The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-05-30
WILLIAMS-JOY RIDER

Editors:
Some days ago there appeared in
the editorial columns Of the Fair
mont Times, and was later copied in
the Charleston Gazette, an article
bearing tho above caption, and set
ting out some'hgures taken from the
last years report OF the state tax
commissioners ONCE, which were
given In such a way as would creatS
false Impressions OF the West vir-
ginia moving picture show exhibited
at the Panama-Pacinc exposition and
also to create false Impressions con-
corning my actions and expenditures
OF tho state funds in connection
Herewith.
/ shall believe until I am further
convinced that tho gentleman who
wrote the article, did so in good faith
believing that the statements he
made In the Times article were cor
rect and true, but It does seem
strange that any citizen of West yir
glnih who has the prominence to be
editor OF a great daily newspaper
should bo so short-slghtod as to per-
init such an article to appear in his
newspaper and especially when the
truth and facts in the case could
have boon so easily secured and in
TACT had been already published in
some OF tho state papers. 1t is not
my custom to resent such SANDER or
to even answer It publicly but l
think the public ls entitled to the
facts and to the manner In which its
money was used.
( In the first place, on account OF
tho condition of the state treasury.
was opposed to the construction of a
state building ut the Panama Pacific
4 exposition believing that the state
resources may be better advertised at
such places by making exhibits OF its
/ products In the proper buildings.
The construction and maintenance OF
nm expensive state building does not
and cannot efficiently advertise the
states resources. As member of the
| board of public ", s, did not con-
sent Tor the use OF the appropriation
for this purpose until overwhelmed
! by what appeared to be the almost
unanimous demand of the state press
including Of course those representa-
| tive Democratic newspapers such as
the Fairmont Times and the Charles
ton Gazette. but having arranged for
tho construction of a building on the
exposition grounds. we were facing
the embarrassing situation OF having
small state building. costing per-
haps one-fourth the cost OF other
state buildings and without n single
thing to exhibit Of the states re-
sources or natural products. The
/ commission had no available funds
with which to make an exhibit of our
material products for a period of
ten months at at that distant point,
and yet We had building with no
exhibit.
An arrangement was made be-
tween the commission and the de-
partment of agriculture. whereby the
department agreed that until funds
could be secured from the sale of
moving picture films to the Industrial
institutions OF the state. the state de-
partment OF agriculture would guar
antee the payment of all expenses Of.
moving picture show representing
as nearly as possible all phases OF
our Industrial life and our resources
and possibilities including our
institutions and very full pic
tnre Of the annual football game.
West Virginia University yer
sus Wesleyan This we did at a cost
Of Sll6lO.T9. During the time the
agricultural films were being taken.
however. and included in the same
cost, hundreds of feet Of fllm wers
taken representing the manufactur-
inE plants and industries throughout
the state, from which the state has
already received the neat little sum
of Sl1 .60S50 with some two or three
thousand dollars not vet collected.
Subtracting the receipts from the
disbursements any school boy and
certainly the editor of great daily
newspaper can calculate that the
entire exhibit of West Virginia made
ready for the Panama-PacinC expo
| sttton cost the taxpayers only 1929,
not counting bills collectable.
The tax commissioners report to
which the article refers was for the
fiscal year ending July l, 1918, and
long before the transaction was com
plete and the final settlement made.
There is perhaps another phase OF
this question which might be OF in
terest. II was from this source that
funds We're derived for the payment
Of bills and accounts against the
state for maintenance Of the build
Ing and exhibits during the two or
three months OF the financial mora
torium.
The articles state the commits
sioner spent S1.33766 for automo-
bile hire and repairs while he so