The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-06
EXPLAINS POSITION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
Offer in Debt Case Does Not
Dcviate From Opinion of
Supreme Court.
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
Records Showing Many Millions
of Assets Not Taken Into
Consideration.
Especial to The Tlmes-Dispatch.1

Washington. March 5-Apparcntly
nonpluscd by the lack OF serious con-
sideratlon with which tho Virginia
dcbt commissioners yesterday treated
the offer made By the West Virginians
Of S2,321,l95.2s. az payment In fun for
tho claim made by Virginia for APP
proximately 100000 and interest for
nifty years. Chairman Mason. of the
West Virginia Commission. to-day is
sued statement regarding the nego-
tiattons. explaining the proposition, and
stating that the refusal of tho VIr-
ginians to discuss tho offer necessarily
terminated further negotiations.
Chairman Moon. OF the Virginia Com
mission, made no comment on the
statement, ignoring ii entirely. The
Virginia Commission takes the position
that the supreme Court has ordered the
payment By West Virginia OF the orig
mai DEBT. and left open for negotla-
ton only the matter of interest on
the other hand. the West Virginia
Commission contends that the courts
decision was rendered upon the Huppo.
sition tina, Virginia had 40 assets on
hand 10 Offset the debt, whereas they
have discovered records showing there
were many millions of assets.
II was made plain to- day that the
West VirEinians havo been at work
several months collecting data regard
Ing these assets. TO be presented to the
Supreme Court on April I3, with "a view
TO obtaining rcopcning OF tho en-
tire case.
Mason's Statement.
Chairman Masons statement was az
follows:
The West Virginia Commission has
not deviated from tho opinion of the
Supreme Court In arriving at the con :
clusions upon which its proposition to
Virginia. looking to a settlement of the
L in Af. al, In
There seems to be some misunder-
standing as TO the position taken by
West Virginia In relation 10 the opin-
ION Of the court. The statement has
been made that West Virginia ignored
such opinion.
"on the contrary. it has accepted the
opinion OF the court as tho basis OF set
uement, and IL presented To the vir-
gina Commission certain equities which
West Virginia believes IL IL entitled
10 Offset against the amount fixed by
the court "a It's proportion of the prin-
cipal debt, and filed with the Virginia
Commission a fun and complete list of
the items so far discovered aggregnt-
ing many millions of dollars. "a l-o
per cent OF which. in Keeping with the
supreme Court opinion. belongs TO the
state of West Virginia. The Virginia
Commission refused TO discuss any OF
these matters. and thereby necessarily
terminated negotiations.
IT seems that Virginia has no fnan-
ella! interest in the question, since by
her retundinG acts she has assigned 10
her creditors whatever claim she might
be able 10 sustain against West Viz
ginla.
Tho court, in II. decision OF March
6, 1911. in fixing the basis OF West
Nirrinia's liability, said; 1t does not
appear that there are any stocks OF
value on hand but the commission
created b. the Legislature Of West Vir-
ginia in 1913 has discovered stocks
aegreGating many millions OF dollars
in value. purchased with tho proceeds
or tho very bonds constituting the debt
in question, and II charged with % l-2
per cent OF this debt. she ought to
receive n 1-2 per cent OF the securi-
ties purchased herewith" o. H. NJ.