The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-18
MILITIA HEAD
APPROVES VETO
EX-GOVERNOR
Adjt. Gen. Bond Says Hat.
fields Duty Was To Cut
Appropriations.
PLAGESBLAMEONS
DECLARES OATH OF OFFICE AND
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE DE.
MANDEolvETo.

Governor W. D. Hatfield did his
duty In vetoing the militia appropria.
tion and other appropriation items.
Had ! been in his place. and knowing
as do the great fight that has been
made for and against the rights Of
the people, and with due regard for
the oath OF office taken would have
done the same thing"
Such Is the gist Of a statement
Adtutant General John Bond made
yesterday in Charleston. although he
may lose his position, with the salary
attached to II, as a result OF the gov.
errors veto. Mr.. Bonds statement
follows:
Owing to the fact that the legis.
lature at both the regular and extra.
ordinary sessions failed 10 adopt the
revenue measures. there are no funds
available for the support, Of the militia
after June 30, 1915, and, In my opin.
ion, the West Virginia National Guard
will have to be dsbauded prior to
that date.
1.-THE legislature, because OF the
stand taken by certain members,
whose identity Is known throughout
the state and will be better known
as time goes on, failed in its duty, no
revenue measures were adopted anu
no appropriations were restored. As
a result, the end Of tho West Virginia
National Guard, for the time being, at
lnaEt SaaTNo mt " Afnfunf
"The only criticism have to make
of Governor Hatfield's action in veto.
ing tho various items, including the
militia appropriations, is that he did
his duty. Had I been in his place,
and knowing as do the great fight
that has been on here for aud against
the rights Of the people, and with due
regard for the oath OF Office taken, !
would have done the same thing.
1.-THE constitution OF the state makes
1t the duty OF the legislature to raise
revenue sufficient to meet any deficit
in the treasury and TO meet the ex.
penses OF the state government.
AT the regular session the legis.
lature not only failed TO meet the
existing deficiency. but made current
appropriations In excess OF tho rev.
enues. Thereupon, It was the sworn
duty Of Governor Hatfield to prune
these appropriations wherever posi-.
BILE, and he performed his full duty
when he convoked the legislature in
extraordinary session to consider
these important matters. Whatever
responsibility that might have de.
volved upon the governor was thereby
transferred to the legislature.
IN this connection 1t Is not out Of
place to call attention to the struggle
which has been on at the seat OF
government for the past two months.
Every since the legislature met IN
regular session in January there has
been maintained at Charleston the
strongest corporate interest lobby In
the history Of the state.
"The coal, gas, oil, railway and
other interests combined to block any
and oil legislation affecting any one Of
them. Their work, as matter Of
course, was effective in many in.
stances, whether legal or otherwise.
| make no charge OF bribery and cor.
ruption, as I know Of no particular
case. But this combined lobby op.
posed every form Of indirect taxation
and bitterly and openly fought even
to the floor of the senate. every meas
ure which purported to place a special
tax Of any kind on any corporate IN.
terest.
Associated with this powerful lobby
was a coterie OF disappointed Office.
seekers. who had been refused pre-
ferment at the hands OF Governor Hat
field, and were, as a result, opposed
to any measure the governor might
advocate In his fight in behalf Of the
people of the state.
Appropriations for the various
state departments were even opposeu
by these lobbyists who offered rea.
sonable argument along the line that
there was deficit in the state treas.
ury. that there may be a large sum
to pay on account OF the Virginia
debt suit, and that, therefore, the
strfctest economy should prevail.
The object was to hold appropria.
tons to minimum, even at the ex.
pense Of gripping state departments
and institutions, so that there would
be less need OF additional revenue,
and thereby less need Of placing any
special tax on those corporations
which have for years been reaping the
states resources, and for which she
has received little, er nothing, in re.
turn.
Take, for example, my own depart
ment. In his biennial message to the
legislature Governor Hatfield called
attention to the large amount paid out
annually by this department for
armory rents and gave figures to show
that II would be a good business propo.
sition for tho state to construct and
own the armorie occupied by the
various military anizations.
"As a step in is direction the
finance committee was asked for an
to purchase the Charles