Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-03

aour Family skeleton"
rh,. /. the title OF an article BY MT
1obn r. Hume which appears IN the
Y,na n,r,ber OF the North American Re-
view. and which deals with the repu.
dated or neglected debtc OF sundry OF
our States" -. A..
IN an. matter Of the virginia debt MT.
Hume saws that It Ia West Virginia, not
the Old Dominion. which should be pill
,or,ed." He finds that while old Virginia
has been denounced az repudiator the
whole world over. yet she has never
refused 10 settle with her creditors Tor
her proportionate share OK the DEBT on
some basis. and according to what she
claimed to be the full measure or her
ability: In the end making what IL con-
coded TO be the amende honorable, while
West Virginia, Just as strongly obligated
from the beginning. and fully as able TO
perform her stipulation. has encountered
scarcely n word OF criticism
Mr. Hume declares that no state ever
had "a more pestiferous force TO con-
tend against than Virginia had In her
reputation party, and yet her DETER
and safer councillors have prevailed, and
he Is OF the opinion that freed from the
burden OF discredlt' by which she has
been 30 long handicapped. Virginia may
be expected to bound forward In the
race. and assume something OF her
ancient leadership" sc.
IT Is well for Mr.. Hume that Colonel
Frank G.. Ruffin is not now alive. for II
he were Mr.. Hume would be "cailed
down" pretty sharply as to come OF the
terms which he uses, and some OF the
observations which he makes anent our
population party"
Mr.. Hume's article deals at some length
with the disowned obligations Of each OF
the Southern States. and warns those
States TO follow in the footsteps OF Nir-
ginia, and lose no time In "burying the
skeleton OF the unpaid debt In the only
way in which II can be effectually dis
posed Of. instead OF perslsting in trying
10 hide or ignore 1t. while II Is left glib
bering above ground, and stalking at will
about the land"
While Mr. Humes article covers the
whole field of southern indebtedness. II
seems to us that 1t is aimed at West
Virginia particularly. and that II is IN
tended to ''stir her up to make "A settle
ment with the holders Of west Virginia
certificates"
At the last session OF our General As
semby an effort was made to enact a
law TO allow suit to be brought by
holders of these West Virginia certificates
against West Virginia In the name OF
Virginia. but II failed OF passage. be-
cause our people were led to fear that II
might prove to be a boomerang.
Since the debt Of Virginia has been
satisfactorily settled after many futile
efforts--since what seemed impossible has
been accomplished--we may hope that
West Virginia will ere long dispose OF
the claims against her.
AS we have said, Mr.. Hume's article
deals with the dsowned obligations OF
each of the Southern States, and the
editor OF the Review announces that
ton, will have a reply to 1t in the July
number of the Review That reply has
doubtless been prepared by this time. We
hope that with his wel-known industry
and ability in informing himself, MIR.
Howell has secured and read the
pamphlets OF the late Colonel Frank q.
Rufiin, dealing with the questions be-
tween Virginia and her creditors and
West Virginia and her creditors
Mr.. Hume's contention that the I'M
settled debts Of the Southern States are
one of the chief hindrances TO our Sc
curing immigration is not to be conceded
without question, since he shows that
Texas is one Of the States which is greatly
in default ION her nd-warrants), and
we know that 1t Ia getting immigrants
at a great rate. In our judgment. the
immigrant is more anxious to find out
If he can make money and live happily
in Texas than TO ascertain If she has
outstanding any disputed debts.