The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-06
Incident That ShouldC Convince Many In
diana Voters He Has Served the
Fourth District Electors Too Long.
WORSE THAN A LOBBYIST
His Effort to Sneak a Relatives
War Claim Through the House.
Shameless Claim that He Was Acting as
an Attorney-Recommendations Of
Land Commissioner Lamoreaux.
speeIal to the IndianapolIs journal.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 5.-FOr many years
the Hon. William s. Holman. of Indiana.
has posed in the House of Representatives
as the watch dog Of the treasury fall
ing heir TO that title when the original
watch dog of the treasury" Hon. Elihu
b. Washburn. OF Illinois, retired from Con-
gress in 1869. He has for years been known
as the great collector" of the House Of
Representatives. and. while it is undoubted-
ly true that during the long period OF his
congressional service he has prevented the
passage of many private claims that posi-
bly, should not have had a favorable report.
IL Is equally true and beyond all question
thar he has objected TO and prevented the
passage OF hundreds OF as honest, just and
merit6riDus claims as were ever presented
to c. LESS.
Every Speaker Of the House Of Represen-
tar ses, from 1861 10 date-from Galusha A.
Grow 20 Charles F. Crisp-has known the
Inconsistent and hypocritical character of
Judge Holman's opposition to private
claims. and has so expressed himself either
publicly or privately. none with more pos
itiveness and vehemence than Speakers
Kerr. Randall, Carlisle and Crisp, all stur-
dy Democrats. His webbing and tricky
course in this regard was fully exposed in
the Flfty-irst Congress by Speaker Reed.
and has from time to time been ventilated
by the Washington correspondents of lead
ing Democratic papers. For a few years
past Judge Holman has changed his tao
tics as to private claims. He has always
been willing to wound. and yet afraid to
strike" and so has instigated and melted
other ENTHUSIASTICALLY men of no chacac-
ter or ~standing-to do the "objec.ing."
while he would privately furnish the rea-
Sons or ar01ruenfo AGAINST the hill
There are to-day on the files of Congress.
or on it's calendars, hundreds OF just and
meritorious claims which have been lob
jected' to. Congress after Congress, by
Judge Holman, who, as the record Will
show, has passed or assisted in passing
scores OF unworthy claims. involving hum
dreds or thousands of dollars. He has spe-
cialiy posed az the enemy of war claims"
particularly of that class which asked for
payment for property destroyed in battle
or by the lawless and wanton acts of
troops. or as a military necessity. All this
class OF claims. under the recognized prin-
ciples OF international law, are never paid,
for the reason that no obligation to pay
for property so destroyed is recognized as
existing. A few such cases, as. for in
stance, college, university and school build
inss churches. hospitals, etc. have. as a
matter OF grace and public policy, been
made exceptions, but they have been placed
entirely on that ground.
In the closing hours OF the last session OF
Congress Judge Holman tried TO pass
through the House OF Representatives a
claim of this class which had not passed
the Senate. even as a matter of 'sena-
torial courtesy" TO either OF the Indiana
Senator's. The bill was II. R. 1892. for the
relief Of J. and o. P. Cobb & Co. and APP
propriated the sum OF S.41 TO pay said
claimants for certain barges and natboats
> Tritsd S,stas gmnbna br ordsr ny
Bayle during the Morgan raid Of 1863 to
prevent said hay from being used by Gen.
Morgan's Judge Holman passed
a bill through the House of representatives
OF the Thirty-eiShth Congress paying for
both the hay and the barges. but the SEN
ate, liberal as II Is, refused TO pay for the
barges which had been contracted for by
the government. Even the Senator'S did
not ask payment for the earges and fiat
boats. which were the private property of
Messrs- j. and o. p. Cobb & co. The bill
In question. had not been reported by the
very liberal war claims committee of the
House. though constantly importuned by
Judge Holman TO do SO. On the contrary,
the records OF the committee show that
the full committee, and that by the special
request Of Judge Holman il was laid over
Tor the present session The request was
made by Judge Holman Immediately after
the reading Of the journal on Aug. q, the
Gay before the final adjournment. when
there were, by actual count made by an Lfi-
Ger OF the House, but twenty-seven mem
beers present. a count by tellers some time
showing the presence of but eighty mem
bers. compelling the withdrawal of the
measure and the adjournment of the
Judge Holman pleaded long and earnestly
with Messrs. Marsh. OF Illinois, and other
members TO withdraw their objections, but
In vain- Not a single member Of the commit
tee on war claims was present.; there was
great noise and confusion in the hall. the
Clerk read rapidly and indistinctly, and If
most any other member than Judge Holman
had preferred the request Ii Is probable
that the claim would have "slipped
through" But Judge Holman is so OBJ
noxfous to members by reason of his in
sincere. tricky and hypocritical course in
respect to private claims that no request
or his for unanimous consent is ever
granted. He stated In preferring the re-
quest that IL was "a great many years
since i have asked the House to consider a
private BILL" Why, then, this urgency i'm
the closing hours OF a session with but
twenty-seven members pr~esent-not one be-
ing a member OF the committee on war
claims-to pass a bill which had not only
not been reported favorably by said COM
mittee. but which, instead. had been re-
ported unfavorably by a subcommittee and
laid over" for the session. as a favor to
Judge The answer may possibly
be found in the response made by Judge
Holman TO Mr. Marsh. OF Illinois. who
asked why he Holman) objected to sending
the case to the Court Of Claims. Says
Judge Holman:
Sending the case to that court would in
volve time and expense. and my clients
are too old and too poor TO bear that"
IL may seem Incredible that Judge Hol-
man should thus publicly advertise his at
torneyship. but there is the language in
the record OF that days PROCEEDINGS. page
1eAs. line four and five Of the first
column
PLEA FOR SETTLERS.
Land Com mfssfouer Lnmor.,,x n.