Arizona silver belt., 1890-04-05
INDIAN DEPREDATIox CLAIMS.

Whether springlng from derelic
 ton of duty on the part of Congress
 or exemplifying the abuse of power
 following the use of fred tape" the
 delay in disposing of claims for Indian
 depredations now pending before the
 Department, IS lamentable, and fur ther dIlatory measures should be sue. ceeded by prompt action. Considered as matter of policy, or justice, some disposition should be made of these claims. Appropriations, enormous, and
 not unfrequently prodigal and unnec- essary, can be secured without strug-
 gle. for almost any other purpose,
 project, or person, while these unfor-
 tunates are passed unnotlced, left neglected and suffering from poverty inflicted by the wards of the Govern ment. Meritorious claims are denied q just consideration. Even& he anxiety to exhaust the surplus" by legisla- tion far or foul, brings no relief.
 Claims have been pending for a number of years. For long time past, whenever the question of appro- prlations came up, Congress would listen to the proposition to establish a special Court of Claims invested with jurisdiction to try these cases, and then the matter would rest until the succeeding session-claimants waiting and suffering. The present movement is only renewal of the agitation con- csrning the oft proposed court, and will be readily disposed of in the same manner. If this is the best that can be done, adopt it at once and end the long anxiety of the claimants. But inasmuch as the testimony in support of these claims was taken years ago, to be used before the department authorized to decide as to its suficien- ey, and as many of the witnesses and some of the claimants are dead, or beyond the seas" with small pros poets of supplying tkeir evidence, to meet the ends of justice, It would seem preferable that the department should still be the tribunal to examine the testimony submitted and deter mine the amounts, to be followed by necessary appropriations.
 If this is not practicable, instead of creating a new court, confer jurlsdic- ton on the Federal District Courts held within the Territory, to hear such cases in each county, or at least with in the district, and at such hearing, accept the testimony already taken with such additional proof as might be required. Impartial justice could thns be obtained. Heard in the vicln- ity of where the depreciation was com mitted, both the government and the claimant would have better opportu- mites to ascertain the fraud or merit of the claim. If, however, the nation al capitol longeth to become the abid- ing place eff some seedy aspirant, for whom no other vacancy can be found, let the new court be created, provided always, that the testimony now on file shall be accepted as proof subject only to rebuttal. Without such pro- vision, with witnesses scattered, some claimants dead, proof lost, evidence forgotten, papers plgeon-holed, the court far distant, and attorneys not familiar with the facts, it would be extreme folly for the old and impov- erished claimant to expect anything.
 It would be preferable and more honorable for the government to plead the statute of limitation and at once make final disposition of the cases. In addition to the loss of life, abandonment of homes, etc., the ac- tual loss within the Territory has been serious, especially so Tn the counties adjacent te the reservations and those traversed by the bloody trails of the hostiles. The aggregate of claims of residents eff Glla county approximate $40, O,OO0-small compensation to suffer- CTS who have presented demands, and falls far short of the actual loss, if any estimate is to be made fer those who declined to make any demand on ac- count of the slow process, and improb- ability of collection. This matter de- serves serious eousiderationand speedy action.
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