Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-03
EX-GOVERNOR {. v. WILSON
Replies to Foolish Attacks Made Upon
Him and Auditor Johnson.


A Full Description Of the Manner IN
Which the West Virginia Direct
Tax was Secured from the Gov
eminent, and Governor Wilson's
Connection with The Transactions.
The Amount Of Money He Re
ceived, and the Work He Did to
Earn It-Slanders and Falsehoods
Disseminated for Political Effect.
Special TO the Register.
Charleston. w. Va, March 2.-SOme
of the leaders of the Republican party
have been under a strain since the be-
ginning of the Legislature to get hold
of something out of which they might
make political capital that would give
them an advantage over the Democrat
ic party. Among the silliest OF all the
silly charges that they have made is
that which charges che Auditor with
paying money for which he had no au
thority to pay to Ex-Governor Wilson
and others VINO were employed by the
State for some years in obtaining from
the Federal government the direct tax
money due TO the State. The cores
pendent Of the Register saw Gov. Will
son to-day and got from MIN the fol-
lowing history OF his connection with
the matter of securing this direct tax
money from the Federal government.
He says:
During my administration as COVER
nor, the late Beverly tucker and 9TH
ers, conceived the idea of having q
bill passed through Congress prOvid-
ing for the repayment to the State OF
the direct tax which had been levied by
an act Of Congress in 1861, amounting
TO about S20,000,0C0 in all. OF this
sum there was due to this State about
$1SO,O0O The Legislature in 1887, by
a joint resolution, provided:
THAT the Governor be directed and
authorized to inquire into the matter,
(of securing the direct tax money!, and
to take charge of the interest of West
Virginia in the same, and to pVy such
expenses as may be necessarily incurr-
ed under this resolution out OF the fund
when collected"
Under this resolution l appointed
Beverly Tucker as agent for this State,
which appointment and authority can
be easily found by an examination OF
the executive journal in the Secretary
of States Office, and this is the same
course that was pursued, l think, by
all the Governors of the States enti-
tied to the direct tax. The bill was
passed during President Cleveland Is
first administration, but vetoed by him.
It was again introduced at subsequent
session of Congress and passed in the
early part Of 1891. During its pen
dancy, and after the inauguration OF
Governor Fleming, in 1890, Mr.. Tucker
died. After his death, on the 18th of
December. 1890, Governor Fleming az
pointed me agent of the State in the
place of Mr.. Tucker. This appointment
can also be seen by an examination OF
the executive journal in the Secretary
of States Office.
In the general appropriation act OF
1891. page 367, will be found the tol-
lowing:
ITO pay upon the requisition OF the
Governor, directed TO the Auditor, to
the estate of the late Beverly Tucker
and E. Willis Wilson, a sum equal 10
ten per cent. of the amount which may
be hereafter received by the Governor
of this State from the government OF
the United States, when, and not until,
the said money shall have been paid by
the government Of the United States TO
the Governor of this State, and that
pro rata of said amount or ten per
cent. be deducted from the portion OIL
said fund constituted by an act OF Con-
gress of the United States approved
March I'd. 1891. entitled, An act to Gre
dit and pay to the several states ana
Territories and the District or Column
bia. under the direct tax levied by an
act of Congress approved August 5th,
1861. TO which the citizens OF said
States may be entitled. The said ten
per cent. hereby appropriated is IN full
for services rendered by said Tucker
in his life time. and also by said VIII
son under employment by the Cover
nor by virtue of joint resolution NO.
II. by the Legislature OF 1887 to take
charge of the interest of the State rel
alive to the subject-matter in the act OF
Congress approved March I'd, 1891,
aforesaid. 1t shall be the duty of said
administrator to distribute the money
hereby appropriated and received by
him TO the heirs at law OF the SAID
Beverly Tucker, deceased, for whose
benefit said appropriation is made. Bpt
This provision shall not be constrsed
as TO allow any money to be paid to the
said administrator of Beverly Tucker,
deceased or e. Willis Wilson out OF
the Treasury of the State, except sum
enuaI TO the ten per cent. OF the amount
actually received and owned lS the
state and not the individuals; that TACT
m he settled before any payment be
made to said parties.
Duripe the same winter that the pro-
,.isi., was enacted. 1891, Congress had
+bo, nassed the act for the repayment OF
Tho direct tax to the State. Ny under
sterdinp cleaned from various sources.
,ras and is that the smallest amount PAID
any agent for any State was ten per cent
conc of them going 10 double that
amount. The State of Ohio, Tor instance
was entitled to more than double the
amount that this State was entitled TO-
and nv recollection is that the agent got
ten per cent. None Of these agents, ex-
ceptine the agent for West Virginia had
any difficulty whatever in collecting the
,,,orov after the Congressional appropra-
ton although some of the. States (espe-
ci.1l,. 7 remember the State of Vermont,
o,,.a5 ., tho federal government at that