The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-05
GOVERNOR
ATKINSON'S
STATEMENT.
Of west virginia's Attitude In Re-
gard to the Old virginia
State Debt
NO AUTHORITY FOR HONORING
Certificates Issusd BY omeialS Of
virginia-Few improvements

Special Dlsp8tch TO the 1ntel1igencer.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Marcia A.
The state board Of public works has
decided not to take any action at pres
ent regarding the passage by the
legislature Of Virginia Of the bin pro-
vidlng for the lItigating OF the virgin-
Ia debt question. '1f the matter Is
prosecuted. however the board will
employ counsel to night the case to the
bitter end.
Governor AtliuSon yesterday made
the following statement, explaining the
attitude Of West Virginia:
The 0oyornoFs Statement.
AFTER West virginia was admitted
as q state the state Of Virginia assign
ed 70 west virginia one-thirI OF its
then existing debt. which was about
$4,000. 900, and issued West Virginia
certificates for that amount, without
any authority from the state Of West
Virginia. west vlrginlans generally
claim that they paid about one-third of
the taxes Of the old state for nearly
one hundred years and received in the
way Of puhiic improvements compare
lively nothing. In fact, ali the benefits
We received were two or three dirt
turnpiEes, a small appropriation for
the insane asylum at Weston, and the
expenditure Of small sum Of money
for grading Q few miles Of track in
cSbtii county which IS now a part Of
the chesapeake & Ohio railroad sys-
tenn. II It bo true that what IS now
territory Of West Virginia paid some-
thing iilte one-third Of the taxes to
carry on the state government Tor the
period I have stated. and received but
little benefit from the investments
which became the bonded debt Of Vlr-
glnla, coupled with the further fact
that when the state was divided the
old state kept practically all Of the as
sets, then, Il this be true, It seems to
me that west virginia does mot legit-i
lmately owe any part Of the Virginia
debt. II our state u to bs required to
pay one-third OF the debt Of Virginia
because we composed about one-third
Of the territory Of the state, then. upon
the division Of the state we would
certainly be entitled TO one-third Of
the assets, as wen as one-third Of the
improvements generally, for which the
debt was created.
when west Virginia was organized
st was understood that our state was to
pay her legitimate portion Of the vir-
ginIa debt, and our legislature directed
the appointment of commissioners to
confer with the Virginia authorities,
with view Of arriving at fair ad-
justmsnt Of the debt between the two
states. The commissioners sent by the
West virginia legislature to Richmond
were not recognized by the Virginia
authorities, and the old state, there
fore, refused to enter into negotiations
with the West Virginia authorities to
arrive at q proper adjustment Of the
question at issue. II. after a careful
investigation Of all the expenditures
which went to increase the S45,OOO,OOO
debt Of Virginia, and the taking into
consideration how and where the pub
lie funds were expended, It can be
shown that West virginia owes any
equitable part of the debt, have no
doubt that Our people VIII agree 20 pay
the same. 1t was, however, evident to
all Intelligent West vIrgIniana that the
old state had 10 right to issue West
Virginia certifcat@ under any clrcum-
stances. nor would they admit that
simply because West Virginia embodIes
about one-thlrd Of the territory Of the
state. that she should, therefore, pay
One-thlrd OF the debt.
Feeling as now do, that West vlr-
EinIa does not owe, legltlmately. any
part of the Virginia. debt. which
amounts TO anything. certainly would
not recommend the legislature to pay
an, part Of said debt