Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-05-08
THE STATE.
E DEBT. Nj
tBy u Il. Mason.)

The case was heard April 6, 9
and 10. and the court took the pa
pers to write decree instructing
the master how TO state an account
to determine the amount OF West
Virginia's debt. Probably no decree
will be entered until after the cleo
ton. Several questions were dis
cussed which seemed irrelevant.
For example. Virginia contended
that the ordinance, was not bind
Ing and that our proportion should
be determined by international law,
which would assign TO us one-third
OF thirty-three millions She also
contended that this eleven millions
bore interest for forty-seven years.
Virginia offered two DEGREES: the
first, based on the one-third doc
trine. and the second on the ordi-
nance. During the discussion or
this second proposed decree the
judges asked questions which Spoon
er answered for West Virginia and
Anderson answered for Virginia and
court and counsel arrived at the five
propositions mentioned In our next
article. Several Wall street men and
Others Interested with the Virginia
attorneys. were present while
Spooner was committing this state
as to five propositions. Elkins heard
Spooner and both left. when Spoon
er finished. without hearing the 9TH
er arguments.
The Richmond News-Leader OF
March 27th had the following item:
Two sets OF eight clerks each
have been working in the auditors
office for the past ten days. One
set, employed by LOOMS. Conart e.
Co., New York, expert accountants.
are preparing the case for West Vir-
| ginia. and the other set, employed
by Price Waterhouse e. Co., also
New York expert accountants, are
doing precisely the same thing for
Virginia.
The writer assumes that Attorney
General May, Mollihan and the Vir-
ginia attorneys, having the figures
made by these clerks, accurately in
formed as to the minimum amount
for which West Virginia will he
brought in debt under these FIVE
propositions. IL goes without say
ing. that a person, having these fig
ures in advance. had opportunity for
good speculation. The certificates
advanced SO per cent, within three
days.
Attorney General May had every
thing taken down by a stenogra-
pher AS the state pays all expenses
this stenOgraphic report Will be i'm
mediately printed unless politics re-
quires the terrible truth to be con-
cealed from taxpayers till after
new legislature and state officials
have been elected.
Publishing this stenographic report
Will inform the public as to the
| propositions settled by Spooner, and
then any person accustomed to cal
culations, may take official Virginia
i documents, which are easily acces-
sible, and demonstrate that, under
these propositions, the master must
necessarily bring West Virginia in
debt Tor more that ten million dol
lars. II Is safe to say that If tax
payers were informed OF what is on:
| foot the next legislature would con-
tain mon willing and able to appoint
| an investigating committee which
would unearth and expose the secret
inside history OF this suit. and IL is
equally safe to say that certain men
prominent as managers or party pol
itics, would be retired.
The Register thinks the public IS
not taking sufficient interest to JUS
tify newspapers giving this matter
space, but would not the public take
interest II IT were officially announc-
ed that the court must bring the
state in debt for more than ten mill
ions? Is any thinking man so blind
as not to see that an unseen infu-
ence is exerted to maintain a grave
yard silence tin too late to rescde
the state? BE It remembered that
the nOn-partisan commission pro
posed in January, 1907, By Senator
Campbell would have ensured this
state against any liability except for
the amount Virginia spent, within
West Virginia, for roads etc, which
the commission Of 1871 estimated
at less than three and half mill
ions.
No Charleston OF Wheeling paper
seems TO have noticed that the state
Democratic committee at Parkers-
burg. on the second, appointed pa
yis, Byrne and Kenney committee
10 Immediately ascertain and pub
Iish the truth about this debt scheme
But 10 is expecting too mach to ask
these gentlemen % not only donate
/ their time. but 20 also incur the OK