Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-10-02

!der that the people are beginning 70
Icry aloud for relief from exorbitant
and unjust taxation, No wonder
that they are beginning to rebel
lagainst such condition. AS 1t now
| Ia. the average taxpayer Is paying
Imore taxes than he ever paid That
| What he now pays will have to be In
creased to pay of the deficit that
Democrats viii fall heir 10. and the
| large amount that must be raised TO
repair our public buildings. even 10
late law reduced. is almost a certain
Ity Aud God help the people II on
| top OF all that we have to pay off
lthe alleged Virginia State debt
which has been so mismanaged I'M
| der Republican administrations as
| now to be saed for ia the Federal
Court. though under Democratic adj.
ever made TO press or collect II,
The people OF West Virginia be-
| iieve that this whole matter could
have been and should have been annie
Iably settled out OF the courts. and
that II can yet Be done. T. myself.
so believe IL The people do not be-
tlieve that they equitably owe a dol
lar upon that account. and II am
elected governor ] shall exert what.
ever ability ] have 10 prevent the
payment of single dollar upon II
THAT West Virginia may not honor.
ably owe. James G. Blaine. In his.
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
Twas creditor OF the national gov.
lernment BY ceding to Il her superb
domain on the north side Of the Ohio
River, which the national govern.
mont sold for over 100000, 900.
should be reimbursed by II for her
loss.
But regardless OF how this Ruit
may now terminate, certain II IL that
during Democratic days the matter
was kept In allegiance only TO spring
into active life the moment they laid
down the reins What an irnmenae
satisfaction It woeld be to the people
to know what has been the silent I'm
fiuences behind It all. and who are
The owners OF those certificates.
More than one leading Republican
paper has intiinated that we would
Lave TO look no further than some
leaders OF that party to find much III.
|teresting Information on that subject.
But surely we have a 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 1906 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 this
cancellation or the West Virginia GER
tilicates upon the payment OF what.
ever sum committee appointed by
West Virginia should Ak upon
surely we have the right 10 know
what has kept the people In the dark
about this affair ever since Democ-
racy went cut OF power.
Democracy did everything Il 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 n ruin0us
prospective debt and yet hold In
my hand campaign pamphlet in
which the Regulars say Democracy
did nothlng--no wonder they were
silent In their platform on that cues
tion.
Ii 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,
/ fear, infringed upon that Of the
others you would Ike to hear Our
platform sets them forth with perfect
,.clearness, and with like clearness,
states our position upon them Il Is
fair. straightforward and conyinc-
ing PRONUNCIATION OF what we think,
and what we will do In case the peo-
pie entrust us with the reins Of gov
eminent.
Perhaps ii might be well for me tol
say d passing worn upon that part
OF our platform that speaks for the
purity Of our ballot, and denounces
it's debauchery especially BY q race
that as a whole seems TO be utter
Iy unappreciatiye Of the benefits Of