The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-11-13
the United States Su.
preme Court Has Ordered
Settled Next Year.

| SOlIlCd INCAl Cdla
WASHINGTON, November 1s.-It
ibeg ms to look as though West Vir.
GINA might as well get ready to pay
to the Wall Street SPECTATORS to
whom the state OF West Virginia has
leaned Its name the seven million
dollars which the United States SUI
preme Court has found that II owes,
as well as interest on that amount
for more than fifty, years, aggregat-
ling about $21, 900 900, and making a
total amount S2S 900, 900. The Su-
lpreme Court of the United States hav-
ing asked the States of Virginia and
West Virginia to try, to get together
on the question of the interest which
should foe paid on the principal al
ready found TO be due, seems unwill-
ing toFact hastilS on the matter OF
interest and Notwithstanding the
assertions OF Virginia that the two
States have been unable 10 agree as
to that point the Court has deferred
action in the matter till April IL
next, for which date the final hear
ing of the case has been set. The
case 8 set for the head of The docket
on that day, so that it will come up
at that time, without delay, in order,
as explained by Ch!es Justice White,
that Anal opinion in the case may
be rendered in the matter before the
end of the regular term of the SUI
preme court in June Of next year.
When the case was referred TO
Charles p. Littlefeld, special master,
some years ago, he made report
showing different methods which
might adopted for ascertaining West
Virgnia's just part of the old States
debt, and showing what tho West
V.rg mia portion of the debt would
be under each of the methods. The
Supreme Court, some Two years ago,
determined ami announced the me-
thod it Thought should be adopted
and rendered that decision that. the
principal due b. West Virginia in the
debt case wes a little in excess O.
seven million dollars. 1t expressed
,fe hope that the two States os Viz
g.nia and West Vii sinia would agree
amicably as to the amount OF inter-
est which should be paid on this in.
debtedness of fifty years ago. The
Wet Virginia legislature, at its last
session, provided for a commission
to treat with Virginia and the menu
pers We're appointed by the Cover
nor. Whether that commission has
done all II could have done in the
matter is q question for which the
answer does not seem to be unanl-
nous.
The Supreme Court CT the United
States has decided the amount OF the
interest on that debt open for adiuss.
ment. stating that it hoped the Stat
es would agree on the matter Of In
terest but that II they could not do
so 1t would fix tho amount OF in
terest to be paid. Although the
meetings Of the West Virginia debt
commission have been held in secret
and members1 have been pledged 10
secrecy as to what transpired In the
meetings, it his been learned thai
the Virginia and West Virginia COM
mission insisted on doing what the
whatever because the Virginia COM
mission insisted on dining what the
Supreme Court had requested, which
was to agree on the amount of in
terest West Virginia should pay on
tits debt, the amount OF which debt
had already been ascertained by the
Court. The West Virginia commits
son seemed determined to open up
cga'nst the whole question of the in
debtness and to try to get Virginia
10 agree to a smaller amount than
the Supreme Court has alreaGy fixed
as its part OF the old debt. Virgin
ms commission held that the only
question before the joint commission
was that of the interest. which the
Supreme Court had asked the two
States to agree upon II possible.
The statement was gwen out, after I