The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-03
representatives of Uncle Sam Whose Chief
Business Is to Prevent the Allowance
and Payment of Just Debts.
Instances Illustrating the Parsimony
of Certain Members of Congress.
The Pages of the Senate and House, and
Something About the Bad Habits They
Acquire-General and Personal.
/. A POOR PAYMAsTER.

Difficulty OF Collecting Claims Which the
Government Disputes.
Special to Che indianapolis JournaI.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2-"Unless one can get
his claim paid without quibble, the government
is the poorest paymaster under the sum-" said
Gen. James S. Robinson, former member of Con-
gress, now Secretary of the State of Ohio, to
your correspondent, to-day. sit seems, said he.
ito be the chief aim of the representatives of
the government to defeat all claims irrespective
of merit and justice presented for payment by
the government There are hundreds of claims
that have been before Congress for many years,
which are as just as any ever paid by private or
public individuals or corporations. Committees
have reported them favorably many times, and
they have been put on the calendars, but as often
some one whose sole capital as statesman seems
to be to defeat the payment of claims and men
out of their just dues has objected to the consid-
Grafton. i have no doubt that Holman, of Indiana,
has objected Reconsideration of thousands of
just claims that should have been paid by the
disbursipg officers upon first presentation,
and the claimants have spent more than they
expected to get in striving for collection. This
thing of man presenting claim to Congress
that has been refused by the disbursing officers
upon some fimsy technically, and having dema-
eogues who know the merits of the claims well,
refuse consideration Of them simply to make
capital, on the ground Of economy, among their
constituents. is most exasperating and is
nearly enough to drive man mad. Inever be-
lieved in 'economizing" by merely refusing to
pay just debts. and the disbursing officer or
public servant who does it is indeed despicable
character.
II remember case, continued General Rob-
inson, that came before Congress while was
member, whore man had been given
draft ! by the United States for
little over 81, ,000-I believe it was 81, l,05O-and
the draft had been destroyed by some acci-
dent. Il roof Of the destruction of the draft
was conclusive; but the Treasury Department.
has no authority to issue duplicate draft for
any amount over $1,000 The man, therefore,
had to 60 to Congress for relief. He presented
his conclusive evidence to the committee, and a
report was made in favor Of a special act
directing the issuance of duplicate draft.
Well, that man hung around Congress for years
anxiously awaiting and working for the passage
of his bill, and men who understood the justness
of his case, and saw how plain it was, objected
to the consideration of that bill. There are, as
have said, hundreds of just such cases now be-
fore Congress 1t seems that as soon as man
gets claim against the government for work or
material, or on account of anything like the case
have mentioned, he is put upon the defensive,
and will be kept out of his pay if the slightest
technicality can be hunted, with dog and gun,
upon which to refuse payment I have no pa
tience with the men who sit in Congress and as
sist in such dabolical acts"