The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-10
DEADLOCK REACHED
. IN CONTROVERSY
Virginia and West Virginia I'm
able to Reach Agreement
for Conference.
CORRESPONDENCE PUBLISHED
Mother State Insists That Moth
ing But Interest Be
Considered.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch |

lSpeciai to The Times Dispatch
Charleston. w. Va, August 9.-In-
| sisting that the United States Supreme
! Court left only the matter of interest
at issue in the debt controversy be-
tween Virginia and West Virginia. the
debt commission of the mother State
has refused To meet similar commits
sion from West Virginia unless the
discussion is restricted TO the matter
of interest involved in the debt suit
or proposition of compromise from
the daughter State.
The position taken by the two COM
missions In an effort to reach an ami
cable adjustment of the nte-bellum
debt is shown by the publication OF
the correspondence between the COM
missions, made public to-day BY Chair
man John w. Mason, of Paramount
after consultation with Governor Hat
field, who insisted that the people of
the State should be given the infor-
ma ton in detail.
Principal Disposed OF.
The commission representing the
Commonwealth of Virginia takes the
position that the finding of $1,000 900
against West Virginia by the United
States Supreme Court disposes of the
question of principal, and that the sole
matter to be considered is the qucs-
ton of interest, which the court held
open and made no effort TO adjudicatc
This view was assumed by the Nir-
COMMISSION III the INITIAL rcSO
luton adopted at "A recent meeting at
Washington, in which 1t declared
that in the conference TO he held
with the West Virginia commission.
the subject for consideration and adj
Justment. as indicated by the court in
Its decision in this case. is the amount
or interest which West Virginia should
pay upon the sum asccrtained by the
court 10 be West Virginias share Of
the principal OF said debt"
The amount of interest averred to
be due Virginia from the Daughter
state on the principal as fixed by the
Supreme Court, is in excess OF s2b.-
100000. but the Virginia authorities
viii not demand the full and legal
amount % interest. This is stated by
the Virginia commission In another
resolution. saying that. 1T Is not the
desire ~ Virginia. nor was il the in.
tention of the Supreme Court. that
Nirsinia should ask or demand he full
or legal amount of interest. ,ut that
there should be concessions made upon
both sides, such as comport with JUS
tice and the honor and dignay Of the
two States"
The reply or the West Virginia COM
MISSION &c the proposition from Nir-
GINA L. consider only the question of
interest. indicates that the Panha nil.
authorities believe the whole subject
should lie lcf' open to discussion. stat
ing THAT In ii.- Judgment tho interest,
If any, Is not the only question. as In
Dictated by the language used by the
supreme Sort in lis ooinnn. which
the ioirt commission should consider"
The cores >cndence sho.v, that the
West Virginia commission ;opost d
tho appointr1t ut OF a subcommittee Of
three mem. to meet vii a similar
subcommittee from Virginia to discuss
all the matters involved. to which the
Virginia commission agreed with tf-,
provision that the matters TO be con-
sidered Would be limited to:
First. The amount of interest which
West Virginia should pay upon the
sum ascertained by the court to be
West Virginias share of the principal
of the debt.
Second. Any proposal which West
Virginia may deem proper to submit
for the final compromise settlement Of
the proportion of the debt to be borne
by West Virginia.
West Virginia Refuses.
In answering this return proposal to
limit the subject OF controversy. the
West Virginia commission contends
that 1t is anxious to proceed with the
negotiations but cannot consent in
advance that only the question of in
tcrest should be considered or that the
West Virginia subcommittee shall be
required first to submit, proposition.
looking to n settlement.
The effort to have Joint session