New-York tribune., 1893-10-02
SENATOR HILES NEW POLICY.
lie BREAKS SENATE PRECEDENT IN INTRO
DUCING BILLS FOR CONSTITUENTS
TWO CASES IN porNT-DoEs HE FAVOR THE
WILBUR CLAIM BECAUSE PRESIDENT
CLEVELAND VETOED IT oNCEi


CLEVELAND VETOED IT oNCEi
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrxE.l
Washington Oct 1.-Complaints have recently
reached Washington that Senator Hill Is disposeo
TO make invidous determinations In introducing
bills for his New-York constituents. and otherwise
advancing their interests before Congress 1t Is
made a general rule by Senator'S from each State
to introduce all bills that may be presented 10
them by constituents. allowing the Senate COM
mttees to which these measures are afterward
referred to determine their merit and propriety.
Mr. Hi however seems to have set up pecu-
liar standard of his in the matter OF intro
ducing bills for Workers. II his letter to a
citizen of Brooklyn is to be taken as indicating his
views as to the duty he owes TO citizens OF New
York State having claims before the Congress. The
letter Is written under date of September H. to
Thomas Stack. of No. 100 Marcy-ave.. Brooklyn,
and is as follows:
Mr. Thomas Stack, 1870 Mareyayc.. BTcoklyn. y. y.
Dar Sir Your letter OF recent date is at hand and
COL tents noted have made II general rule not to IN
tioducc any claim bills unless had personal acqrin'-
once the clauan. personal knowledge OF the merits
OF the measure.
IL will be sunca.nt to have your Congressman Intro
duee the bill and II II passes House will then take
pleasure II satisfied rs roprety in urging It's passage
through the Senate. remain very respectfully.
DAVID b. HILL
The claim made by Mr.. Stack Is for SG35l ex-
cess of in the construction OF the war Vessei
Metacomet in 1852 and 1863, amount fixed by an
examining board of which Commodore T. o. Self
ridge was president. Mr. Stack is a Democrat. and
presents a claim which has been reported upon
favorably In many previous Congresses, the last
report having been made in the LID Congress by
MIR Clancy Of Brooklyn in May, 1892 from the
War Claims Committee Of the House. Yet for rea-
sons known only to himself, Mr.. Hill now refuses
to introduce this bill in the Senate.
In striking contrast with the senior New-York
Senator's assertions in his letter to Mr.. Stack Is
his action in introducing in the Senate bill for
the settlement of the account OF James NJ Wilbur
against the United States This latter bill. which
was introduced by Mr. IIill on September is, pro-
poses TO refund to Mr. Wilbur. a contractor who
laid some tiling in and about the New-York CITY
Postofice the extra costs incurred by him, and
estimated at some $4,000 on a contract undertaken
at a net sum of ,2l7. This claim has also been
before Congress for number of years, and, having
passed both Houses during the first session Of the
I.th Congress- was vetoed by President Cleveland.
who held that there must he something extra
ordinary in a claim for excess Of cost amounting
to one-third more than the sum total OF the con-
tract, as originally accepted. Whether MIR. Hal
has personal knowledge OF the merits OF the
Wilbur measure. or "a personal acquaintance with
his action I'm tnat case his letter TO Mr.. Stack
necessarily seems rather strained and extravsgant,
unless. perhaps the fact that President Cleveland
In 1883 vetoed the Wilbur bill commends that
claim now as an unmpegchable measure of justice
in the eyes OF the senior New-iork Senator.