The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-07

subject Of correspondence, and some
documentary evidence on both sides
is probably still extant. But the hope
!essness OF trying to prove the essen
ual facts and figures in the claims fill
Ell under the Bowman act will appear
When 1t is remembered that the indi-
Vidual claimants in these cases exceed
SO0 IN number, that many Of the present
claimants are the heirs, executors or
administrators of the persons originally
concerned, and that the subject. mat
ter often goes into such details as ono
mule, three chickens n %eck of corn
meal 81: ::S, Two bushels of potatoes.
1t will be recalled by all who vera
interested in. the presidential campaign
OF 1876 that the cry was raised that
the restoration of the Democratic party
to power would mean a draft upon the
federal treasury for a large amount OF
money to satisfy Southern claimants
The popular excitement aroused by thi,
report was so great that Mr.. Tilden
by the advice of his shrewdest politt.
cal counselors, wrote a letter only two
weeks before election day which, whih
discrediting the agitation against hin
and his party, contained a passage thal
reads, in the light of later events, llkt
inspired prophecy:
Should I be elected president the pro-
visions of the fourteenth amendment will.
so far as depends on me, be maintained
executed and enforced in perfect and abso-
lutte good faith. No rebel debt will be as
sumed or paid. No claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave will be allowed
No claim for any loss or damages incurred
by dlsloyal persons arising from the late
war, whether covered by the fourteenth
amendment or not, will be recognized or
paid The cotton tax will not be refunded.
snail deem 1t my duty to veto every bill
providing for the assumption or payment
of any such debts, losses, damages, claims,
or Tor the refunding of any such tax.
Inc danger to the national treasury Is
not from claims of persons who aided the
rebellion, but from claims of persons re-
siding in the Southern states, or having
property in those states who were, or pre-
tended to be- or who, for the sake of aiding
claims, now pretend to have been, loyal
10 the government of the Union Such
CLAIMS, even Of loyal persons, where they
are from acts caused by the operations OF
war, have been disowned by the public law
or civilized nations, condemned by the ad-
quotations of the supreme court of the
united states, and only find any status by
force of specific legislation Of congress.
These claims have become stale, and ara
often tainted with fraud. They are nearly
always owned in whole or in part by claim
agents, by spectators, or lobbyists who
have no equity against the taxpayers or the
public. They should in all cases be scrutI-
nized with Jealous care.
The calamites to individuals which vvere
1nnlcted by the late war are, for the most
part, trreparable The government cannot
recall to life the million of our youth
who went to untimely graves nor conpen-
safe the sufferings or the sorrow Of their
relatives or friends. It cannot readiust he
tween individuals, the burdens OF taxa
ton hitherto borne, or of debts incurred
TO sustain the government, which are vet to
be paid. 1t cannot apportion anew among
our citizens the damages or losses inci6e-sf
10 military operations or resulting in every
variety of form from its measures for main
tanning It's own existence. 1t has no safe
general rule but to let bygones be by
cones, to turn from the dead past to a
new ana better future, and, on that basis
10 assure peace, reconciliation and fra
ternlty between all sections, classes and
races OF our people to the end that all the
springs OF our productive industries NAV
De quickened and new prosperity created
gotten. ''- NC io'-
80 ms was nearly two dozen years ago.
CIalns that were stale then are now
what? If Mr.. Tilden could have fore
seen the VoIuminous report of the sem
dle committee on claims, he could hard
ly have written a more explicit descrin.
ZION OF the subject matter Of six or
seven million dollars worth Of +he
CLAIMS covered by that document The
consolidation of all these interests i'm
enc omnibus bill may be more effective
IMAM Ihelr treatment hitherto in sonar
e'te measures; for the influence Of every
one OF the hundreds of claimants viii
be brought to bear upon congress for
the support of the whole bill. In such
union there is always danger to tbe
treasury. '-'0
But the end is not yet. Mr.. Tuden
sroke OF claims arising out of the war
as STATE though then perhaps only ten
years old. What would he have thought
Of such bill as that introduced bv
representative Williams, of MissfssipDi
TO repeal section $3.50, Revised Stat,
utes?' Looking up section 1880. we find
that 1t is law passed in 1867 TO nro1
hlplt the payment of claims which had
accrued prior to the date Of the battIa
OF Fort Sumter, if in favor of any per
son VINO promoted, encouraged or in
any manner sustained the late rebel
non non: or who during such re-
nelllon was not known to be opposed
thereto and distinctly in favor Of tic
suppression" If it is difficult now 10 70
t RPeT Iov thf merits NE its Of war claim and
more difficult will il be to nro,-n ~ IN
san same ne things in the case of a claim Io
war began? "eioie the