West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-05-28
State Betrayed at Meeting Of Last
Legislature.
DEMOCRATS AND The STATE DEBT
Mason Clearly outlines Duty Wall
street Expects Next Legislature 20
Defeat Honest Commission.

VI men Coulu ana would ensure the
state against larger debt than the
amount Virginia spent tor roads,
etc within West Virginia. When
the legislature met Democrat of.
Tered resolution appointing a COM
mission of five such Republicans as
Whitaker, Of Wheeling, and five
such Democrats as John Davis, of
Clarksburg. He proposed COM
mission which, being Independent,
of political machines, state officials,
and corrupt motive, would publish
the truth and make an honest effort
to protect the state. Every county
clerk has the senate journal The
resolution is on page $50 for Ian.
uary 40. 1907. No one could sug
gest objection to the proposed com
mission. But the states danger of.
fered excuse TO take money out of
the treasury and give it to men ac.
tive TO defeat the commission propo-
sition.
Democratic defeat is certain un-
less we convince the grand jury class
that, il the Demo cratic party be
given power, it will appoint such
commission and make honest effort
to protect the state against debt
gratters. Every thinking man knows
that such commission as was pro-
posed is our only hope.
Certain Democrats lobbied for
the $50, 900 fake appropriation and
thereby defeated the commission
proposition. Littlepage and Kidd
spoke in favor of the $50, 900 fake.
1t Is suicidal to ignore facts which
are being today mentioned in private
conversation whenever any two in
telligent citizens meet who are
thinking about this debt SUIT scheme.
For eight years il has been an open
secret that certain Charleston Demo.
Gratis were reputed to- have secret
relations with the parties who pro-
noted this debt suit. Neither
Charleston paper aided the commits.
sion proposition. 1t is perfectly
safe to say that very few, if any,
members of the Legislature were so
unobservant as not to- have noticed
the men who were secretly active in
January, 1907, to substitute the $780,
900 fake for the commission propo O..
sition, AID who, last February, con.
cocted the joint secret session
scheme to palm off take commIs.
sion. dependent on state officials,
which could not meet unless called
by Dawson, and was helpless to give
voters information state officials
wished concealed.
vi course the legislative journals
do not disclose the Vaccinations
whereby the state was betrayed, but
these Vaccinations were known, at
the time, to- all influential mem bers.
and these nemb RS, scattered all
over the state, are today telling
neighbors of the Charleston Demo
Gratis who aided to betray the state.
Surely, no candidate for state office
or Legislature Is SO uniformed as
not to know that the Joint scorer
session was a device to defeat The
movement, then on foot. To force a
hearing foi a commission which
would give The people the truth and
make honest effort TO protect the
state.
Mays reprint page So. line As,
shows that the deposited certificates
are obligated to pay a fee of per
cent. Page 81 shows that Virginia
issued over eighteen million certlf-
Gates. The Baltimore Sun, OF May
Q, shows that the certificates are
selling at IS per cent. As holders
are TO pay s per cent, a quotation
at as means that the buyer calcu-
lates that West Virginia will paw at
least 50 per cent on eighteen mil.
lions. In other words. those behind
this suit scheme feel safe for at least
nine millions if the legislature does
not appoint a proper commission.
Recollect, the Bennett commission
Of 1875 estimated the roads, etc.
at less than three and a half mil.
lions. and recollect also that in
1909 the certificate holders had
agreed TO settle on the basis Of the
amount spent for roads, etc. Graf.
ters and state officials may keep
SILENT and papers like The fntelh
gencer may for time deceive 10
norance by prattling about the case
being In the hands Of the court. but
these facts none the less occupy
conversation whenever intelligent
men meet who have no private in
terest hostile to the public interest.
Then the question is: is il wise. is
it good politics for the Democratic