Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1915-04-14

for period of eighteen mouths tv
meet casual deficit in the treas
ury, point which so tar as l have
ever learned has never been ques.
toned, indicates that there has new
er been deficit in the state treas.
ury despite the fact that the audit
OF Mr.. +. A. Dover, chief account.
ant of the state, discloses the fact
that there was deficit of $3.50, 600
at the close of the fiscal year of
1918, and by holding off the expen.
ditures of appropriations for new
buildings this deficit was reduced
on June 80, 1914, to the sum of
$346,0OO Mr.. Dover's audit show
ing these facts was an official rec.
ord of the Legislature. If the con.
illusions of the attorney general are
sound, there is no reason whatever
that the auditor and treasurer should
not be disbursing money out of the
state fund today. The attorney gen.
eral as member of the board of
public works certified to the leeis.
lature some few days before the ad-
Journment OF the extraordinary SEES.
sion that it would require additional
revenue of 1000, 900 for the next
biennial period TO take care of the
demands on the state treasury. The
only act of the Legislature after the
statement of the board of public
works that would change the tinan-
clal condition of the state was the
act to relieve the state from the paw
ment of $50, 400 annually for the
maintenance of the compensation
department. Certainly a reduction
OF $50, 400 annually would not af-
feet requirement Of 81 900, 600 an
nually. If the statement of the
board of public works were true,
how can it be true now after the
legislature has failed to provide the
revenue of s2,0OO,oO0 that the
states finances were not seriously
affected? That question necessarily
answers itself.
"The compilation of figures Civ
en- In the opinion of the attorney
general to disprove any unusual con-
ditlon of the states finances, il in
substance the same a. used In an ar
ticle published in certain West Vir-
glnia newspapers over the name of
"A. III. Land, Secretary of the Coal
Operators Legislative Committee,
and III some of these newspapers
this statement was made the basis
for an anticipation of the decision
of the attorney general.
"Ihe matter published in various
newspapers contained among other
statements the assertion that have
borrowed money on a certain date
from the WOrkmen's Compensation
fund and the General School fund.
The same statement was repeated
almost word for word in the opiuion
OF the attorney general In regard TO
borrowing money. The attorney
general ss a member Of the board Of
public works must know that | have
at all times refused to borrow mon.
ey for the use of the state. The
| official records of the board of pub.
nc works, as given in the following
communication from Mr.. Stuart f.
Reed, secretary of the board Of
public works, shows the untruth of
the statement that had borrowed
money at any time:
" Charleston, April 8, 1915.
My dear Sir:-ReplyiDg to your
inquiry, received today, relative TO
, the records of my office on the mat.
ter of loan negotiated by you as
governor, | have the honor to reply
that neither the Executive Journal
or the minutes Of the board of pub
lie works contain any record Of
money being borrowed by you in
your official capacity as governor of
West Virginia since you assumed
the duties Of the Office of chief ex.
ecutive OF the state.
Very truly yours,
(Signcd) STUABT f. REED.
To His ExcelIency,
Governor Henry d. Hatfield,
Capitol Building.
'If the same caution has been ex-