The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-26
SOUTHERN
war CLAIMS.
Large Majority in Senate Favor an
Early Liquidation.
ACTION AT THE NEXT SESSION.
BILL TO BE READY WHEN CON
GREsS MEETS IN DEcEMBER--IT
is BELIEVED THAT A MAJORITY
FAVORABLE TO THE MEASURE
CAN BEsECURED IN THE HOUSE.
SOME CLAIMANTS IN DISTRESS.

Washington, June 25.-There is under
stood to be practically a unanimous sen.
timent in the Senate in favor of some ac-
zion at the next session of Congress to
settle numerous meritorious claims
against the Government These claims
are accommodating each year, and great
hardship Co some of the claimants results
from the failure of Congi ess to provide
Tor their liquidation. Many of the claims
are for work performed and material fur
ulshed, for which the claimants have ex.
pended their own money for the benefit
OF the Government. Others are merely
war claims but all have been passed upon
by the court of claims and the amount
due claimants finally determined.
1t is proposed by the Senate to refer
the whole question TO the proper commit
tee and have n bill framed which will en-
brace all claims about the merit of which
there is no dispute. This measure will
be sent to the House in the belief that the
wide range of interests 5Nffected will Sc
cure for it majority irii hat body. So
great is the interest fea9 by Sc nators that
it is expected the frai Sing of the bill
Will be entrusted 90 n sub. committee at
this session in order that the bill may be
ready for consideration when the Senate
meets in December. Senator Faulkner
said to day regarding the proposition:
1T is certainly time something were
done with these debts of the Govern
ment. We cannot repudate them, and
the plan of allowing them to dral along
year after year without any promise of
settlement is as bad rs Reputation.
Many instances are known where firms
that have performed work for the Gov
eminent have been forced into bank
ruptcy and their business placed in the
hands of receivers merely because they
could not obtain from the government
the money to which they are entitled. In
the cases of individuals the hardships en-
dured have been in many instances even
worse.
The House of Representatives has
repeatedly refused to consider these
claims as single bills, and the Senate,
while 1T has added many of them to APP
preparation bills, has been unable to
make light for them in conference be.
cause of rule of the Senate which de.
clares that no private claim shall be add.
ed to an appropriation bill. The appro-
priation committee can, therefore, do
nothing In the matter, and when merito-
rlous claims have been called to their at
tention they have referred them to the
Senate and permitted that body to add
them MS amendments to app opriation
bills when it is deemed desirable by n
majority of the members. There is, how
ever, no question that all just claims
should be settled, and we .have hit upon
this plan of n general bill as the best way
to secure the desired result. AS every
section of the country will be interested
to some extent, it is believed majority of
the House of Representatives will not
only ask for the consideration of the SEN
ate bill when it reaches them, but will
vote for It's adoption. The bill, think,
will pass the Senate practically without
opposition. The claims to be included
in the bill will be those which have been
adjudicated by the court, and will in
clnde what are known as the Bowman
act claims, principally war claims from
the Southern States.n