by Brandon Woolum
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington (HNN) --
There will be strenuous doings during the approaching
session of the legislature in the matter of the Virginia debt question, that
old bugbear of West Virginia legislative life that has arisen so often to
plague the leaders of an otherwise peaceful and happy life. It will be remembered that the old state of Virginia found herself very much in debt when the Civil war closed, and her legislature at once set apart as West Virginia’s share of that obligation, fifteen millions of dollars, and through all the years that have since come and gone the people of the old state have insisted that this state should pay that amount.
West Virginia very promptly refused to be saddled with the burden, and so the matter has stood ever since—Virginia insisting and West Virginia refusing. Many legislatures have passed resolutions declaring that West Virginia owed no part of the debt and every legislature before which the matter has been laid has refused to take steps looking toward its payment. A commission was appointed at one time to meet with a like commission from Virginia, to discuss the debt question, and find what proportion, if any this state should pay, but Virginia refused to appoint such commission, preferring to be the sole judge of the proportion, and so nothing was done in that respect.
Every now and again some citizen of this state has risen as he considered it, above the paltry position of self interest into the higher and purer atmosphere of exact justice, and has tried to get the state to agree to pay the fifteen millions, but some how it has always been suspected that such gentlemen were soaring on gilded wings, and their retirement from public life has been sudden and lasting.
A few weeks ago the government of Virginia decided to bring suit in the federal court against the state of West Virginia for the fifteen millions, and the people of this state have been waiting with curious interest to see what the outcome of the suit will be.
Word comes from the city of New York, that in the office of Brown Bros. the bankers, a meeting of the holders of West Virginia certificates was held, and it was decided to send a strong lobby to wrestle with the West Virginia legislature at the coming session with the object of getting that body to do what the owners of the Certificates consider the right thing.
For the certificates issued by the old state for West Virginia’s share of the debt are now all in the hands of capitalists who bought them for a very small percentage of their face value, and the money paid would all go to them, and no part of it to the original creditors of the old state. It is supposed that this appeal to the legislature is to be the last change given the state to do the right thing, as the certificate holders see the right before the appeal to legal arms.
At the New York meeting the certificate holders deposited their certificates with the Virginia debt commission preparatory to the filing of the suit, which it is supposed will be instituted as soon as it is definitely determined by the legislature that it will do nothing toward paying the fifteen millions.
The lobby to be sent where will doubtless be prepared to do business on the well established West Virginia basis and will add largely to the gaiety of the legislative session.
Fred Miller, who has for some past been located in Tacoma, Washington, with the wholesale dry goods firm, of Smith, Miller Company, returned home Saturday. He will be in the city for about a week and then will go on to New York to by goods for his firm.
Mr. Miller reports that the business prospects are better at this time than they have been since he has been located there.
--The Associated Press—Denver, Colo. --The Supreme court has thrown out the vote of five precincts on the grounds of gross fraud committed in direct violation of the injunction served on the election officers.
This will give the republicans a solid delegation in the legislature from the city and county of Denver and control of both branches of the legislature, which is to canvass the vote for state officers. The republicans assert that the elimination of fraudulent votes will elect Governor Peabody, republican.