Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-01-25
THE DEBTOF A STATE:
Virginia Asks West Virginia
for Part on Old Debt.
WEIGH1Y QUESTION OF LAW
United States Supreme Court has
Problem to soIve-Accounts Dated
From 1s2s-rrlbunai Will Give
Plenty % Time.
washineton.-The staggering arith-

Washinlton.-The staggering arith-
metic problem, complicated by ques-
tions of international law, OF how
much of the $33,OOo.OO0 debt of the
old State of Virginia, West Virginia
should bear, was laid before the Su-
preme Court of the United States for
its solution.
Recognizing the intracacy of the
problem and the Importance of the
outcome. the court consented to de,
vote practically all its time for severa,
days to a hearing of arguments
in the case. This is more time thar
has been given to any case argued
before the Supreme Court of the
United States within many years.
The debt of Virginia at the time
West Virginia was organized is recog.
nized as about s33,OOO,OOO. Many
more millions have been added to
that sum as interest. The Common.
wealth of Virginia seeks to have West
Virginia bear about one-third of the
debt. West Virginia denies her liza.
bility for one cent. To settle the con.
troversy, it may be necessary for the.
Supreme Court to review the expen.
ditures and receipts of the State of
Virginia since 1925 and figure out
from that examination the liabilities.
The bitterness of the contest which
has been manifest for years, was re-
1ected by the earnestness of Holmes
Conrad of Virginia in opening the
argument. He was the spokesman
for holders OF s15,0OO,OOO worth of
certificates, representing part of
the debt. In the present litigation,
the certifcate-holders are urging that
West Virginia be required to pay the
debt represented by the certificates.
MIR. Conrad only had time to lay
before the court part of the founda.
ton for the contest. He took the
court back to. the days of 1926, when
Virginia inaugurated a system of con.
structing roads, canals and railways,
extending from the Atlantic to the
Ohio river. That he said was the
time of the origin of the public debt
of Virginia as it existed in 1861. The
public improvements were begun
largely if not entirely for the de-
velopment of the coal and oil and
minerals and gas that today makes
the State of West Virginia the wealth
lest State in the Union" Mr.. Conrad
told the court.
Because of the origin of the debt
if for no other reason, he argued that
West Virginia was under a.'recogniz-t
liability" to pay her equitable
are of it. ~
fr.Conrad told Of Nirgjnia's strQgss
to bear the debt, to induce West;
inia to assume its share, and H.
to find relief from the burden by
ing new bonds for two-thirds Of
debt and giving certificates to the
-bondholders for the other third.
This was done with the understand
ing, Mr.. Conrad said, that the State
of Virginia would be liable for the
remaining third, if West Virginia did
not pay it. He acknowledged that
virginia's' liability for the remaining
third was disputed. and also Virginia's
right to sue West Virginia for the
third. He claimed that Virginia had
a right to sue as trustee"
Just before court adjourned he
said two plans would be advanced
for the settlement of the account. One
he designated as the international
law plan" and the other the Wheel
ing ordinance plan" He approved
the former.