Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-12-14

nor's preliminary statement IN regard
TO his call for the extra session that
the Virginia debt question IL to re-
ccive consideration IN the extra SEES
sion, The special session Of the last
legislature was called hy the Cover
nor after the Supreme Court of the
United States had requested Virginia
and West Virginia to agree, If posi-.
BILE. upon the question of the interest
on the amount for which West Virgin
Ia has been held liable, but this con
sideration OF this matter was not IN
cluded In the Governors call and tho
matter rir not come up during the
extra session,
If the extra session which will met
on January 2 should net be asked by
the Governor In his call to consider
the Virginia debt question II might
he that the Supreme Court Of the
United States Would feel that It's re-.
quest of the two States to agree upon
the question OF interest was being
ignored by West Virginia In view Of
the fact that the Governor omitted
the consideration of this matter In
the calls for his two extra session.
and that the Supreme Court might
proceed as II has said II would do If
the two States failed to agree. and
fix the interests charges itself. An
amount approximately twenty-one mil
lion dollars Is involved In this qnes.
ton of interest and II would seem to
4 ,.nat. sxaeetA that a Naaff4t fnx41ixfnp
This sum would be OF vastly more iin-'
portauoe TO the people of the State
than q question OF whether the coun-
try officers shall receive salaries or
fees for their services. Should the
Governor call two special sessions OF
the legislature after the order Of the
Supreme Court had been entered Fe-
Questing action by West Virginia IN
the matter of interest on the debt, and
ignore the Virginia debt question en-
tirely ia his calls for both sessions.
the Supreme Court might be iusti-
fed In assuming that its request that
the two States should upon the inter-
est matter was being ignored By West
Virginia and proceed to fix the
amount of interest without consult.
ing West Virginia again.
Important Matter Overlooked.
With such an important matter as
the question of twenty-one million
dollars Of interest omitted from his
call and with the comparatively tri9-
ial matter of u question as between
salaries and fees given rs the excuEe
for the special session one Is tempt
ed TO look further for the real rea-
son for calling Il. The calling of d
legislature 10 meet In special Sc ssion
before 1t has met IN regular session
Is unprecedented IN West Virginia
and many questions might arise as
to whether the organization OF the
regular session must be the same as
that of the special session; when the
would come and other matters OF sim
ilar character.
The S~enatorship.
Apparently there Is doubt in the
mind of the Governor as to whether
the senatorship can be determined IN
the forty-five days OF the regular ses-
sion and he is ~endeavoring TO add
more time to the session possible date
aud threatening to call another spe-
cial session at the end OF the regul
lar session In order that 1t may be
heightened at both ends, 80 as 20 give
ample time for the warning factions
Of the Republican party to be forced
together In some sort OF agreement as
to the s%enatorship. Where the Gov
ernor stands In the matter Is subject
to much g~uesswork. He owed his APP
pointment as Internal Revenue Col
lector and later his election as Gov
ernor to the late stephen d. Elkins,
whose son, Davis, Is o one of the
leading candidates for the senatorship
to succeed Senator G. w Watson.
Whether he regards his debt to the
late Senator Elkins paid by his ap-
pointment of Davis Elkins TO be Sen
ator for twenty-thrce days Is not
known. But in the view of many peo.
pie the Governor is still under obi.
cations to the Elkins family for all
that has ever been done TO advance
him beyond the position of a country
lawyer In Monongalia county.
His Political Changes.
On the other hand Governor Glass
cock has been SO closely identified In
the political changes Of the last year
with former Governor Dawson and
Col. William Seymour Edwards that
one would hesitate to think that he
could oppose either OF these friends
for the Senate. In whose interest the
calling OF the extra session was in-
tended does not seem to have been
made public as yet and both sides are
watching developments with interest
to see what bearing the special SEES
sion will h aveupon the outcome.
Candidates Busy.