The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-06-13
AN INJUSTICE no WEST VIRGINIA


From the Wheeling Jpie,]iyencar
Even the Baitlmorn SIM u,hioh 3,
usually we'll infoHncd discnssas INA
Virginia debt SaiYfastion ntIba o.
sumption that, West Virginia has for
forty years evaded settlement Mis-
assumption is nothinp more ar lers,
than a polite charge Of had faith
against West Virginia audit 10 TX
solutely unfoundsd in FACT A. tho
earliest possible #1i{0ment Wast VIZ
ginia did make sn effort RI settle tho
debt question. and was rahuffod NV
the mother state. West Viro,; 10
then proceeded to. fix for .barsnif oe.
nearly as possible an adiust1nent ~
this debt. A oompetent conmiesio,,
of. inquiry repGEtetf that IN ec,it1,
we owe Virginia.hothine and on thst
report West virginia has fnr tbirtr
years taken her stand and rested he,.
case, TX
Although West VIRGINIA beca mo d.
state in 1862, it was manifcstIv I'M
possible to- appoTtion the state debt
until after the war closed Whah
the government OF Virginia was re.
stored a dispute arose between the
two states as to- the'cnossession Of
Berkeley and Jefferson oounfies, rrhis
dispute was finally settled in favor Of
West Virginia in 1870. Pending
this suit negotiations of any kind
concerning the debt we're ,imDOssible
In 1871, or at the earliest possible
moment, West Virginia appointed a
commission of three DISTINGUISHED
citizens to negotiate with the state
OF Virginia for an adjudication OF
the debt. This commission went "A
Richmond, but the. Virginia authors
ties refused to meet with them. or
even to give them access to sources
of information, necessary for the
proper consideration Of the uuestiou
Here is where the dispute began.
Here was the first 'high-handed and
arbitrary proceeding. West Vir
ginia's reasonable Overtures were not
even ment with courtesy This COM
mission did conduct an investigation,
however, and reported from the in
formation it was able to- gather that
West Virginia did not owe Virginia
more than abont 100000.
In 1878 the senate Of West Vir-
ginia made a further effort to obtain
information as to the debt question.
Jonathan NJ. Burdett had been audi
tor of the old stale of Virginia; he
had served on the Commission aD-
pointed in 1871. lie was a member
OF the finance committee of the state
senate, and this committee was at his
suggestion instructed to make a com
plete investigation and report what
proportion II any, of the Virginia
debt, existing January l, 1851, should
be charged against the state Of West
Virginia. This committee went into
the question Thoroughly. 1t e6ti-
mated the revenues and EXPENSES OF
al ADMINISTRATION by the state Of Vir-
gina from 1882 10 1851. 1t. made
a complete estimate of, the amount
OF takes paid by the counties now inl
West Virginia during that time, and
the cost Of the public improvements
IN those counties. ltS conclusion was
that west Virginia had In the forty
years between 1873 and 1861 paid
INTO the treasury on Virginia over
$9Vo'oVo more money than her share
OF the cost or the administration of
!ne government, pms the cost Of ALL
Cne puDllc improvements in the ter
rltory now West Virginia. Not one
ooIlar or the w. ."OO,00O which the
ora STATE or Virginia owed January