Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-02

Some Pointed and Pertinent Re-
marks by senator Daniel, of vir-

marks by Senator Daniel, of vir-
gfnia.
Special to the Register.
WASHINGTON, D. c., June LIN
the course of his remarks on the vir-
ginia debt matter the other day SEN
ator Daniel. of Virginia. administered
a pretty severe castigation to Senator
Elkins and his conferees in the Sem
ate, who were responsible for what the
Virginia Senator characterized as the
mysterious amendment which was
antruded into a bill providing for the
reimbursement of the States for ex-
penses incurred in the war with Spain.
This bill was passed In March of last
year, very surreptitiously, and it was
not until after Congress adjourned
that Senator Daniel discovered that a
piece of legislation of vital interest to
his own State, as well as to West Vir-
ginia, had been sneaked through with
out his knowledge, passed, in fact, at
q moment when he was absent from
the Senate chamber
The mysterious amendment author
lied the Secretary of the Treasury to
begin suit against any State in default
on the payment of any bonds guaran-
teed by the State, the ownership of
which Is vested in the United States.
Senator Daniel courteously said that
he was ignorant of the sources from
which this amendment originated, but
ne well knew, and those interested we'll
knew, 1t being common gossip in Wall
street, that the mysterious amendment
was instigated by Elkins and others
DESTROYS of having the West Virginia
debt liquidated. Soon after the pas
sage of the bill of March, 1899, Senator
Daniel addressed letter to Secretary
Gage, the text of which has Just been
made public. In this letter Senator
Daniel recited the facts given about as
TO the sneaky way in which the bill
was passed and expressed the hope
that the secretary would not consider
1t advisable to institute any proceeding
against the State Of Virginia to recover
The value of Virginia bonds held by
The United States. Mr.. Daniel then
said, referring to the Elkins bill:
The bonds of Virginia held by the
United States are those of old Virginia,
which included West Virginia. The
equitable obligation upon West Vir-
ginia to share in their payment was
recognized by the act of Congress
which created the new State and by its
own constitution. Had Congress leg
1slated with any knowledge of what it
was doing on this subject it would GER
tainly not have ignored this fact =
/ think it will be obvious to your mind
from what have already said that the
provision which gives you authority,
II you deem it advisable, to direct
suit against Virginia was passed with
out the knowledge of Congress in the
pressing matters incident to the close
of the session.
1t is evident to my mind that some
speculative interest is behind the
movement, which has been so quietly
and successfully engineered, to induce
the United States to bring suit against
Virginia and perhaps other States of
This Union; but whatever may be it's
power and influence, the relation OF
the States and the federal government.
and the comfy and good will which
should ever characterize them, are a
more weighty consideration to the pub
lie than the profit of a few SPECTATORS
u The rise and fall of stocks"
Afver a hard fight, Senator Daniel
Eas succeeded in securing the adoption
OF The Senate amendment to the sun
dry civil bill. which was stricken out
cariF ia the week on a point of order
made by Senator Pettigrew. The
amendment which was printed in the
Register OF Monday, strikes out the
mysterious amendment inserted in the
legislation of 1899 by Senator Elkins,
authorizing the Secretary Of the Treas
ury to bring suit against Virginia. The
present legislation authorizes the set
Element of Virginias indebtedness by
private negotiation.