Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-09-29

der that the people are beginning to
cry aloud for relief from exorbitant
and unjust taxation No wonder
that they are beginning to rebel
against such condition! AS il now
lis, the average taxpayer is paying
more taxes than he ever paid. That
what he now pays will have to be in
creased to pay off the deficit that
Democrats will fall heir to, and the
large amount that must be raised to
repair our public buildings, even to
putting back the rate in part that the
late law reduced, is almost a certain
ity. And God help the people if on
top of all that we have to pay off
the alleged Virginia State debt
which has been so mismanaged un-
der Republican administrations as
now to be sued for in the Federal
Court, though under Democratic adj
ministration no serious effort was
ever made to press or collect it,
The people of West Virginia be-
lieve that this whole matter could
have been and should have been annie
ably settled out of the courts. and
that it can yet be done. |. myself,
so believe it. The people do not be-
lieve that they equitably owe a dol
lar upon that account, and If am
elected governor | shall exert what
ever ability | have to prevent the
payment of single dollar upon 1t
that West Virginia may not honor
81 T,x n Iofs IN, q
Twenty Years in Congress-" says,
There is indeed neither moral nor
legal responsibility resting upon West
Virginia for any part of the debt of
the old State.'' And he further
says in effect that Virginia, which
was a creditor of the national gov
eminent by ceding to it her superb
domain on the north side of the Ohio
River, which the national govern
ment sold for over $100,000,000,
should be reimbursed by it for her
loss.
But regardless of how this suit
may now terminate, certain 1t is that
was kept in allegiance only to spring
into active life the moment they laid
down the reins. What an immense
satisfaction it would be to the people
to know what has been the silent in
fiuences behind it all, and who are
the owners of those certificates.
More than one leading Republican
paper has intimated that we would
have to look no further than some
leaders of that party to find much in
lteresting information on that subject.
But surely we have right to know
and should know who the parties are
who sue us under cover of the Com
monwealth of Virginia. Surely we
have the right to know what were the
secret influences that caused the adj
ministration of 1905 to send back
with scant courtesy, the committee
sent here by the Commonwealth of
Virginia to treat with West Virginia,
and whose spokesman declared that
the Commonwealth stood ready to
settle the question, and guarantee the
cancellation of the West Virginia GER
tificates upon the payment of what
ever sum committee appointed by
West Virginia should fix upon
surely we have the right to know
what has kept the people in the dark
about this affair ever since Democ-
racy went out of power.
Democracy did everything it could
to accomplish an equitable settlement
of this debt--even sending commit
tee to Richmond with that end in
view, and during its time none ever
seriously thought to demand its pay
ment. But the result has been that
somehow, and, apparently unneces-
sarily, we have landed in the Federal
Courts, confronted with a ruinous
prospective debt, and yet / hold in
my hand campaign pamphlet in
which the Regulars" say Democracy
| did nothing-no wonder they were
silent in their platform on that ques-
ton.
1t is impossible for me in the time
at my disposal today to take up and
discuss the other issues before the
people OF this state. | have, already,
II fear, infringed upon that of the
others you would like TO hear. Our
platform sets them forth with perfect
l.clearness, and with like clearness,
states our position upon them. 1t is
La fair, straightforward and convinc-
ling PRONUNCIATION of what we think.
and what we will do In case the peo-
pie entrust us with the reins Of gov
eminent.
| Perhaps it might be well for me to
lsay a passing word upon that part
Of our platform that speaks for the
purity OF our ballot. and denounces
its Acknowledgment by race
that as a whole seems to be utter
l.. ..........ue.os tire l.f the honefite of