The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-07-09
designed to prejudice the case unfav.
orably to West Virginia
The Iudopoept Pardorod

oraDly TO west Virginia
The Judgment Rendered.
How the ears appear above the lion
Skin In this statement, The prelim.
mary opinion of the Supreme Court
In the Debt case, Whereby It was as.
certained that West Vireinia's share
of the debt was more than seven mil
lions OF dollars, exclusive OF interest,
was pronounced on the 9th day OF
March, 1911, and entered in the FEC
ords of the Court, and copies thereof
In circulation in this state, and pub
lshed in every newspaper thereof.
many weeks before / became a quail
fed member of Congress, and nearly
two months before | introduced the
resolution referred to. And to say
that that resolution was designed to
prejudice the case unfavorably to
West Virginia, is not only absolutely
false, but is as we'll stupid in the
extreme, and shows an ignorance
entirely inexcusable I'm the editor of
newspaper which should have for
its object the truthful instruction o.
the people upon current questions to
say that l designedly did this with
the purpose attributed is bad enough,
but TO endeavor to mislead his read
ers. who furnish the support for his
affects me is mere political clap
trap" l thank him for the word.
But to attempt to deceive his readers
sinks below "clap-trap" and partakes
largely, if not wholly, of the nature of
willful falSehood. A man who will do
this is unworthy of the high calling Of
journalism and should enter into some
other business.
This man can search every state
ment made by me in print, or out of
print, relative to this question and he
can find no syllable that have uttered
showing an admission that West Vir-
ginia justly owed dollar of this d bit:
and how foolish it is to assert that
anything done by me after the highest
Court had passed upon the question
could have the slightest effect upon
the matter. | presume that this is
the first time it has been claimed, as a
legal proposition, that the denial of
the debt is solemn recognition of its
obligation. 1t was claimed by this
same paper in 1912 that had treated
the finding of the Supreme Court as a
nnal judgment. / have never at any
time called its finding a judgment or
referred TO it as such, but | can say
now that in the most recent opinion
handed down in the case+less thGl
three weekC ago-the Court calls il q
decree, which is broadly speaking
about the same thing as a judL
and much stronger language than that
used in my resolution wherein it 5
referred TO as preliminary opinion
Where It Was Made.
The writer says that ny speech
was not made in Congress, but before
committee. The resolution hal
teen referred by the Speaker under
the Rules to the Committee on IL 2
judiciary to lie reported upon as -
certain presidents OF the Government
which were therein set forth, and J..
was before that committee for Coz.
sideration as to such preeCdents ans
the speech was delivered before that
committee. Where else should
have made it-cortainiy not from tie
house tops or even from the hcor G.
Congress at time whoa nothis.
relative thereto was before the House
for consider alton. The House he'd
the committee and you shall have a
patient hearing" / went before the
committee and obtained the hearing
The arti~ie further says was
making cheap political capital out Of
a nOn-political subject. What do
you think, my friends, OF this seii
constituted reformer who now for Do
litical purposes merely, is trying. &,
deceive his readers with intent TO il,
huence them against a man who g.
least was endeavoring to discharGa n
duties?
He says that my Democratic COZ
leagues on the subcommittee before
what he calls the unauthorized au.
illegitmate" resolution was penliuo
reported it unfayorably and BRANDED
1t in their report as ill-adviseG
premature, and that my own part,
repudiated it, This statement
without the shadow of foundation an.
is misrepresentation made iron
whole cloth. The subcommittee {,
which the resolution was re.crrc
made no formal report to the fu'
committee, but they did give TO th
West Virginia delegation i'm COnere.
statement in writing signed by tnsc
Of the seven and concurred i'm b. tht
fourth. in which writing 1t wai SCI:
forth in effect that tho basic f1inGg
ton for the relief asked. as set forth
IN that resolution and i'm nv lreu.
ment thereon, was good; that West
Virginia was created aud I've con.
sent of Congress and President Lin.
NDii W ITO tiCdlioU granted GFCG use
Of military eXigencies and as u patr
or certain war measures adopted Ny
the Government and by the President
as set forth by Mr. Blaine: and
further, that the presidents refcrrtC
60 by me were very strong upon the
consideration of the matter and ttat
Che resolution came very close to. lf
not entirely within the scope OF su %
precedonts, but as the debt was uuds.
termined in amount. they would deer
&c until the true amount was town
] then believed. and / stiH believe.
that III the amount OF that debt had
then been known the subcommittee
would have made report recon.
mending the passage OF the reso-
luton. and / still believe that when
the amount is fully settled that the
Government will assume and pay IT,
it cannot do otherwise and maintain,
its presidents i'm former times upon
similar and far less meritorious mat
ters. When this committee stated
that the foundation OF the resolution
was good and that the precedents coy
cred it, 10 gave us great hope that
this Government win do as well h.
this state and by Virginia as 1t has
heretofore done by other states and
even foreign countries This As not
"a D.. 81.