West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-05-27
Second ola Series Of Articles by Mason
Of Charles Town.
MANY MILLIONS ARE At STAKE
Wall Street Has Deep Interes, a,
Gsme-Aeeurstely informes by
Virginia Attorneys.
NUMBER n.

richmond May To give them To him. Tn,
ordinance changes West Virginia with IN,
amount of state expenditures within hel
limits, viz, roads, etc. 1t appears tina,
the Virginia experts put this amount al
exceeding nincmillions, whereas the Yves
Virginia experts put il at seven and hal
millions. OF course the reader under
stands We give round figures.
The ordinance charges West Virgins
with Just proportion of the ordinary cx,
penses of the Virginia government. and
the court will determine whether her pro.
portion is 10 be measured 10y her relativ,
total population or by her relative fedora
population. II IL measures 10y total popu.
lation, then she will he charged will
IL 20 per cent of these ordinary expenses.
and with 202-5 per cent II federal popu.
lation bc the measure.
Ii appears that the expert accountant.
for Virginia figured these ordinary ex-
pcnses for the forty ycars-ls20 10 1851
at fifty millions, and West Virginia pu,
them at forty millions. The ordinance
credits the taxes, etc, collected i'm West
Virginia counties. IL seems Virginia put
the amount at four and half millions
and West Virginia ut five and a half mil
lions. Hence, il the court adopts the
Virginia figures and measures our proper.
ton of ordinary expenses 10y total popu.
iation, which ismost favorable 10 us, then
It will state the account as follows:
Charge nine millions for state expcndi.
turcs within limits; charge IL % per cent
ofhfty millions ordinary expenses -, 800,
900, and credit four and half millions
for taxes collected, bringing the state in
debt $l3, 300, 600 II the court adopts the
above figures furnished 10y West Virginia,
then she will be brought in debt 50, 0iO 900.
The Virginia attorneys expect the court
To measure our proportion of ordinary ex-
penses 10y federal population. and this is
the expectation Of those of best reputc in
the profession. II il measures by federal
population, then, ON the above West Vir-
ginia figures, this state will be brought in
debt exceeding ten instead of nine mil
lions.
We may safely assume that Virginia nt-
torncys keep Wall street clients accurately
informed. Both Carlisle and Spooner and
also Littleteld located on Wall street.
There could be no possible improperly il
any OF them gave the figures 10 friends
who inquired. As matter OF law or NOR
ais the figures, when furnished 10 Little
field, stood on the same basis az any
court papers filed with circuit clerk. II
is true, some unseen influence was active
TO keep them out Of newspapers and CON
ceal them as long as possible from West
Virginia taxpayers, but any bystandcr,
present ut the hearings, could have gotten
them.
III proper nonpartisan commission
was managing would il not publish the
amounts for state expenditures, for ordi-
nary expenses, and for taxes, etc, col
lected2 Let every citizen, who considers
himself sufficiently intelligent to value
honest government, reflect why the organs
OF our state government machine sup
press the figures.
The Richmond Leader Of May gave u
newspaper account Of proceedings before
Littleficld and said.
1.-THE only new thing brought out yes
terday was that West Virginia claims that
she is liable for 81, 3G6, 752. 80 less than il
claimed by Virginia, and Mr.. Dixey. the
expert accountant for West Virginia, said
lac had omitted certain expenditures
wholly in West Virginia 10y direction Of
counsel"
The reader will notice that they have
figured 10 80 cents and that, il he knew
how much Virginia claimed, lac could de-
duct 81, $3.50, 900 and ascertain how much
West Virginia admits.
Virginia furnished her figures early last
November and the certificates immedi-
atelY sold at 80 per cent. Then came
whispcrings that Virginia would be upset
when West Virginia exhibited her figures.
Thirty days ago the quotation was 30 bid
and 81 asked. Fony-cight hours after
West Virginia furnished figures last week
they sold on the basis Of 1917 Mays re-
print, page ~, shows that Virginia issued
SIS, 227, 1890 Of certificates. Multiplying
by 40H gives $9,O24, AL. In other words,
after receiving West Virginia figures Wall
street assumes that nine millions IL the
the minimum and this Is 81, 1896, 900 less
than Virginia claims. What, then. be-
comes Of all the disgusting nbtcrfuge. de-
ception, and canting hypocrisy mislcad-
ing honest voters 90 believe the state safe?
bet the reader remember that Wall street
and Virginia attorneys feared nothing ex .
ccpt the appointment Of proper nom
partisan commission TO take care Of the
state. Let the reader remember that graf
ters were able 10 defeat IL only because
certain Republicans celebrated for per-
sonal respectability and conspicuous Tor
servility to Elkins. made public utter
anccs a. follows:
81 see no danger, because I do not he.
licve that IN equity and good conscience,
We owe the certificate holders one cent. -
II some manly, honest man toured the
state making nOnpartisan lectures. what
would become Of the machine which has
made our state government the most cx-
peDsive and corrupt in the union? Ger
tain editors refuse b. publish matter as
this, saying Il may "hurt their party. 4"
No, not hurt your party, but tic machine
which has your party in is clutch.
J. VI. Mason.
Charles Town. W. Va.