Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-26

| the government to the court OF claims, meets
with very general approval. As it Is now,
| there are four tribunals for the adjustment OF
claims ongress. the court of claims, the
! southern claims commission and the quarter
! mas!er-gSnsral. Mr.. Potter's bill viii dis
pense with al bat the court of claims, where
claimants will have the same chances as in
any Of the courts Of the country, and the
| rgnt of appeal to the supreme court, and a
final revision by congress, if necessary All
claims now before congress, the southern
I claims commission or the quartermaster-gen-
eral, are to be Immediately transferred upon
the passage Of this bill to the court of claims,
and hereafter all claims preferred are to be
| referred 10 the same tribunal upon their mer-
its. This will save TO the government great
DIAL Of money, as well as trouble to claimants,
and will shield and protect all who have oils
of damages against the government from the
effects of sectional or political bias, and from
the hungry lobby, which lies in wait by day
and by night, to levy tribute from the unfor-
tunate. Exemplifying the expense to be
| saved to the government by this bill, l have
figures from the departments showing that
! the annual average expense attending the
| quartermaster's department: IS nearly $50, 900,
| that of the southern claims commission nearly
| $4,000 per annum, and that of the court of
claims about $45, 900. Taking no account of
| the cost to congress of claims investigations,
| a reference of all claims to the court of
I
will save to the government 100000 an
nually and insure to the people prompt, fair
| and equitable settlements. From a memo
randum statement furnished by the quarter
masters department it Is ascertained that the
cost of investigating and trying all claims
submitted between the first of July, 1877, to
a. riI Is, 1875 including the number ready
for and awaiting the final action of the
quartermaster at the latter date, was as fol-
lows:
Total number acted on ..........1,754
Number ready for final action 1000
Total amount allowed thereon..........S 211,6l5
Total amount not allowed. ............. ,353,5S6
Amounting to.......................S 145,2O1
Estimated cost of investigating and trying
the above 2754 claims, including time of
clerks and time and expense of agents, is
about $63,274, or an average OF about $23
tor each claim. This estimated cost is based
upon the actual amount expended during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1877, which was
S79, 925 81. The cost of the investigation
has not been increased during the current
fiscal year, and the proportion for nine and
half months is the above stated amount,
viz: $63, 274. The expenditures during
1876 were nearly $40, 900 in excess of those
during the year 1867, and about the same
amount in excess of what the total expenses
will be for the current fiscal year, while there |
have already been tried and finally acted
upon up to the present time of the current |
fiscal year 1913 claims more than were finally |
acted upon during the whole of the |
fiscal year 1866. and 652 claims |
more than during the fiscal year 1867. |
Much of this expense is incurred for the SER |
vices of detectives sent to the south to take |
testimony, much of which must be unreliable, |
since it is erparte and dictated by motives
utterly foreign to justice and fair play. The !
quartermaster-g general Is actuated by a spirit |
Of justice, no doubt, and is in all cases guided |
by the law and the evidence before him, but
1t is impossible for even as fair and just an
officer as he is to reach the right conclusion in
every case, hampered as ne is with multitu
dinous cares and a business embracing all
parts of the continent. Therefore, so far as
he is concerned, 1t would be a great relief for
the claims now before him, and those that
under existing law would likely be referred
to him, to be sent to the court of claims. As
to the costs attending the investigation and
10 reliable data, as they fall within the gen.
eral expenditures for legislative expenses.
But they must be considerable, an item worth
saving. Besides which there is the fact that,
from congress, claims would be re-
moved altogether from the domain of poll
tics, and would cease to have any share in the
contests and campaigns of congressional as
pirants. As to the cost of claims before the
southern claims commission, | have state
nent showing the expenses of the commits
sion from the date of its organization, the
first Of March, 1871, to January 31st of this
year, 1873, from which it appears that the
Salaries zof these commissioners foot
S1O3,456 68
Amount paid clerks and the messen-
ger... ......................... 5000 81
Amount paid special agents. 81 ,02S 80
Amount paid for rent. 49,. ...-.... 23,973 63
Amount paid for stationery. ..-..... 12,62S 10
Amount paid for fuel NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $40 43
Amount paid for furniture gas, ice,
postage stamps and other contingent
expenses...... ................-...... 1O,O67 30
Total. 1917, 781 %
The commissioners receive $4,000 per an
mum each, the clerks $500, stenographers
$500. The commission was organized I'M
L. nE 1911 IL, Gc... j