The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-23

THE sKcrrosAL POLICY OF THE
rDGTu.

THE SECTIONAL POLICY OF THE
r0CTn.
Our Washington City special dispatch OF
the 2fss inst. refers 10 the fact that there
Is an omniLas claim bill before the hoEss
which includes 20 or 40 esaims from the
people Of the soathern states asking tina.
congress pay them for horses, mules.
fodder and supplies Of ali kinds taken and
used by the Union armies that vent south
OF Mason and Dixon'a line. These claims.
20 far as presented, aggregate In the neigh
borhood of 10000 This bill. Il is ex-
pectca, viii be amended 50 81 TO include
the Indian var claims of Oregon, Wash
ingson aud California, as well as the mill
ilon-dollar var claim Of the state of Penn
syivania. The Democratic house hopes TO
pass It's Southern war claims bill by otter
ing 10 accept an amendment which viii
give 100000 in satisfaction of the war
claims OF Pennsylvania and half mil
lion of dollars In satisfaction of the Indian
var claims of the Paciiic coast IL is
cunning proposition, for IL IL becomes
Law the United States treasury Will be an
nually assaulted by Southern war claim
ants. "Biii" Tweed before his fall cum
ningiy offered to support bill giving an
appropriation in aid of UNCONVENTIONAL
school. knowing that If IL was once
enacted 1t would be precedent. for voting
the public money right and left in aid OF
denominational schools in New York city,
where IL would do Tammany Hall the
most good.
No congress has been so flooded with
bills for the relief of Southern war claim
ants as the present. Thousands of these
claims came In under the head Of captured
and abandoned property, but in many IN
stanoes advantage Of the act was not taken,
because IL required proof of loyalty, but
nov there IL n proposition TO revive and
extend the provisions of the captured
and abandoned property act' for one year.
and the law shall include ''aii cases of
seizure under said acts, or under color
thereof, either before or after June 30
1865. without regard to any statute Of
Limitation. and without regard 10 the
loyalty Of the claimants. This is the
language OF the blu introdueet by Repre-
sentative Boatner. OF Louisiana. It is
meant to open the court of claims to a
food of alleged claims from Southerners
who make no pretension TO having been
loyal citizens of the Uuited States during
the war Mr.. Culberson, OF Texas, has
introduced q similar bill. which has
III additional section extending the
benefit Of the act 10 those claimants
whose claims have been adversely deter
disloyalty. The South proposes in this
way 20 reeoup herself for the pensions
paid Union veterans. Mr.. Enlcs, of Tea
ncssee. has reintrodueed bill authorizing
the secretary of war TO investigate and 90
provide for the payment of all claims for
the use and occupation Of church and
school buildings and grounds FOR govern
ment purposes by the United States mill
tary authorities during the late war Sem
ator Daniel, OF Virginia, has introduced a
bin for the infamous "Sibley tent" claim,
which contemplates paying tho heirs OF a
United States oiicer, who deserted the
Union. for The use OF tent he Is alleged
e. have patented. Mr.. Meyer. OF Louisi
ana. has introduced bin TO pay TO the
heirs cl Robert Wilson Estlin s.. 6s7. IS rem
Gal for property in New Orleans taken
under the een8seatson act Of 1St2 The
property was selxed by special agent OF
she treasury department IA 1853 snd was
slterwagd restored and now the heirs OF
the osner OF the property Nans to eolIec.
rent from the government While the latter
was ~ possession.
These balls relating To the settlement OF
claims against the United States govern.
ment oct Of the less Of property by the
residents ii Tie seeding states which were
captured and abandoned during the val
ought not 90. pass. The bal reported BY the
judiciary committee Of the house extends
the right Of action On such claims before
tae court of elatms two years. ana reopeas
all eases which have been adiaiieA;ed by
the secretary OF the treasury or barred by
tae statute ef limitations ft also admit,
20 these benefits ali claimants "whoss
claims have beea adversely determined bx
this court on the ground og d.ssoyal,v. .
az course the statute OF limitations oush;
~ ran against saeh claims as these. a,
against any other, where they have no;
been presented in the twenty eight years
elmer the war closed, and the reasons are
sound Why me disloyAl 81 the esaluaa.s
should dlsqaaliGy tee,a Tor recovery.
The South took tie ordinary risks O
war when they forced il by secession and
prolonged Il as iens as possible after ID h A
began. Way should the people Of ia
South, then. be paid for properly f.,
wAeSs loss they weve themselves dsrxesl,
responsible and which hSa been aireesly
or indirectly devoted 70 carrying On o. ths
uarF The government Of the United
States was ouIy defending Itself vhea il
utilised TO its own advantage captured o.
abandoned Confederate property.
The Southern clsimS biz is instinct witA
the same Faneogoas spirit sAich : sxales
;ss& n tho passage eg ths wilsaa saria b.
with tic income tax attached. European