The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-28
No e or1ipr mise
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INC OH Ofll1Se
Ii 2 q ) 6 G aseI
ipEAN Sflo eG Dlsc ussEs CUES.
TON in Int 9 AND Il
sPlRlTED MANN ER. N
MO RGANToN,i; 4 Dec. d. Dean
Charles E. Hoggs head of the law de-
ipartment Of the university and mem:
Iber Of the counsel for the defense. in
lthhe famous suit Of the common
wealth Of Virginia against West yir.
\ GINA, has returned from q trip to tl:sy
-|southern part Of the State where he
was in conference with the. other mem
bers Of the West Virginia counsel.
There Is not one word Of truth
In the stories which have been cir.
culated concerning probable set.
Element Of the trouble between the
two States at the special session Of
I the legislature in January he said;
in response to a question by report.
er. .s
Il understand that the governor
! Will include in his call the question
OF the suit, but 1t Is done only that
any legislation deemed necessary or
expedient by the States counsel may
be enacted. The reports that the
governor and other officials Of the
State are planning to make Virginia
an offer looking toward the adjust.
ment and final settlement OF the
debt controversy doubtless sprang
from the fact tina, the debt suit will
:, lie or e of the items in the governors
call.
q know that It IS the intention OF
To attorney general and all interest
c's To fight the suit to the end; all
the members Of our States counsel
feel that West Virginia has the bet.
ter side. Indeed. II any suggestion
OF a COMPROMISE should come, it
would be. expected from Virginia
rather than from West Virginia.
although the suit IS the Oldest
live case, on tho docket Of the u. s..
Court, 1t will probably be a long
time before the finaI decree will be
entered. Up to this time no testl.
mony has been taken; the question
now before the court is the discus.
sion of the form providing for tn.
order OF the master who will be ZAP.
pointed to take the testimony.
Last week West Virginia filed its
suggestion OF a proper order con
tanning rules governing the taking
| OF aestimony. At the same time
counsel for Virginia filed Its sugges.
ton. The two documents are en-.
tirely different. so the court had to
take time to consider.
after the master Is appointed it
will be matter OF months AMI
probably years before he can gather
up the mass Of evidence which will
be required"
One of the causes OF the report of
an adjustment was the following
dispatch sent out from Richmond
Va:
1T is understood that the legisla.
tire of West Virginia is about to
take steps looking to a settlement OF
the Virginia-West Virginia debt con-
troversy. without awaiting decree
by the Supreme Court Of the Unite.l
States, before which tribunal the
case Is now pending. The governor
OF West Virginia in his call conven-
ing the legislature Of that State, 1t
is said. may call attention to the
wisdom OF enfecting an adjournment
! OF this long drawn out litigation.
!, F"If steps are taken looking to 4
settlement according to those faml.
lar with the case in this State. It win
have to come from West Virginia.
Twice did commission from this
State SO to West Virginia and asl,
the general assembly Of that State to
appoint similar commission to dis.
cuss with them an adjustment OF
existing difficulties without recourse
to court procedure, and twice was
the request refused by the legisla.
. ture. the West Virginia solons hold.
ing that they owed nothing and
would pay noti.ng."