Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-04
SOUTHERN CLAIMS.

Democrats in Congress will go to tearing
each other to pieces on the question of
Southern claims for war losses. The debate
in the House on Saturday, at any rate, was
of the most amiable description. The
Southern members who replied to Gen.
Bragg did not appear to be at all put out,
but looked at the matter philosophically.
They were wholly good-natured about it and
most of them treated it humorously, as if
they were amused to think that anybody had
conceived the idea that they had plan hid
den beneath comparatively harmless bill to
rob the treasury of untold millions. It must
be conceded that they took very sensible
view of the controversy, if controversy it
can be called, although they bore pretty
heavily upon the mercurial Bragg on account
of some of his remarks that were apparently
uncalled for.
There is misconception in the public
mind, not only as to the purpose of Gen.
Bragg's speech, but as to the nature of some
of the bills before Congress. Bills for the
relief of persons whose property was de-
stroyed by the accidents of war are unhappily
confounded with bills for legitimate public
improvements, to which the Southern peo-
pie are entitled in all fairness and equity.
AS it has become the policy of the govern
mont to care for the Improvements of har-
bors and navigable streams, and as millions
have been expended for such purposes at the
North, it is but natural that the South should.
ask for some allowances for like purposes,
especially as such Improvements are greatly
needed to develop the resources and COM
merce of that section. No one will be so
uncharitable as to suggest that these claims
are the claims of disloyal persons, or were
presented on behalf of rebels, especially as
the fact remains that where the South asks
for cents, the North asks for and receives
dollars. The money expended upon the har-
Dor and for I the erection of public
buildings in Chicago aggregates more
than has been donated to the entire South
in the past five years. And yet the Chicago
papers denounce as raid upon the treasury
for the benefit of rebels proposition to ap-
propriate small amount of money for the
improvement and repair of the levees of the
Mississippi river. Such a course is hardly
consistent; it is certainly not fair.
A confusion seems to exist in the minds of
many as to the nature of the claims of the
South. request for an appropriation to
prosecute some needed improvement is COZ
strued as an application for reimbursement
for losses incurred by the war, while they are
separate and distinct things. We are aware
of but few claims of disloyal persons that
have been presented to Congress for allow
ance, and those few have received their
quietus from the Democrats with commend
able expedition. Gen. Bragg, though per
haps more emphatic than the occasion re-
quired, expressed the deliberate view of the
mass of the Democrats, North and South, as
to war claims of disloyal men. He did not
denounce the allowance of money to improve
the commercial facilities of that section, nor
do Democrats or Republicans generally. In
the distribution of the nations bounty the
South has its rights as we'll as the North
and we are sure that no factious opposition
will be interposed to deprive that section OF
its just proportion of the moneys expended
for public works.
Let us hear no more of rebel war claims
until some such are presented for allowance.
Above all let us have no opposition to grants
for public improvements at the South as Ions
as the North claims and receives ten times
the amount asked by the South. 1t will moi
pay to be hoggish in such matters. It il
certainly not fair for one section to seek tt
monopolize all the favors at the expense O:
the other.