The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-09
And the Same is Referred to
Judiciary Committee to Be
ThreShed Out There.

lIU VOlICu Suk tttViOs
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.--iRcprescnt-
alive Hunter H. Moss made signlfl-
cant the first day OF his second term
by introducing a bill which. IL It
should pass, will relieve the state OF
West Virginia from the payment Of
the Judgment entered against II by
the United States supreme court In
the so-called debt case--Virginia va.
West Virginia.
The bill Is Of dozen typewriter
lines and provides an Appropriation OF
$13.500,000. Tor SO much thereof as
may be necessary for tho purpose OF
paying a certain judgment" rendered
by the supreme court June IA. 1915.
for the sum Of $12,393.929.50 to-
gether with interest at the rate Of i've
per cent from July. 1915.
Tho bill was referred to the
House judiciary committee. and It Is
before that committee that tho case
will be threshed out thoroughly. and
the full meaning OF the brief bill Of
fered will be brought out.
In explanation Of his bill, Judge
Moss at the request Of the Telegram
dictated the following statement:
1.-THE bill for the payment by the
United States Of the judgment rem
dered by the court in favor Of the
Commonwealth Of Virginia against
the state Of West Virginia introduced
by me today, is fulflllment of a pledge
made before my reelection to Con-
gress. The features Of the bill are:
"First-Thatj IT is introduced after
n fixed definite sum has been named
by the court as constituting the
debt.
"second-It Ia a bill for tho appro.
priation OF the actual money neces-
sary to pay the debt rather than a
nero resolution expressing the senti-
ment of Congress.
"Third--1t is introduced on the
very first day possible after the
judgment was rendered.
"Fourth-Whatever may be the
opinion OF the people,lbf the state as
to the justice Of that judgment. or
whether there is any process by which
It can be enforced, there can DO no
question among thinking people that
as patriotic citizens we recognize. the
judgment OF the highest court of the
land, and that we will make an effort
to have that Judgment satisfied In
some way. The amount may be
greatly reduced by compromise, but
whatever the outcome OF this effort
to compromise may be. this bill will
be appropriate as 1t calls for the
payment Of only such money as will
satisfy the judgment Of the court.
"Flfth-The United States govern
ment. for whose benefit this penalty
has been inflicted upon West Virginia
for remaining loyal during the time
Of civil strife. should relieve our
state Of that penalty.
my argument on this proposition
will be somewhat different from that
Of others who have favored this meth
cd Of payment. Twill defer any
further comment until that argument
Is made by me before the judiciary
committee Of, the House. to which the
bill has been referred" e.
When the sixty-fourth Congress
convened Monday, there wasn't
an absentee in the West Virginia
delegation. and In the House, II In the
avalanche OF bills that descended up
on that branch, no one Of the six rep
resentatives from the state need be
ashamed Of the numerical weakness
of the budget OF bills he slid into the
hopper, no matter about the doubtful
merit Of some Of them. There
wer over two hundred bills
introduced by the delegation.
practically all OF them private
pension claims. Cooper, Of the Fifth
district, being a stranger to the con-
gressional game. was modest. very,
on his first day. being content to drop
in only one bill, and see what course
1t took. Having witnessed the modus
operandi, he has taken courage and
will dump into the hopper an arm
load OF bills which he has prepared.
Representative Sutherland dropped
In thirty odd bills. Littlepage half
dozen. the most important being the
re-introduction Of the Chiffon bill'to
allow the state West Virginia to sue
the United States for an accounting
of moneys held as q trustee for the
thirteen original states. Nicely Offer
ed over twenty-five bills: Moss six,
one to appropriate money Ia pay the
debt judgment; and. Brown, not hay-
ing all his bills eur" will have them
ready to plump into the basket soon.
He has over 100 to introduce.
Edward Cooper. Of Bramwell, and
Adam B. Littlepage, OF Charleston,
are the new members Of the delega-
ton. The former Is the only one
who has never had congressional ex-
perience. Littlepage having come
back after q two years vacation.
Mr.. Cooper was taken In tow by his
colleagues and introduced right and
left. He made a good impression and
was well received. No more interest
ed looked on from the gallery when
he was sworn in than Mrs. Cooper.
who was the center Of a party Of per-
- n Hf~n. lf~.