The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-13
HAS WEST VIRGINIA A DEBT ,
Interesting Statement About Her share OF
Old yirEanlG's OBLIGATIONS


Old yirSiniS's Obligations
To THE EDITOR OF TIE sUS--Sir. Refer
ring TO the article published in your valued
paper under date Of July 0. entitled Another
State Out Of Debt" you have unwittin9ly
fallen into an error in including West yir-
ginia among the States free from debt.
The desire to be free from debt is COM
mendable either in an individual or In a SOW
ereign State, although the proud State OF
New York would seem to be on the eve OF
REWRITING to the old idea that public debt
In public benefit. West Virginia is not only
not free from debt, II we look at the real
situation, but is liable to a debt Of indetermi-
nate quantity. but probably In the neighbour
hood Of SiS, 100000.
The origin Of this debt can be stated briefly
as follows: During the civil war the western
portion was mainly loyal 10 the Union cause.
In pursuance OF this sentiment State gov
ernment was formed and application made
for recognition as a State. This was granted
upon the express condition that the new
State Of West Virginia should assume and
pay Its just proportion OF the debt OF the old
State OF Virginia.
After the war was over, during the process
OF reconstruction. nothing was done until
1871 The State of Virginia In the effort to
adjust Its debt set aside one-third as the
share Of West Virginia. In view Of the fact
that West Virginia had one-third Of the terri
tory. and that. too. the richest part Of the
old Commonwealth
II followed this UP with efforts to settle
the matter with West Virginia, but West
Virginia has refused to arrange her indebted
ness In any shape In spite Of ordinances. con-
stitutions and the possession Of cash assets
which belonged to the State Of Virginia
There 10 nothing more sensitive than credit.
and the good name OF West Virginia, the
proper development Of her splendid natural
resources, must stand in the shadow OF this
growing debt until some individual or public
act shall awaken that Commonwealth to a
full realization Of lis dangerous position
In respect OF this obligation. Every one.
whether In or out Of West Virginia. who has
ut heart the keeping Of public credit, whether
municipal. state or national. at q high stand
arc, must be interested In the settlement
OF this question
town. W. Va. in a letter to Senator John
sherman. printed In the Congressional Rec
ord. Vol XII. page $50. wrote
And now say to you what have frequently
said to The people Of West yrgn tina, s but 70.
would never have been admitted. say further
that In wy R1Sn no py Or cnS sss
obligation Of this State to pny AN equitable pro
portion OF the public debt OF Virginia.
The history Of this unsettled debt of West
Virginia. in brief. is as follows: Virginia 8
total debt in 1871. when she made settle
which represented both the principal and
accumulated interest thereon, One-third OF
that sum, viz, si5.2so,370 was arbitrarily,
West Virginia Since that time thirty-two
years interest at per cent has accrued.
The two-thirds reserved BY Virginia viz /.
$50 47s742, was settled for by that State in
at z per cent for ten years and per cent.
for ninety years these are known as cent
uries. and sell in the public mari et to-day
at over 90. Thus we have the unique condi
tion of old Virginia, a seeding State, though
suffering from the terrible consequences OF
the civil war, kssnly alive to her old ante
bellum financial prestige and splendid credit.
struggling to regain and sgc Gee b,t by
whereas the only State created by the war,
West Virginia. has practically and persistently
repudiated it's obligation to pay her proper
which Virginia was divided contains the
following reference to the subject:
The new State shall take upon Itself Just pro
portion OF the public debt OF the Commonwealth
q Virginia prior 70 the nIs DAY OF January 1851
pend!tures within the limits thereof, and Just
proportion Of the ordinary expenses Of the State
tracted. and deducting therefrom the moneys
paid 10 to the Treasurer Of the Commonwealth
from the counties Included within the said new
State during the same period
And, further, the declaration Of the Con-
stituiion under which West virginia was ad-
mitted into the Union was no less emphatic
on the same point. Section 4. Article Viii.
of that instrument IL as follows:
An equitable proportion OF the public debt Of
Virginia prior 70 Jan l. issi ssai, Ss assImeS
shs ms IA a nfANtlcADIe,
Here Is not only an explicit acknowledg-
ment OF liability Tor part OF the debt, but a
direction to the Legislature to ascertain
the same as soon AS practicable.
No action has apparently been taken by
West Virginia Notwithstanding these legls-
lative declarations and injunctions. and she
has refused every. overture on the part OF
OF the debt No one can doubt that this debt
is somewhere in the neighborhood or this
allocated one-third. inasmuch as West tir.
ginia contains at least one-third OF the rlchest
territory OF the old state,
II may he remembered that Mr.. Lincoln
said he would never sign a bill admlttln s
West Virginia into the Union unless there
was incorporated in the Constitution a pro
oi' ,Ra debt aef ' Of the or ginal state
That tho frameTs OF the ordnance nSs ana ins
that state came into existence, appreciated
the force and value Of maintaining the, hnap-
cial integrity of the Commonwealth, Is evi-
debt could be contracted by the new state
except TO meet the proportionate obli cations
outstanding consequent upon the dlsmem-
berment Of the old territory OF Virginia,
Of which the present State and present debt
OF West Virginia were part.
The enlightened American cannot but
rsalize that by the maintenance Of 70 splen,
did credit Of our country at large, which
we inherit as a national blessing through
the efforts of the great men who 30 oppor.
timely lived to direct the reconstruction and
casting of our financial future--JeifeTson
hamilton and Gallatin--and later by just
smch n declaration as Linoolns. in putin
his finger on the button or handspring o.
declared eMphatcally, that he would mo-
sign a bill for the admission of West Vir
ginia into the Union unless she recognized
md agreed TO pay this debit say the en-
lightened American contemplating the grea
national and commercial supremacy which
must be ours, provided we adhere to tn,
indestructible laws for the maintenance o.
public credit, laid down by our fathers. vii
not for one moment countenance repudia
tion and consequent impairment, OF credit
While no one for moment believes Yves
virginia seriously contemplates this, W,
pause in wonder that she does not follow
suit and clean the state, opening the door
to the golden rays which will burst upon he
as they burst upon and blessed other State
who have paid up, and started tho plougl
in this way into the furrOw OF prosperity.
NEW YORK, July II W c. LEGENDRE