Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-13

both tAAo iSbbeA anu SpllAb VA bhc 1oh-
stitution.
Democratic Fraud Denounced.
We denouLce the Democratic lead
ers of this state for their repeated
counting out of Republican officers
who were honestly elected, for their
rapes of the ballot, and for fraud
and corruption in elections. Pass
ing over, as matters well known TO
all intelligent citizens of the state,
their crimes against the people ii
this regard in former years, we al
firm that Charles M. Via, of the
county of Monroe, and Humphrey Il.
Brohard, of the county of Taylor,
and William l.. Huntington, of the
LewisWebster district, were fairly
and honestly elected To the house OF
delegates of the legislature OF 1899,
and that they were deprived of thelr
seats therein, and their defeated OPP
pone1ts seated, by chicanery, fraud
and felony.
The Virginia Debt.
We are unalteraDly opposed TO the
payment of any part OF The Virginia
debt That portion of Virginia which
now constitutes the state OF West
Virginia paid its full share of taxes
INTO the treasury of Virginia for al
most thrce-quarters of century,
and received but an insignificant
share OF the pubic improvements
Tor which the Virginia debt was ere
ated; and when West Virginia was
admitted INTO the sisterhood OF
states. the assets which belonged TO
both of the states, were kept by the
mother commonwealth; and yet IL
was arbitrarily decided by the leg
stature of Virginia that West Vir-
ginia should pay one-thrrd of The IN
leDtedness of Virginia, without any
reference TO tie amount OF the ex-
penditure of public moneys for pup
tic improvements within what is now
the territory of West Virginia, and
without giving to West Virginia
credit for the amount of taxes pau
Dy her people into the treasury OF
Virginia. We pronounce such aroi-
trary adjustment as unreasonable,
unfair and unjust, and in no man
uer can it be held as morally or le-
gally binding upon the people OF
West Virginia. The Republican par
~ OF West Virginia thus publicly an
nounces that it does not believe that
West Virginia owes TO the state OF
Virginia one cent of the debt OF var
ginia, existing at the time West Vir-
ginia was admitted into the Union.
West Virginia has issued no bonds,
and owes no debt.
The agents and agtators in this
state Of the payment by West Vir-
ginia of any portion of the Virginia
debt have all been Democratic attor-
neys, and the only member Of recent
legislatures who voted favorably TO
a recognition of the Virginia debt
was Democrat. who has been re-
nominated by his party for re-elec-
ton to the next legislature.
The Interests OF Labor.
We commend the present state adj
ADMINISTRATION for the appointment
Of real laboring man as commits
sioner of labor, who has proved an
able and efficient officer, and whose
reports and Investigations rank with
the best published by any state OF
the Union.
We commend the passage OF the
eight-hour law, and its prompt en-
forcement by the state adninistra-
ton. We earnestly favor the enact
ment Of all just and proper laws for
the benefit and protection of labor.
The Democratic State Record.
We condemn the Democratic party
for. twenty years of incompetency
and hungling, coupled with fraud
and embezzlement, in the manage
ment of the affairs of the state OF
West Virginia. Commissioners OF