Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-09-24
INDICATIONS THAT THE FEEDER
AL GOVERNMENT WILL
AGREE TO PAY STATES
PORTION.
WEST VIRGINIA MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS HAVE THE MAT
TER WELL IN HAND.
REPRESENTATIVES WITH
so MUCH AT STAKE.

virginia imam JndI Oh the virginia
debt, and for the first time in the
history of the State the representa-
tives of West Virginia have taken up
in Congress the matter of It's pay
ment with view to providing for its
settlement in some manner other
than by direct payment by the
State of West Virginia.
Senator William e. Chiffon intro
duced a bill in the Senate giving
jurisdiction to the Court of Claims to
adjudicate any suit, which may be
brought against the United States oy
any State interested, to enforce a
claim for its portion of the proceeds
of the old Northwest Territory
All the territory northwest of the
Ohio river which once belonged to
the State of Virginia was transferred
by Virginia to the United States I'M
der a provision that the proceeds of
all sales of land from this grant
should be paid over to the States then
in the Union for their Individual use
and not for the use of the United
States as a nation. The proceeds of
these sales, amounting to many mil
lion dollars, have never been distri-
States and Senator Chiffon believes
these states have right to sue the
Government for their proportion of
the proceeds of the sale of this land
He contemplates in his bill that
West Virginia, as a portional of the
original State of Virginia, shall have
right to sue for its share of this
money, and in his speech upon his
bill he explains that any money re-
ceived by West Virginia would be an
Offset against this States part of the
Virginia debt Senator Chiffon made
a speech in the Senate in support of
his bill and expects to be heard on it
by the Senate committee on the Judic-
larry at the coming session of Con-
gress.
Federal Government Obligated.
In addition to this bill of Senator
Chilton's, Congressman John M.
Hamilton, of the Fourth West Vir-
GINA District, introduced a resolution
in the House of Representatives pro-
viding that the United States govern
ment having been responsible for the
creation of West Virginia as a war
measure, should pay any part of the
debt of the old State of Virginia for
which West Virginia may be found
liable. Mr. Hamilton made a speech
before the House Judiciary Committee
in support of his resolution and every
Democratic member of the House of
Representatives from West Virginia
has taken an active part in assisting
Mr.. Hamilton with his resolution.
The resolution was referred, as is
~ fnr, apxv viii +
Importance, to a subcommittee and
letter which amounts in effect al
most to a favorable report on the
measure has been addressed to Con-
gressmen Davis, Brown, Littlepage
and Hamilton, the four Democratic
members of the House from West
Virginia. In this letter the sub-com-
mittee explains that until the total
amount for which West Virginia may
be held liable is ascertained 1t would
not feel justified in reporting in favor
of the assumption of the debt by the
Federal Government. The language
OF the letter, however, is such that
the position of the subcommittee is
seen to be clearly in favor of the
resolution.
Folly to Change Men Now.
The four Democratic Congressman
from West Virginia-Mr. Hamilton,
who introduced the resolution, and
Messrs. Davis, Brown and Littlepage.
who assisted him in bringing it to the
attention of the subcommittee with
such success-are in a position to
push the measure along to its adop-
ton by the next Congress, if they are
reelected. The next House of Repre-
sentatives is certain to be Demo-
cratic, and if reelected the West Vir-
ginia Congressman will have a good
deal of influence in its deliberations.
But if Republican Congressman should
be sent from West Virginia to a House
OF Representative with a Democratic
majority, they would have about as
much chance of getting the debt reso-
tuition through Congress as they would
nave OF passing it through the Brit
ish Parliament.
West Virginia will have to Lay GER
tainly as much as 100000 of the
Virginia debt. That much has already
been determined. 1t may have to pay
2S,0O0,0O0. If the people of the State
want the Federal Government to as
sumo and pay this debt, they will re-
turn 10 Congress the men who have
introduced and pushed along the
Hamilton resolution to the point where
it is about ready TO be reported fay-
orably They have taken care of the
measure and looked after the Peoples
interests. They have the matter wei
in hand, with a written comlnunica-
ton from the subcommittee which
has the resolution under consideration
practically to the effect that it will
recommend the adoption of the reso-
luton when the full amount of the
debt is aseertained. The matter is in
good shape, with such excellent pros
poets that these men will succeed in
getting the Federal Government to
assume West Virginia's part of the
State debt that it would seem like
folly to send some one else TO Con
gress in place of any one of the men
who have pushed this measure along
to the position where success is as.
sured if the case is properly managed
in the future. The men now repre-
senting the first four districts of the
State in Congress have done so well
with the matter it would seem that