whether, under the clause OF the cousiitu.
ton quoted, the general school fund could
be drawn upon for general purposes. III
held il could not b. done, and l fully concur
Nth him in that opinion"
Iwish to call particular attention to one
point In the above quotation. The Cover
nor says the use OF the school fund is pro,
hibited by changes in the Constitution and
laws. The prohibition did not, then, exist
previously. The prohibition Is the result
Of changes in the constitution and laws.
Did the State owe debtoi $4,000, or OIL
any amount, when the Democrats took con,
troll on March 4, 1871? Iarwek No. l shall
prove this answer 10 be true by the official
figures. Isball prove It beyond contradic'
4 ton. shall not get my figures from the
report Of any Republican official. cite
the report Of Auditor Bennett for 1871
and from his report | shall prove unaA
swerabIy and conClusively that the Repub.
licans turned over the State free Of deb
with balance in the treasury. The pro
cess Is single one, We have TO find out
first, how much money was In the Treas.
ury March 4, 1871; and, second, for wha
amount was the treasury liable TO th,
school fund at that date. Having thcs,
two items, We can easily see whether Their
was enough money in the treasury to cove
the amount due the school fund. 4.
Turning to pages 26, SO and SO Of tn
!, Auditors report for 1871 We have the intor