Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-05-09
INDIAN DEPRECIATION CLAIMS.
From tho Globe sIlvor BelA

From tho Globe Silver Bella
Whether sprinRing from a derelietion Of
duty on the part Of Oongiess. or exem-
PlisyinR the abuse Of power following the
use Of red tape, the delay in disposinR
OF claims for Indian dspredations new
pending before the department. is lament
able, and further dilatory measures .heuld
be succeeded BY prompt action. Consid.
cred as a matter Of public policy, or lust
ice, some disposition should be made Of
these claims Appropriations, enormous.
and not unfrequenty prOdigal and uneces-
ssry, can be secured without
struggle, for almost any purpose.
project or person, while these unfortu.
mates are passed unnoticsd-left neglected
and suffering from poverty inflicted by the
wards of the government. Meritorious
claims are denied just consideration.
kven the anxiety to exhaust the surplus"
by legislation fair or foul, brings no relief
Claims have been pending for number
Of years. For a long time past, when
ever the question of appropriations came
up, Congress would listen to the proposition
to establish a special court Of claims in
vested with Jurisdiction to try these cases,
and then the matter would rest until the
'ucceeding session-elaimauts, waiting and
suffering. The present movement is only
\ renewal Of the agitation concerning the
oft proposed court, and will be readily dis
posed Of in the same manner If this is
The beat that can be done, adopt 1t at once
and end the long anxiety Of the claimants
But in ne much as the testimony in support
Of these claims was taken years ago. to be
dSedlbefOre the department authorized to
decide as to its suilicisncy. and as nany of
the witnesses and some of the claimants
are dead, or beyond the seas with small
prospects Of supplying their evidence, te
meet the ends of justice it would seem
perfected that the department should still
be the tribunal to examine the testimony
submitted and determine the amounts, to
be followed by necessary appropriations.
II this is not practicable instead Of
creating new court, confer Jurisdiction
IN the Federal district conrts held within
the territory. to hear such cases in each
county, or at least within the district, and
at such hearing. accept the testimony al
resdy taken with such addi.orial proof as
might be required. Impartial Justice
could thus be obtained Heard in the vi
cinity Of where the depreciation was com
mitted, both the government and the
claimant would have better opportunities
10 ascertain the fraud or merit of the
claim. II, however, The National capitol
longeth to become the abiding place Of
some seedy aspiraht. for whom no otLer
vacancy can Le fouAd, lot the new court
he created. provided always, that the tes-
timony now on Gle shall be accepted as
prnof, subject only to rebuttal. Without
suCh provision, with witnesses scattered,
some claimants dead, proof lost, evidence
forgotten, papers pigeon holed, the court
iardisiaht, and attorneys, not familiar
with the facts, it ould he extreme folly
tor old and impoverished claimants to ex-
pect anything.
1t would be preferable and more honor
able for The government to plead the
statue of limitation and at once make
final disposition OF .he cases. In addition
to tue loss of life, abandonment of homes,
etc, the actual loss within the territory
has been serious, especially SO in the coun-
lies traversed by the bloody trails of the
hostiles. The aggregate Of claims of re-
hdents of ella county approximate S40,-
000-small compensation to sufferers who
have presented demands, and falls far
short Of the actual loss, it any estimate is
10 bS made for those who declined to make
any demand on account of the slow pro-
cess, and improbabiity Of collection
This matter deserves serious eonsderati zion
and speedy action.