Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-08-30

be held IN the State on November 80.
phe eyes of the nation are turned up
on West Virginia Upon the action of
that state may depend the character
Of the legislation enacted for the next
four years. The election Of Demo
cratic President and a Democratic
house of Representatives in Novem
Der seems assured And if West Vir-
GINA does its part and elects a Demo
crat to the Senate in January there is
every reason to believe that the Sen
ate also will be Democratic and the
party of the people viii in position
for the first time for many years to en-
act legislation which will be of benefit
to the people generally 1t is up to
West Virginia to bring about a Demo
cratic majority in The Senate CT the
nation and all that is necessary to do
so IS to elect a majority of the mem
bers of the Legislature. The senator
ial primary election to be held after
the genral election will determine who
that Senator shall be-
Another reason for the election of
Democratic legislature, which affects
even more directly the people of West
Virginia, is the question of what shall
1e lone in regard to the payment of
the Virginia debt In the course OF
the last 16 years, during which time
the Republicans have been in continu-
Gus control of the State administra-
ton and the legislature, the old Vir.
GINA debt question. which was at one
time regarded as more or less OF &
myth, has now become a reality and
the state is faced with the necessity
OF providing for a payment of an
amount which may reach $2S, 900, 600
The Supreme Court of the United
States has already determined and an
nounced that West Virginia is liable
for at least $1,000, 900 of the old state
debt. The question OF interest on this
amount was left by the court for
friendly settlement between the two
states. Many months elapsed, without
any action on the part of either state
in regard to the interest and the Vir-
oiiAAtt eAuNiOi dBplitu W ltlt gu
preme court asking that the amount OF
interest to be paid should be fixed by
the court. The court held that mas
much as Gov. Glasseock had failed tC
specify the Virginia debt matter as
one of the subjects for consideration
at the special session of the legisla
ture, no real opportunity had been af
torded the two states to get together
and adjust the question of interest
The intimation was however made
that unless the coming session of the
West Virginia legislature should take
the matter up and take steps looking
to a conference with Virginia the
Court might then fix the amount of in.
terest to be paid. This means that the
sion of the West Virginia leg
islature must make some provision re-
garding the settlement of the inter
est question and the payment of the
debt which may run from $7,OO0,0OC
to S2S,000,000. The finding of the Su
preme Court of the United States in
the debt case was announced after the
case had been defended by Attorney
General w G, Conley. who is now run
ming on the Republican ticket for Con
FRESHMAN for the second district Mr.
Conley was assisted in his defense bv
w. M. o. Dawson, special attorney for
the State at a salary of $4,000 a year
who is now the Bull Moose candidate
fro United States Senator The re
suit of their defense is a judgement
against the State for a sum as yet UNI
determined but amounting to some
thing between $70000OO and $4,000,
900. If the combined forces of the Re
publican and Bull Moose party can
force debt of possibly $2S 900 900 up
on the State while engaged in the de
Tense of suit it is difficult TO tell
what combined Republican and Bull
Moose Legislature might do If allowed
to settle the question of interest on
the debt case as managed for its pay
ment, The history of the Virginia debt
case as managed by the West Virginia
authorities has ben such that it would
seem to every tax payer that at this
critical time with such an immense
debt facing the State the matter
should be placed in different hands
from those which have been in charge
of the case. This is another urgent
reason for the election of a Democra
tic legislature IN November.
There are many state laws which
seem imperative which no Republican
Legislature will ever enact and in ord
er that some of these may be placed
upon the statute books it seems nee
essary that a Democratic Legislature
should be elected. There is one law,
for example, the necessity for which
IS emphasized by the present condi-
lions and which a Republican legisla-
ture or a Bull Moose legislature could
not be expected to pass. This is a
law which would prevent a state Off,
cial, the head Of a non partisan board.
drawing $4,000 a year from the state
upon condition that his entire time