The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-02-07
To .
FORCE GOVERNOR.
INTO THE Open
BOTH HOUSES ACT
ON VIRGINIA DEBT
Pass Resolution Holding Up
Settlement Until Com
mission Reports.

CHARLESTON, W. Va. Feb. 6.-The
West Virginia legislature this afternoon
went on record to take no further acton
in the Virginia debt case until II has re-
ceived further report and recommenda-
ton on what. should be done from the
Virginia debt commission, OF which Gov
ernor Cornwcll Is chairman
.This-action was taken In the adoption
Of the Duty resolution. introduced yes
terday which calls upon the commission
for specific information and asks the
commission to say whether or not the
debt should be paid.
The resolution. while reciting the fact
that the commission must be- In posses
sion Of information regarding the pro-
posed settlement mentioned IN the Kan
dolph- Harrison address. and through its
negotiations must know the "details OF
the settlement proposition discussed by
the two commissions, Is understood by
everyone as a purely political move.
It was. adopted first In the senate,
then reported to the house, when it was
taken up, for immediate consideration
and passed, the Democratic members OF
both bodies opposing it solidiy> and the
Republicans soiidlY supporting 1t:
+ Object OF The Move. IL
1t. WIS admitted by Republicans, In
defending the resolution, that 1t was Tor
the purpose Of. forcing tho commission
to come out in the open on the question:
Efforts. were made by the Democratic
leaders in both houses to have stricken
from the resolution that section pledg-
ing the legislature to withhold all action
In the case until the report Of the COM
mission should be received.
al "a n
the very meat Of the resolution. IT
bears the leverage contained in facing
Governor Cornwell with the situation Of
either calling the debt commission to-
gether and securing a:report from 1t at
once or of permitting this session Of
the legislature to pass without action
on the question. nccessitating the call
ing Of an extra session for that purpose.
At least that Is the situation the Re-
publcans believe they arc putting up
to- The governor with the intention OF
forcing him as the representative of the
Democratic party in the state. to take
definite atand on the question of pay
ing tho debt. along with the Republican
majority of the legislature II they vote
to pay IT.
Governor Must Act.
Republican leaders have contended all
along that Governor Cornwell was side
stepping tho issue. In an effort to ger
him personally to make recommended
tion on the subject. Senator Sanders
about two weeks ago introduced rcso-
luton In the senate calling on him for
such recommendations. Governor Corn
we'll replied that the Legislature, in MAX
Ing him a member OF the debt commits
sion, had taken from him authority he
might have had in the case except as a
member OF the commission and that he
had no right to make any recommends
tion otherwise.
The Duty resolution accepts that
statement and now calls upon the whole
commission for the information and tho
recommendation desired. In discussing
what he termed the Objectionable part
Of the resolution, Delegate c. w. Nc
Cauley OF Hardy county, Democrat. de-
clared there was nothing in 1t but pea
nut politics."
Senator G. K Kump. Of Romney. also
Democrat. in opposing that section OF
the resolution, on the floor OF the senate.
made the first declaration that has been
heard on the floor OF either house that
the time has now como for affirmative
action In paying the debt.
Wheeling Bill Passes.
The house spent most of it's time this
afternoon in discussions of what is
known az the Stceptoc gas bill. intro
duced by Delegate W. S. Johns Of Mon
onsalia county. The passage Of the bill,
though only thirteen wembers voted
against 1t. was vigorously opposed by
those who spoke against it.
The thirteen members who voted
against the bill were Anderson. Bland.
Hale. Hcrsman. Kuyendall. McClaren.
Prsdemorc, Rankin, Richards. Summers.
SwIsher Thurmond and McTey. Speeches
against 1t were made by Anderson kcrs-
man, Kuyendall and Swisher.
The senate also passed the demonstrn-
ton packing house bill; the ManninEton
charter bill: the Stewart bill. providing
for the purchase of additional land for
the state Industrial school for boys; the
workmen's compensation department bill;
the Wheeling physical education bill: the
Wheeling charter and the Morgantown
charter bills