Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-10-24
MILITARY CLAIMS BILL.
A Typical and Indefensibie Piece of Repub-
lican Legislation.

A Typical and Indefensibie Piece of Repub-
licau Legislation.
No act of the Legislature of 1897, APP
| propriating any considerable sum Of
money, attracted so little attention at
the time of its passage and for long
time after as this, and certainly no
| other act is now claiming the attentions
of the public to such an extent as this
| entirely indefensible piece of legisla~
ton. In view of these facts 1t is desir-
able that clear and concise history of
the entire subject should be given as
| far as possible at this late day. The
act in question was passed ON the 19thi
day of February. 1897. and is as fol-
| lows:
BE it enacted by the Legislature OF
West Virginia:
THAT chapter one hundred and nine
| of the Acts of one thousand eight hun
| dred and seventy-one, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows:
81. That the sum of nineteen thous-
and one hundred and fifty-nine dollars
and sixty-eight cents Is hereby appro-
| priated and placed at the disposal OF
| the Governor for the payment OF GER
tain military claims audited by the
| Board of Claims, under and by virtue
of an act passed March third, eighteen
| hundred and sixty-nine, entitled, An
| Act creating a board for the examin-
atica of certain military GLAZING. as. e1n(
hibited In the report OF psaid be-
! dated January twenty-fonrth, one
| thousand eight hundred and seventy
one, (the expenses of the board having
been paid out of the fund appropriated
| by said Act).
"2. The Governor shall on, or soon
after the first day OF March, one thous-
! and eight hundred and ninety-sevens
appoint some suitable person or per-
sons to receive and disburse the money
| appropriated by this Act
| THE Governor shall cause said
| claims to be copied and the person or
persons so appointed to distribute tha
money herein appropriated shall take
duplicate receipts OF the parties re-
| spectively entitled to receive the same,
or in case Of death of such party, he
shall take the receipts OF the personal
| representative OF such person, and tho
/ rolls with the receipts shall be fled In
! the office Of the Secretary OF state.
"3. One copy OF same shall be certi-
| fed under the seal of the State, TO be
used In evidence in the suit OF the State
| of West Virginia against the United
| States, pending in the Court OF Claims.
Washington, d. c.
| THE SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE
between this Act and the one amended
| (Chap. 100, Acts 1870, Is that the fol.
| lowing words OF the old Act are omit
ted in the new. Provided, however.
that only such claims as are recognized
by the United States government shall
be paid out Of the amount hereby APP
propriated." The Act creating tha
| Board of Claims referred to In the Acts
of 1871 and 1897, ia as follows:
'Be 1t enacted by tho Legislature OF
| West Virginia:
Il. The Auditor, Adjutant General
and Treasurer Of the State are hereby
constituted board OF claims. to exam
J inc, adjust and audit such claims ~
| in the opinion Of said board are justly
chargeable to this State. and not othes-
| wise provided for, growing cut OF mfr
it2ry services Of the following char
| acter:
II Claims for services rendered b,
State troops since the nineteenth day
| OF June, eighteen hundred and sixty
one.
III. Claims for subsistence and sup
plies furnished the State troops when
| called into service.
iii. Claims for necessary transpor.
| tation Of State troops and for trans
poFtation of arms, supplies. etc, for
their use.
CIV. Claims for services rendered
| by officers organizing State troops ur-
| der orders OF the Governor, and for ne
| eesgary expenses incurred In publish
| iDo orders and notices, and for printina
done upon the orders OF such officers.
"y. Claims for subgisting and eqnfpg
ping volunteer recruits. under the ordel
or by the authority Of the Governor.
| '"2. The said board shall have th&
| power to require the attendance Of wit
nesses. and to examine them undeS
| oath. which oath may be administered
| by any member Of the board: to require
J the production OF any books and papers
| deemed necessary TO properly adjust aEy
clam and to decide upon all claims:
fixing the amount from the evidences
they may have before than, as shall
seem Just and equitable.
"3. Said board shall hold monthly
meetings at the capitol building, %
which due notice shall be given By pub-
| LEGATION IN 1t least two newspaper4
published "a this State. and shall ma1rs
| to the Governor q report 81 thNir e..
t.on u each ueetinS. certifying n d.