West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-03-25
STATE OF NEST virginia
UNABLE TO MEET DEMANDS
Aoditor Darst Suspcnds the Honor
ing OF Drafts Against West Viz
ginia Treasury - Officials and
Clerks May Go Without Paw for
Three Months

The state of West Virginia Is broke.
with no money In tho treasury IN
meet demands made upon IL, State
Auditor John s. Darst has suspendea
the honoring of drafts drawn -aDon fho
treasury.
! This means that all state ofYicern
from the governor down will not be
paid for probably three mouths. that
all buildings under course of con-
st'uction will be halted and that ali
supplies for institutions of all kinds
cannot be bought for cash.
This state OF affairs 10 liable TO con-
tinue until July 1. whom the state
FUNDS Will be replenished by payment
ot license taxes and other state reye-
nues which are paid at this period OF
| the year.
The state Is In exactly the position
OF guardian who is acting as ths
executor OF an estate. Ho has no
money himself but has the money Of
tho children for whom ho IA guardian
to pay his personal bills he could
spend the money. hoping to mako it up
before he was compelled to pay It back
to the heirs. The state is guardian
Tor the money In the worimen's COM
pensation fund. school fund, fire mar
shal's fund and insurance fund. But
this does not belong to the state.
therefore cannot be touched. Other
than this money the state has no real
cash.
The payment OF drafts on the state
was stopped by Audito Darst, follow
ing meeting of the board of public
works. Soon the news spread about
that there was no money In the treas
ury' and to one and alI, many OF
whom held drafts, Auditor Dais 81 told
there was nothing doing" SO, today.
Tor the first time In years, n draft
drawn on the state OF West Virginia. at
the actual moment is not worth any
thing more than its value as O piece
OF wood pulp paper.
About 220 employees OF the state.
most of whom live In Charleston, will
be affected by tho ana9cial condition
me state institutions also have hum
dreds OF employees I'm various capaci-
Ties who Will not draw any wages un-
I'll the state gets the money TO pay
them.
The suggestion that the state bor-
row money to meet the contingent ex-
penses was met with disapproyal by
some OF the members OF the board of
public works because 1t is believed
that the state has no power to borrow
money TO take care of such defici.
after the Legislature did not act on the
matter.
One OF the big drains on the state
and which brought the financial crisis
to head so quickly was the expense
attached to the regular and extra
ordinary sessions Of the West Virginia
legislature. The regular session cost
at least 100000 and the extra session
another $4,000. Added to this was
postage TO the amount OF about $10,-
900, used in mailing Journals and acts
of the Legislature to constituents back
homo. The printing bill, also was
large one and all this took away from
tue state fund the balance IL had on
hand.
Jf the state were co. lpelled to pay
tent iastead o. owning the state house
West Virginia actua ly would be
homeless and have no physical seat of
government, and the governor would
have TO reach down In his homespuns
and pay the rent for the executive
inausion or ~ without q place TO iay
his head"
President Lakin, of the state board
Of control, Gays:
The salaries or officers. teachers
and employees Of all schools and the
current expenses OF all state institu--
tions, except The penitentiar' wiz be
affected. and all repairs. improve
rnerts ard new buildings will be held
up at least temporarily and perhaps
| permanently
| The penitenusiy is a self-sIpport-
ing institution The expenses of Con .
ducting the asylums and charitable
institutions are paiC out of the state
fund, as are the salaries OF the state
officials and attaches about the state
capitol The same applies TO the GRIM
inaI expenses. In the latter instance
the empty state fund will be felt In
every section OF the state
Inquiries as to what will be done
with the money that is constantly
coming into the state fund is met with
the declaration that the hundred thou
sand dollars borrowed from tho worH-
mems compensation fund will first be
returned This acton has already
Deen taken by the heard OF public
works wh.ch lends fae money IN the
worlSmon's compensation fund b. the
time all money due Tic several couo-
tics is returned, u Is -oatended. the
state fund will be empty.
In list Of improvements already
started or provided for ~ the several
state institutions, President Lakin of
the state beard OF control, gives tue
cost as s4S0,07149. Some Of these
structures are partly constructed.
others plans agreed upon. These are
al held mp as the result of the failure
OF the legislature to provide tho need
ed revenue after making the appro-