Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1900-06-22
SEvADN'S CIVIL WAR CLAIMS.
Republican Opposition to their Pay
ment.

'hNh
When the Sundry Civil Bill was
under consideration in the Senate,
Senator Stewart introduced an
amendment providing for the pay
ment OF the long standing Nevada
wal claims, which were for bounty
and extra pay to the Nevada volun.
teers during the Civil War. The
claims aggregated about $4,000 for
principal and over 100000 for inter.
est. The bill containing this amend.
ment went to the c~onferees OF the
Senate and House. The c~onferees OF
the House refused to agree aud re
ported n disagreement l II the House.
Mr.. New'ands, after soliciting the as
sistance OF many Representatives and
writing letters to the different mem
beers. requesting their aid, stating
among other things that the entire
State debt OF Nevada had its source
III the payments made during the
Civil War. moved that the House re-.
cede and concnr in theSenate amend.
ment, w%hereupon Mr.. Moody OF Mas.
sachusetts, II OF the c%Onferees, took
the floor in opposition to the bill,
claiming that the allowance OF Ne.
vada's claim would bring down upon
the treasury the claims OF all the var
iOus States that had paid bountjes
and extra pay. Among them he stat.
ed that Pennsylvania had paid boun.
ties ranging from three hundred to
four hundred and cighty.four dollars,
and New jersey from 1920 to s62j;
that his own State, Massachusetts,,
instead Of paying bounties Ind pRid
simply extra pay.
MIR. Ncwlands made an able and
fOrceiul argument I'D support OF the
claim. lie carefully outlined the
conditions that existed on the Pacific
Coast at that time; showed that the
soldiers we're paid in greenbacks,
which at that time were worth but
fifty cents on the dollar; pictured the
exciting times owing 20 the discovery
Of the great Constock lode, raising
as it did the prices OF all commodities
which were higher there than in any
other State IN the Union, owing to
the high freight rates paid for bring.
ing the materials from California by
team; showed that the pay OF the sol.
diers, namely, sl3 in grcenbacks.
would buy but eight dollars worth Of
goods and these Mt such advanced
prices that he in reality obtained but
abont five dollars worth OF purcbas
ing power from II months salary, and
claimed that tho five dollars IN gold
pail 10y the State was not a bounty,
az claimed by Mr.. Moody and others,
but nm equalization Of the pay Of the
soldier of the West with the soldier of
the East. lilo claimed That there WIS
u precedent Tor this allowance IN .he
act OF the United States Government,
which had for many ycars previous TO
the Civil Wur allowed the soldiers of
the Pacific Coast double pay, and the
officers s6O a month eItra.
Mr.. Cannon, Chairman OF the Com.
mittec on Appropriations, closed the
debate. We quote quite freely from
his remarks, MS they show the basis OF
tho opposition:
snow. then, upon tho right Of this
measure. IL | determined il accord.
ing to MY sympathy, | would say, yes
IA little State with 10000 inhabit.
ania, with its u Representative and
its two S~eDators-it undoubtedly
made this expenditure. At the same
TINA California, larger ut that time
and much larger now, made her OK.
penditurc OF si,00O,000. Little Ore.
gon made her expenditure OF half a
million dollars. Larger Massachus.
ctts made her expenditure. OF how
much do not know. md che paid