The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
FINDING FAULT WITH THE AWARD.
Congressman johnson Severely Criticiaes tho
Part Taken b, the Hon. John w. Foster.

Congressman johnson Severely Criticiaes the
Part Taken b, the Hon. John w. Foster.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-The subject most gen.
orally discussed to-day Is the criticisms Of
Representative Johnson of North Dakota. who
thinks, as others do, that the amount of the
Behring Sea award Is far greater than 1t ought
to DO. He has taken ex-Secretary John w.
Foster severely to task, and seems 10 have n
good basis for his criticism. He challenges some
recent statements of Mr.. Foster, and says that
stupid diplomacy Is responsible for u national
humiliation. Mr.. johnson says:
Mr.. Foster wrote o his Government In Au-
gust, 1893. that 1857, 353 of the claims were for
prospective earnings That would leave only
$sl.sl Of claims for actual damages. We are
gravely told In the desp tches this morning
that, In view OF the small amount. $464.O 900. of
the actual award these prospective damages
evidently are scaled down to an insignificant
amount or rejected entirely That Is impos-
sible. for $sl 1913 could not have grown to
$i64.oo0 In four years. Mr.. Hit told the House
In 1895 that $4,000 Is about what is due
and i think no held a letter in his
hand at the time from Mr.. Foster sup.
porting that opinion. Gen. Henderson OF Iowa
certainly referred TO Mr.. Foster AT The time as
authority that Ssl .sls was the maximum claim
for actual damages. The total value OF one OF
the seized ships, the Say ward. was only 81, 600,
while the total claim for. damages TO that ship
ton. Sayward, Grace, Anna Beck, and Dolphin.
belonged to Joseph BusCowilz, an American
citizen. He lirst sold a htlf interest In tho fleet
to an Englishman OF the name. Of Warren
and took a mortgage back Tor tho en-
tire purchase. prco. Then no foreclosed the
mortgage and got an English blacksmith OF
the name of Thomas II. Cooper TO Uuy in the
whole fleet for VI and mortgage 1t back TO Bos-
cowitz for $4,000. Cooper .swears that he
never paid Ven the III, ana did not know how
many ships he bought at I o foreclosure sale.
Yet 1925, 900 Of the claims in quostion are in
favor OF this Thomas II. Cooper. ! do not won
der that John w. Foster is called In to break the
news of this gently, TO Congress-. He is
not surprised At the result. Or course
not. We arc now In for ten or twelve
times US much as he led us to believe wo owed
when we had q chance TO settle without
any commission, but in the meantime his son-in-
law. Attorney Bensing, who would cheerlully
sons having charge OF tho Government's inter
ests. should think IL desirable To confer with
him IMT Foster to Gresham, Aug. II. 1898,
has earned II nice attorney fee as one OF our
counsel before this comm ssion.
Tho astounding part OF this arbitration Is
that those who represented our Government
surrendered our cnse, point for point, without
80 much MS once calling In tho umpire provided
for in the tire tty. Mr.. Foster partly explains this
when he says: President Cleveland having
officially declared that E42J, 900 was a Just ami
equitable sum in settlement, and therefore
having appointed as tne American Commits
sioner 10 adJudicate he claims II close personal
and political friend. IL could hardly be- expected
that the latter would ~stgenuously contend foI
an award Of a less amount"