Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-04-29
CONTEST OVER
INTEREST RACES
~ l.r
Virginia Asks That Anti
War Debt be Settled by
West Virginia
IN COURT FIFTY YEARS


"
Washington, April 29--Whether OF
not West Virginia shall pay interest
on her part of the old Virginia state
the oral arguments submitted to the
Supreme Court Of the United States
by aud the bond-holders in the debt
controvency from $3.50 900 to SD,
100000, according to the size OF the
principal-in each instance the in
tcrest is larger than the principal
West Virginia resisted a judg-
ment for interest on the ground that
the amount of principal has never been
definitely settled and no interest
charges are proper until the princi-
pal is fixed. Virginia on the othel
hand, contended that interest for a
half century is part Of the debt and
that West Virginia is morally bound
to pay it. The Old Dominion further
contended that when West Virginia
wrote into her state constitution q
provision that it will assume an
Equitable" proportion Of the Viz
ginia state debt, that provision not
only committed her to the paymen,
of the principal but also Of the in
terest whenever the principal was
fixed.
Three of the eight attorneys re-
tanned in the case spoke yesterday
Sanborn Robinson, for the bondhol-
ders; Judge Randolph Harrison, for
Virginia. and Acknowledgement A.
A. Lilly for West Virginia. Judge
John II. Holt will conclude for West
Virginia today and former Attorney
General William A. Anderson will
bring the argument to close for
Virginia in the afternoon. ::
One Of the features Of yesterdays
argument was the plea Of Judge
Harrison for the Supreme. Court to
enter: a decree which will settle; the
debt controversy for all time to come
He declared the debt; case has been 4
bona of contention between the two
commemorative for a half century
and speaking for Virginia he SAID
that State wanted it settled.
Attorney-Gener Lilly made a
strong argument for West Virginia
in closing he exhibited a map show
isg that the money raised from the
sale of the oldbonds was invested in
Internal improvements in what is now
Virginia. Members of the Court ask
ed; for copies Of this map. Attorney
General Lilly said:
"This map shows where this money
was spent. 1T was spent in the. old
section :.of: the state. Only small
portion went to that section of the
state which is now West Virginia.
Tn view of this shall this Court hold
that West Virginia shall: assume re-
sponsibility for part Of this debt
and compel her to pay interest on il
also?
"There never was a time when West
Virginia standing alone, could have
asccrtained!: her suitable proportion
Of the Virginia debt, and had she hat
the money to ply it she could no
have accomplished it for: the reason
that she did not know; how: much
was II was not one-thlrd or one-hal
or one-fifth of the Virginia bonds
hut it was an equitable proportion
thereof. which means nothing unit n.
the equities have been examined an
the account made definite.
Virginia fixed one-third Of: the Oh Oh
State debt, amounting to sle,ooo'oo
as West Virginia's share 'and refuse
to treat for a settlement on any othe
basis. This meant that all negotla
tions were closed through the arb'
trary conduct of Virginia until thl
suit was instituted. Under such eli
cumstances, why should West Fir
rinia be compelled to pay interest
She did not promise to do; she wa
not in default and interest should NJ
he collected from her as damages al
by way of punishment.
Judge Harrison in his argumen