West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-07-09
THE VIRGINIA DEBT SUIT
Question Not an Issue Between Pc.
litical Parties.
THIRD ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT
ARTICLE 4.

tins deb, question a party issue. 1t
is an issue, not between Republicans
and Democrats, but between men
thinking about the states interest
and men thinking about making
money out of the states distress. |,
is an issue between the public on
one side and on the other side a well
dchued and thoroughly identified
gang secretly aiding a scheme to
rivet on West Virginia many millions
more than she ought to assume or
will assume II the next legislature
appoints such a nonparusan com.
mission as was defeated by this
legislature. Unfortunately, a few
honorable men are unwittingly aid
ing the gang, but it is not practica-
bic To conceal the truth mnch longer
or TO evade this issue.
Every observant man knows that
this debt suit has been managed with
a secrecy, insIncerity, and false pre-.
tense without precedent, and that
effort has been exhausted to mislead
voters iCto believing, till after the
election, that this state does not owe
anything and is not in danger. Every
business man knows that a matter
like this ought to be managed by a
body independent of politicians, stale
officials, and political machines and
not timid about antagonizing all the
hungry horde of go tetweens, pro.
moters. grafters, parasites, and pen.
sioneis always swarming around the
state treasury whenever excuse offers
to give officials money to distribute
among friends, favori,es and feuda
tories.
No, this is not an issue between
Republicans and Democrats, but
between the people and the crooks
III both parties who are trying to get
their clutches on money which should
go direct from the pock ct of the tax
payer into the pocket of the erson
entitled To- receive il, to. Wit: the
persons who actually own the certif.
Gates.
Virginia sa d she issued certificates
to indemnify the persons entitled to
receive whatever West Virginia paid.
She said she issued them to enable
West Virginia to adjust her debt,
whatever 1t was. by dealing directly
with the persons entitled to receive
1t. BE it remembered that appoint
ing proper noDpartisan commission
means a settlement without another
$50, 900 raid on the state treasury,
and without anyone getting a rake
off, and also means restricting our
debt to the amount Virginia spent
for roads, ETC., within our limits.
Refusal to appoint such a commits
sion means frequent $50. 900 raids,
and also means that after the court
brings us IN debt exceeding thirteen
millions deal will be made with
Virginia attorneys who have no in
terest except the $3.50, 900 Zee.
Here IS a proposition to protect
both taxpayer and creditor. Those
opposing it know that if ii obtains a
hearing the popular demand for it
will be irresistible; those opposing
il also know that it will not be prac-
ticable to palm off another fake like
the $4,000 appropriation, or an
other fake like the joint secret ses.
sion committee dependent on state
officials. Hence the effort to prevent
a hearing. Herein lies the secret Of
John Mason's recent unexpected
and unhappy volunteer publication.
whereby he unwittingly comes to the
rescue Of Virginia attorneys expect
ing the $3.50, 900 fee, and to the
rescue of those opposing proper
commission. BE it remembered, IL
Virginia attorneys had not inter
vened in 1899 all the certificate
holders would have accepted the
proposal to settle for the amount
spent for roads, etc, which amount
the Bennett commission estimated
at about three and half millions.
We do beg the business men Of
the state to consider the power Of
the unseen influence behind this suit
scheme, when, on the verge Of the
Republ. can convention. such a man
as Mason is betrayed into such a
publication. We are not finding fault
with him; we are illustrating the