The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-10-19
OUR STATE DEBT OBLIG ATOMS.
BY James M. Mason, Charles Town, w. Va.

I To the Editor Of the Intelligence.
Sir-If proposing to act honest a
State may defy the court. but IL goes
without saying that West Virginia will
not get fair hearing If proposing TO
act dishonorably. The situation is as
II is because many weil-meaning. like
Blank. unwittingly aid crooks who ara
without motive except 20 get money,
and who are scheming 10 trick this
State into lsfy.ns tNt court while re-
fusing TO pay what she ought TO pay.
/ Hence this nonsense about Congress
paying for northwest territory, and
this worse than nonsense about our
not owing anything. The remedy Is
for the Board of Trade TO appoint a
committee 10 make study. and then
place the real facts before the grand
jury class in both States. and also be
fore the owners of the certificates
which Virginia issued TO identify the
persons entitled TO receive whatever
West Virginia pays. A committee OF
competent men would publish.
Fact One-West Nreinia's share o.
the principal % the debt existing jan
uary. 1861, is approximately four and a
quarter millions.
The ordinance under which West
Virginia separated said that her share
should be determined by stating the
account therein prescribed. and IL was
demonstrated thirty years ago her
share OF the principal will be fixed at
between four and four and a half mil
lions whenever said account II stated
as Il would be stated by the court II
informed OF the facts. or stated as the
writer's Of the debt ordinance intended
and expected IL to be stated Owing
TO blunders. the case was heard on n
record which prohibited even an Al.
tempt 10 make sensible statement
OF this account 10 resulted that after
stumbling about In a labyrinth Of blum
ders the court found a theory TO reach
approximately the amount which the
convention intended 10 fX on Wcst
Virginia and entered final judgm Mt
for S4.2i4.622 as our share OF the prin-
cipal
HOnest-mindod business men who
are informed az 20 the undisputed
facts step aside 90 vomit when they
hear politicians protesting 20 think
that West Virginia does not owe any
thing Two sample facts are sufficient
The Virginia act transferring 20 West
Virginia such property az she owned
within her limits said that the rro-
cecds should Do applied 20 West iir
rinias part Of the debt Tho West
Virginia act To- sell "a . property pro.
vidcd that the proceeds should ho
Kept intact. tO be applied 10 her part
of tho debt About 1855 our Senate
Finance Committee itemized this prop
orty aud put its value o. about four
and n half milliona When White was
governor We had In the treasury over
two millions which had been realized
by selling a part 81 this inherited
property We got the roads. etc
Why not pay for them
Fact Two-hs matter % honesty ne
should pay interest since Februsry.
1890. when our legislature releeted the
Whitaker memorial. to.Nlt, the ofer
BY holders % Brown Bros' reoolpts a.
accept whatever the ordinance Hoosurt
required. A. explained presently,
West Virginia was not In default en-
that time
Proposition-lt is safe 20 say that
every honest inded business man
Will. when informed % the reai facts,
suree % Issue eight million two hun.
bred ard eighty-one thousand % bonds
IN settlement. to.wlt. -. 225, 900 %
principal. plus sixteen years Interest
These bonds should he nonfsSsbis