The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-16

st. Louis Globe Democrat. :.
The Judiciary Committee of the
House has decided In favor OF a bill
, which Is calculated to let down the
bars to millions OF Confederate claims
: for alleged losses during tho war. 1t
provides for the revival of the cap
tured and abandoned property acts.
under which it Is proposed to bring
before the Court of Claims all cases of
seizure and all claims for losses,
} without regard to any statute OF linn
itations or the question Of loyalty OF
the claimants.p Moreover. this pro.
Vision Is extended TO all those whose
c claims have been rejected on the
ground of disloyaIty, "and all suits or
+, claims that have been SO rejected
shall, on motion of the claimants OF
, their legal representatives, be rein
stated on the docket of the court and
, proceeded with according to law"
This Is equivalent to saying that the
5 government shall pay all claims that
may be trumpet up against 1t on &C.
: count OF the war Sy those who acted
, or sympathized,w!th its enemies. Thou.
sands uf such Claims have been thrown
out because OF the disloyalty of the
claiments; and 1t Is now proposed to
remove this disability and let the men
who fought against the Union get pay
for property destroyed the same az II
they had fought on the other side
When the Republicans predicted that
; the restoration of the Democratic purity
to full control of the government
would be followed by flood of these
Confederate claims they hardly
believed that 1t would come SO soon
or that NIL discrimination between
loyal and disloyal claiments would
! be removed with reference rs well to
clalHs that have seen rejected as to
claims that have uot yet been pre-
scented.
1t Is easy to understand what posi-
billties OF injustice and extravaganza
arc involved in this measure There
, Is no legal or moral reason why the
. government should reimburse the
: Confederates for losses attributable
. to their own folly and madness. The
payment OF losses to loyal claimants
lie as much as should be asked OIL ex
pected. and even that policy has heeu
considerably abused. 1t Ia not to be
: supposed that reliable proof can be
3 furnished at this late day as to DANA.
t ges sustained by individuals thu ougll
D the operations of the Federal armies.
A bill like that adopted by the House
Z Judiciary Committee would lIaugu.
: rate crusade OF perjury and dis
i'OhVotJ AOA thG WOuIl
have to pay more than the pension
system has cost.
There Is no reason to believe that
any just and proper claim on account
OF the war remains unpaid. The gov.
eminent has been very liberal in that
respect. and claimants have not been
slow In taking advantage of all
chances to get their fingers into the
Treasury. No valid argument can be
offered in favor OF my further expeu.
: diture OF that sort. and the only safe
course lie to put stop to the payment
!. OF such claims under any clrcum-
stances.
1t is certainly not prudent to saddle
new and heavy burden upon the
government at time when its ex-
penses exceed its income and now
forms OF taxation are being devised to
meet obligations that already exist;
and it would not be right to pay the
war claims of dlsloyal persons II we
, had an abundance OF surplus money.
The Democrats have the power to
, pass such bill, OF course: but it Is to
be hoped that their sense OF ordinary
} deeency will restrain them from thus
thrilling with the Interests OF the PEG.
pie.