Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-05-06

the solemn 1dcL IHdL the TAX phye i6 va
OF this State must scoa decide wheth-
err or not they will take the chances
OF reputation, or deal with this ques-
ton as 1t is rather than vainly hop
ing that something may turn UP to
relieve the State CT this burden.
For my own part. so long as | hold
the commission of the people of West
Virginia, / intend TO deal as frankly
with them as | would with a client.
| connot serve them faithfully unless
! deal with all public questions frank
ly and openly, and this debt question
shall be no exception.
| have always felt that somewhere,
or somehow, the situation has been
badly managed, but the Supreme
Court has taken jurisdiction, t has
rendered its opinion, and 1t being the
court of last resort. and Court pro-
vided for by the Constitution of the
United States. it would seem to me
that we are at that stage OF the con
test for our rights which compels us
to recognize that the inevitable is
here and we must settle the debt or
repudate it.
have heard that it has been sug-
gested in some quarters that this
State should go ahead and fight the
claim for interest, and then repudiate
the debt This suggestion has not
been made public, but it has been dis
cussed, and l feel that in any thing
which | might say on the subject
would be lacking in the obligation
which | owe to my people if | fail I'd
to lay before them in absolute frank
ness what, in my judgment, repudia-
ton would mean.
West Virginia is the child of great
struggle between the States of this
Union, one side claiming that any
State had the right to withdraw from
the Federal compact the other claim
ing that their redress for wrongs must
be worked out in the elective fran
chise within the Union. The settle
ment OF the question caused hundreds
Of thousands of lives to be lost. cost
billions OF property, and four years
OF toll and strife and heart-breaks the
Ike CT which the world had never
seen before. II separated father from
children. and brother from brother. 1t
paralized business and arrested the
growth OF a great section OF this coun-
try fer thirty years. During that con-
flict West Virginia was formed, and
was taken into the Union largely to
cripple the South. and she furnished
over thirty thousand soldiers to the
Union in addition to those she had al
ready furnished TO the Southern
cause.
The power and the duty. if not in
deed the imperative obligation OF the
National Government to help West Vir
ginia at the proper time has nothing
to do with the duty OF West Virginia
in this hour except that it may be
we'll for our people to consider wheth-
err or not the National Government
that would repudiate a debt or that
would refuse to recognize the binding
effect of a decision OF the Supreme
Court.
When the proper time comes the
men who now represent West Virginia
in the National Congress will use
every particle OF energy and influence
at thier command to convince the Con
gress that what the National Govern
ment did in the hour OF peril, and
what West Virginia did in 1863
should not be forgotten in 1911. No
claim against the National Govern
ment could rest upon sounder prin-
ciples OF equity and good conscience;
indeed upon stronger grounds OF value
received, than does the claim, OF Wesl
Virginia that the National Government
should help to pay this debt; but be
fore that matter can be presented
and dealt with intelligently the deb;
must be ascertained and West Wiz
ginia's attitude must be fixed
Reputation of this debt would
mean to bring this state face to face
with the proposition whether or not
there is power in the Federal Courts
and in the Feredal Congress TO en-
force the DEGREES OF the Supreme
Court OF the United States Indeed. II
mas been suggested whether or not q
State which refuses to be bound by a
decision CT the Supreme Court OF the
United States is in open rebellion
against the authority of the United
States. The attitude, or danger, not
to say humiliation consequent upon
assuming that position would certain
ly appeal to the good people OF this
State, all OF whom are loyal to this
country and to its flag, and believe in
constitutional government. There il
but one Constitution OF the United