The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-29
SPANISH WAN CLAIMS.
To Report Bill to ftefer TO Cour
of Claims

-
TO Report Bill to Refer TO Court
of Claims.
Washington, April ss,-The house
passed number OF bills OF Importance to-
day. and the major portion OF the session
was devoted to the senate bill to create a
commission to adjudlcate the claims OF
citizens of the United States against Spain
assumed by this country in the treaty OF
Paris. The bill developed considerable
opposition and was finally recommitted to
the committee on war claims with instslc-
tions to report back a bill to refer the
claims TO the court OF claims.
Some routine business was trasnacled
at the opening OF the house today. MIR.
Ray (Rep, N. " renewed his request to
print in connection with the Livingston
resolution laid on the table relative to
demanding the cases of Green and Gaynor
to the Southern district OF Georgia, all pa
pers in the case The papers were ordered
printed.
Francis r. Lassiter, who succeeds the
late Sidney Epes as a representative from
the Fourth Virginia district, was sworn in
In connection with the presentation OF his
from James Seldom Cowdin, protesting
against the seating of Mr.. Lassiter and
filing notice OF a formal contest on the
ground that the vote by which Mr.. Las
sitter claimed election was paper vote"
not actually cast.
The agricultural appropriation bill was
sent to conference Messrs Wadsworth
IN ". Henry (ConnD and Williams
(Tenn.) were appointed oonferees.
Bills were passed for the appointment OF
an additional United States commissioner
for the Northern judicial district OF the
Indian Territory; to transfer the county OF
Concho, Texas, from the Western to the
Northern district OF Texas; to provide for
the revision and codlfication OF the general
laws OF the United States and TO author
ize the construction Of a bridge across the
Back bay at Biloxi, Miss
The senate bill to create a commission
to adjudicate all claims OF the United
States against Spain. which the United
States, with Spain, agreed to adjudcate
and settle, was taken UP. Mr.. Ray IN. W
opposed the bill. He argued that there
was no necessity for such a commission.
1t created, he said three commissioner 8.
$4,000 annually; a chief clerk at $4,000; an
unlimited number OF assistant attorneys al
$500 mouth and big corps of clerks ana
stenographers Mr.. Ray contende1 that
the court OF claims should do this work.
Mr.. Richardson (Isnn.) thought IL would
be we'll to adjudcate these claims while
they are fresh aud not allow them TO run
as the French spolation claims did, and
to grow with years.
Mr.. Hit QlI.) said 1t was necessary 10
place time limit upon the filing OF such
claims. Claims" said he. generally
generate claims. They propagate each
other and none multiply so rapidly as for
eign claims. | had some experience with
the Mexican war claims. The manufac-
ture OF these claims became a regular in
dustry Claims amounting to hundreds Of
thousands OF dollars were fled Only about
3 per eent OF them were allowed. ana we
afterward discovered that the largest of
the awards made were obtained by sNeer
fraud and villainy. That was the case
with the infamous Well claim"
Mr. Mcmahon lPa,) said the claims from
Cuba aggregated s5S,0O0o0O and those
from Puerto Rico s4.000.00 After some
debate the bill was recommitted.
At 4:20 p. m. the house adjourned