Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-20

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What said Governor Jackson in his first
annual message? West Virginia owes no
debt" Whether she owes any part Of the
debt of Virginia or nor, the holders Of
West Virginia certificates may as we'll
make up their minds that she will never pay
any of il. If she were TO agree to pay two
millions Of dollars. she would agree to pay
less than 10 per cent. OF what Viry. mia has
tn. ned over to her, including the interest.
Since assigning one-third of the debt of
the two States 10 West Virginia, Virgi-
MIA has eliminated thirteen millions of
the twO-thirds she in 1871 promised to pay
herself; and the Supreme Court Of the
United States decides that there is no way
to make her pay even this last. Suppose,
then, it were asCertained by t. Supreme
Court of the United States I'll 1t Virginia
owes twenty millions Including INTEREST,"
Of the twenty five millions including in
terest) which she has assigned TO West Vir-
ginia, who would profit by thu decision?
Virginia will never pay cent Of it-nOt
cent.
THE prospect is no better in West Vir-
I ginia Her public men declare that she
will pay all she owes; but they all declare
and claim to prove, that she owes nothing.
They hold that they cannot in equity be
made TO pay q debt incurred 10 build rail-
roads in YIrglnia-a ridIculously untenabe
plea, We admit, since if il were a good
one no county in Virginia could be made
To pay part Of the debt through which at
least one of the railroads does not run.
But such is the plea of West Nirginias
legislators; and in setting up that plea
they undoubtedly represent truly their
constituents. In a word, when a West
Nirginian says that his State will pay all
that she owes, he never for moment i'm
lines the possibility OF paying any tax
itr that purpose. He simply means that
il she owes q few thousand dollars, aud this
can be paid without collecting any taxes
!, that purpose, she will pay that small
amount. That is all.
But who is 10 bring the suit? Virginia
certainly will not Her present authori-
ties are the men who induced her people
TO eliminate" thirteen millions OF her
debt in 1871. Will they bring q suit in
order to get decision that they must pay
West Virgiuias twenty-odd millions? To
ssk the question is TO answer it Will West
Virginia bring the suit2 Why should she?
Her Governor and other authorities main
tain that she owes no dobt Does she want
one put upon her shoulders Nay, verify.
The Dispatch seems to have no ap-
probation Of the facts that West Vir-
ginia has assumed and declared in her
organic law q certain obligation for a
proportiOnate part of the debt of Vir-
ginia; that one Of the first acts Of her
Legislature after the formation of the
new State was to appoint a commission
to confer with Virginia, ascertain and
adjust this liability, that no official act
or declaration of West Virginia can be
construed into anything like re-
pudiation of this liability, and that
there is nothing in West Virginia
past or present attitude, and will be
nothing in the future that will justify
putting her people on the same plane
of honor or dishonor that Virginia now
occupies toward the world as regards
her public obligations.
All the reputation that can be
charged upon West Virginia in this
connection is the righteous reputation
Of any part or lot In the schemes of re-
pudiation prsetieed by Virginia, and es-
peoislly and emphatically of that part
Of the reputation programme which
arbitrarily saddled fifteen or twenty
millions OF her debt upon this State.