Right here, there's a conceptual problem. Since X is static, there is
only "one of" it. There isn't one for A, another for B, another for C, and
so on. There's just one. And it can take on exactly one value at any point
in time. And in this case, because it's constant, it has to take the same
value for the entire program run.

   You would have to declare a different static constant named X in B.

   If you had typed in A.X, then A.X will get access. If you had instead
typed B.X, B.X would get accessed.

   You might have better luck using a non-static method.

   - Oliver

There is a way to do this, but it's so hideous that I won't explain it, lest
someone actually do it.

If you want polymorphic behavior, use an instance method.  If you need the
value to be a constant (because it's used in, say, a case label), you can
have your instance method return the value of the constant,e .g.

   class A {
       public static void int THE_ANSWER = 42;

       public int getMagicNumber {
           return  THE_ANSWER ;
       }
   }

   class B extends A {
       public static void int THE_QUESTION = 41;

       public int getMagicNumber {
           return THE_QUESTION ;
       }
   }