Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-04-09


Now for. more recent events: The
certificate holders being unable to use
a sovereign state as individuals sue
ceeded. about FIVE years ago, in get
ting through the Virginia Legislature,
by questionable methods, an act au-
thorizing and directing a suit TO be
brought in the United States Supreme
Court on behalf of the certificate hold
ers in the name of the State of Vir-
ginia, virtually making Virginia a col
lection agency.
After Virginia took this step every
! sane man in West Virginia who cared
anything for his state became alarm
one who wanted to see. The indi-
viduals could not sue West Virginia
but Virginia could. and Virginia had
been ordered by her legislature to
sue. The time had cone for MS to
quit declaring and ~resoluting and talk
business. Then 1t was a committee.
representing the sovereign state of
Virginia headed by Hon. Vim. A. An.
derson, its attorney general, arrived
at Charleston to lay the matter before
our legislature. The writer, then in
the state senate, recognizing the inn
portance OF the matter and believing
the situation to be a critical n got
out of a sick bed to attend the hear
ing The White and Dawson ma
chine vas just then in its h~igh-oats
and busy with its schemes of political
plumber. The result was that the
Virginia committee practically got no
hearing and received scant courtesy
at the hands of the state house Off
Gals and likewise got the hee-haw
from the republican leaders of the
legislature. The Virginians virtually
said: Gentlemen, we have been or
dered to sue West Virginia. Before
doing so We have come, as the rep
ren~sentatives of a sovereign state to
say to you We want you to us in
good faith and take up this long-dis-
cussed question and we assure you
! you can settle 1t practically on your
own terms" The republican machine
answered by its acts in effect: Hike
back to Richmond. We are too busy
creating new jobs and increasing
; salaries to listen to you. no matter
! how important this matter. II you
i sue us we have got a lot OF political
lawyers in and out of the state who
need the job defending us. On with
the dance"
The virginians quietly folded their
tents and stole away. The writer
happened to leave Charleston on the
| same train with them, and distinctly
~recalls General Anderson's prophecy
that West Virginia would rue the day
that IFS officials turned a deaf ear to
their appeal.
Virginia's suit in the United States
Supreme Court quickly followed The
appropriations to employ attorneys to
defend it.: he refusal of the iegisla-
ture to adopt Campbell's resolution
for a non-partisan commission to han
die the whole matter; Governor Daw-
sons coup of putting through a resolu-
tion creating an Advisory commit
tee which could not meet EXCEPT upon
his call; the refusal of the writer 10
II SCI VIC as III VI JIC Nv atiN stobS
goats on this committee, are all more
recent matters with which Review
readers are familiar.
There are some other important
phases of the question which space
and time precludes us giving
here. We are not disposed to make
accusations r~ecklessly. but we speak
advisedly when W. say that some peo-
pie in this state were, a dozen or
more years ago, employed by the GER
tifcate holders, Cat the time when the
first republican legislature assembled
in 1S94-to be more specified, who
have since been posing as advisors
of the state. We say further, that in
view of the rumors and suspicious
that have been in the air constantly
since that time, the people Of West
Virginia, irrespective of party, ought
to see to it that a legislature Is cleo
ted this fall that will probe this ma
i. ter TO the bottom, follow up the APP
preparations that have been given,
see where the money has gone and
If the syndicate holders have been
aided and abetted by any Office hold
eTs or politicians in this state. The
facts should be gotten, il possible,
and given to the public.
We repeat again. The state is fac
ing a crisis. If the Supreme Court ac-
cepts either horn OF the dilemma Lit
tleield has handed us-and 1t Is mere
ly a question of which one-then the
republican machine which has at
tempted to play politics with this
thing and use it as a pension bureau,
may as well bid farewell to the public
crib. The tax payers of the state will
be organizing vigilance committees
and buying hemp before they are done
with It.
w. VA MINERS.