Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-03-06
WEST VIRGINIA
EXPLAINS STAND
Offer in Debt Case Does Not
Deviate From Opinion
Of Court.
MASON'S STATEMENT.
Members of Virginia Commission moi
Worried by New Turn The Pro-
ceedings Have Taken.

Washington, March G.-Apparent-
ly nonplused by the lack of serious
consideration with which the Vir-
ginia debt commissioners treated the
GiFer made by the West Virginians
Of Sc, 27.195.2S, as payment in full
fer The claim made by Virginia for
approximately $7,00O,000 and in
tereSt for fifty years, Chairman Ma
SON, of the West Virginia Commits
sion, has issued a statement regard
ing the negotiations, explaining the
proposition, and stating that the
refusal of the Virginians to discuss
the offer necessarily terminated fur
theg negotiations.
Chairman Moon, Of the Virginia
Commission, made no comment on
the statement, ignoring it entirely.
The Virginia Commission takes the
?,'Sition that the Supreme Court has
ordered the payment by West Vir-
ginia of the original debt, and left
open for negotiation only the matter
of interest. On the other hand, the
West Virginia Commission contends
that the courts decision was rend-
ared upon the supposition that Vir-
g;nia had no assets on hand to off
set the debt, whereas they have dis
covered records showing there were
r.any millions Of assets.
1t was made plain that the West
Vir-irians have been ~ work ser-
.ral rAcnths collecting data regard
ing these assets. to be presented to
the Supreme Court on April l3,
Xith view to obtaining a reopen
.ng Of the entire case.
Chairman Mason's statement was
Is follows:
"The West Virginia Commission
Vas not deviatad from the opinion
cf the Supreme Court in arriving at
he conclusions upon which its prop
osition to Virginia, looking to a set
dement, of the Virginia debt con-
troversy, is based. There seems to
he some misunderstanding as tc
the position taken by West Virginia
in relation to the opinion of the
court The statement has been made
that West Virginia ignored such
opinion.
"On the cont,arJ. it has accepted
the opinion of the court as the basis
ce settlement, and it presented to
the Virginia Commission certain
equities which West Virginia be-
lieves it is entitled to Offset against
the amount fixed by the court as
is proportion Of ;he principal deof,
and filed with the Virginia Commits
sion a full and complete list Of the
items so far discovered aggregatine
many millions of dollars, %: IL pei
cent of which, in keeping with the
SUPREME Court opinion, belongs tc
the State of West Virginia. The
Virginia Commission refused tc
discuss any of these matters anc
A. oreh,. no .assaril> terminated ne
eotiations.
1T seems that Virginia has nc
financial interest in the question
since bs her refundine acts she ha'
assigned to her creditors what eve'
claim she might be able to sustain
against West Virginia.
The court in its decision o
Marcn 6. 1911, in fixing the basis o
West virginia's liability. said: 81
Goes rot appear that there are an.
| Stock: of, value on. hand; but tn
e2nen.-:ion created by the Legisla
tute Of West Virginia in 1913 ha
discovered stocks aggregating man,
nilIioHs of dollars in value, pur
! chased with the proceeds of tn
very, bonds constituting the deb
in question, and if charged with ?
1-2 rer cent of this debt, she ough
10 receive % - per cent. of tn
securities purchased herewith
I.ichT.ond, March 6.-Members Q
TIE Virginia Debt Commission, wh
have roturned from the conferenc
n Washington on Wednesday wit
!; he West Virginia Commission, ar
ro'. ,':sldsed to seriously consido