The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-17

That Subject SboWn Up.
To the ElitOF Of tho InIelliSeneer
Sfg-E have just read in to-6ay's Rtgbis'
nm article entitled: "The Use by the State
ofths SCHOOL Fund" In which the editor
claim, 10 have made "a simple, straight Tor.
TaTI statement Of the relation Of lheSEate
10 thii fund" lie proves to his entire sat
isfacihn, 49,
Saccnd-ThAt Its ule Is for the benefit oil
HE Site and schools.
Thg,e is Just enough truth in these propo'
sition. u tnislead. II Is undoubtedly true
tbat liz school lull1 may be invested In
the 'fnterest bearing securities" Of this
State, Constitution, Article IL, Section ~,
anil when the State Is compelled to create a
debt, and Il authorized to create one, Il is
possibly good policy to borrow from this
lunj, although history proves that such
debts are easily paid.
Dnt the taxpayers oil the State want 10
know why Il Is that we have such State
debt. Why Is II necessary TO pay interest
to any one uuless It be for short time TO
meet some erJudl deIlcit2 we were not
aware tllat any OF the contingencies mem
tioned alone in the Constitution, which
Slone authorizes tho Legislature to make a
State debt had happOleI. When this State
was formed our people determined that 1t
should never be haraSsed by debt The
IepIorable condition Of the Mother State"
caused by her prodigalily, was well known
10 our people and served 10 make them
prldeut and cautious.
The Constitution Of 1863 as we'll as the
Constitution OF 1872 says mo debt shall be
contracted BY this State except 10 meet
casual dtIcits in the revenue, to redeem o
previous liability Of the State, TO suppress
inN,rrrctiou, repel invasion or defend the
STATE in time Of war" In case Of debt
arising by casual deficit, it 10 made the
duty Of the Legislature "at the next regular
session thereof held next alter the detci'
ency occuIs' to levy tax for the ensuing
yeaf TO meet the deficiency" CoBst. Art.
10. Ser. 81 In other words when from
any cause the estimated amount OF reye-
nun for any year falls short Of paying the
Sims appropriated, II IL the duty OF the
Legislature at ilS next session thereof TO
provide for the deficiency by levying tax
sufficient 10 pay the same.
Itis clearly the sworn duty OF the Leg
stature to provide by tax mot by loanJ
for the payment Of every cent 1t appro'
PIRATES for the ordinary expenses Of the
State, together with any deficiency which
may exist for previous years. Then, as
these ordinary expenses must be paid
each year, and as We mad no "preyivus
liability" TO redeem when the Constitution
took elect, at least none has yet been rs.
tablished, and as We have not been
troubled with instructions, "inyasious"
or "yar," how can we have any legally
contracted debt? II the State has no legal
debt how eau il have any Interest bearing
securilies" for the school fund TO be invest.
cd int
Think express the almost unanimous
sentiment of the people Of the State when /
say that We are opposed TO creating State
debt slbtUIiuge or Tor any cause except
those named In the constitution. The
people Of West Virginia are unwilling to
pursue policy which impoverished and
finally diSgraced the "old State" II the
appropriations made by the Legislature in
the past few years have been In excess Of
tha revenues assessed aud collected, let us
know II. lth time 10 call halt and pay
UP while We can, and not 20 on until bank.
ruptcy or reputation becomes a necessity.
We hope this legislature will have the
moral courage TO obey the constitution
they have sworn to support.
Ii Is no justification to say the Republi.
cans inaugurated this system. My recol.
lection is that when the Republican party
went ont Of power there was quite enough
money assessed 10 pay all the liabilities Of
the State and tho deficit Of which the Rtg.
is!sr speaks was only for money borrowed
TO anticipate the payment Of debts which
bad been levied for; and that taking the
whole amount levied for and afterwards
collected and paid into the State treasury,
there was q surplus. But speak Of this
only from general recollection, not having
ut my command any data from which TO
verify my recollection. And take II that
| am correct In this view, otherwise, pre-.
sumo, the Legislature Of 1871, (the Inst
Democratic Legislature in this STATED, would
have provided for the payment Of the de.
felt, il there had been one, By tax, as re.
quired by the Constitution. Certainly the
very fSi DpmocrotiC Legislature which as.
semblcd in this Smtp, whose battle cry was
"reioIn," did not dare violate 30 plain q
requirement Of the Constitution. And as
that Legislature did not provide for any
deficiency, Of course none existed. So, that
either Nj. Pennybacker and his Tx who
claim there Was q large deficit then, are
mistaken, or the ilHt Democratic Legisla.
ture Of the State violated the Constitution.
Which?
GRAFTON, ". Va, February ii.