Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-03-17
Doings in Washington.
From George w Summers,
a Post Building.


/ Washington, March IA Now that
the first shock is over, the opinion of
the Supreme Court ofthe United States
holding West Virginla's liability in
the State debt case 10 be more than
seven million dollars, with possible
allowance of interest to three times
that amount, does not appali as " did
shen first handed down. For the part
which West Virginia must pay has
not been determined.
The. amount Of the liability has been
fixed by the Supreme Court but as
Virginia did not settle with her credi-
tors on the full amount Of her liability,
so the amount which West Virginia
| must pay may become a matter of adj
ljustment with the State Of Virginia.
The Supreme Court has fixed the
liability Of the State, but the Supreme
Court cannot issue an execution. West
Virginia cannot be compelled to pay
the amount for which ii was held liza
BILE in the Supreme Courts opinion.
But West Virginia certainly viii not
want to repudiate debt found by
competent court to be owed by 1t.
Therefore the amount which the State
will pay will become matter of adj
| justment between the States, and II
may be, with the proper representa-
tions made to Virginia, thet the pay
ment of the debt may be compounded,
as it was between Virginia and her
creditors, so that much less sum
than the amount of the judgment may
be accepted.
But the people, who will have TO
make ell the payments made on ac-
count Of The debt, will not want the
same administration whose defense Of
the suit resulted in a judgment Of more
than S7,O00,o00 with possibly interest
added to the amount of more than $2l,-
900 ADDITIONAL to conduct the ne
gotiatlons for the compromise. The
present State administration has doue
about all 1t can do in the matter and
its efforts have resulted in "A judgment
that may reach nearly thirty mil,ion
dollars If there is to be any effort to
compromise the amount which the
State must pay, the people will de-
mand that II be made by a different
set of officers. And il the settlement
can be stayed till after the next cleo
ton, in Novem Der 1912, the chances
are the people will see to it that not
only different sci of officials are sell
that they are not of the same political
party as those who have conducted the
suit up to tue point where Judgment
was rendered against West Virginia.
1t may not be a party matter but the
party in power must be held RESPONSE
bic for the heavy judgment against
the State and the, compromise, in the
opinion OF many people, should be un-
dertaken by others than those who
have had charge of the case SO far.
Congressman John NJ. Hamilton, Of
the Fourth District, is in Washington,
preparing for the extra session Of Con-
gress to meet on April A, and his first
act, after he takes his seat in Congress
will be to introduce a bill which he
has already prepared providing the
Federal Government shall pay the
part of the Virginia. debt charged by
the Supreme Court to West Virginia,
on the ground that the creation Of the
State of West Virginia was war
sary to the preservation Of the Union
aud that having been done at the in
stance of the United States govern
ment aDd-for its preservation of the
United States should foot the bill.
Mr.. Hamilton has for this sugges-
ZION such eminent authority as the
late James g. Blaine, who held that
the debt should be paid by the United
States. Mr.. Fl amilton will introduce
his bill early and try to push it to
speedy consideration.
Congressman iLittlepage was in
Washington several days during the
last eek. He visited the pension Of
lice in behalf Of crippled old soldier
and two widows of soldiers, all Of
whom are in want and began his eff
fort to get pensions for them even sbe.
fore he assumed his seat in Congress.
The Department of agriculture is
sending out 10 sections where red
clover is raised warning against pur-
chasing Chilean clover seed as some
$40, 800 pounds of clover seed has been
imported from Chile which is infected
with dodder The shipments are said
TO be sufficient 10 SOW $4,000 acres of
clover and practically all Of it Will be
destroyed by the douder. The Chilean