The evening times., 1900-03-17
PAYMENT OF WAR CLAIMS
A Bill Authorizing Secretary Rect
TO Make Investigations.
obligations Created by the Govern
ment for the Use and Occupancy OF
During the Civil War-Four Hun
dred Thousand Dollars Needed.

Mr. Mahon for the Committee on War
Claims Of the House of Representatives.
has returned favorable report on the bill
TO authorize the Secretary of War TO
cause TO he investigated and to provide for
the payment of all claims presented on
behalf of churches. schools libraries. hos
pitals and establishments conducted for
the benefit of churches, or for charitable
purposes. arising from the occupation and
use of buildings. grounds and other prop
erty of various kinds occupied. used, taken
away injured, consumed. or destroyed by
the United States or its Army during the
civil war or for its benefit in any way.
The bin provides that the Quartermas-
ter General shall proceed to investigate
claims of the character mentioned in the
same manner. and they shall take the
same course as claims arising under what
is known as the Fourth OF July Claims act,
that is. he shall report the amount due in
each case. and certify the same to the
Auditor for the War Department for pay
ment who viii report them to Congress
for appropriations. The testimony now on
file may be used as evidence in the con-
sideration of these claims.
There are sundry claims before the COM
mittee for The use and occupation Of
church. college and school buildings for
injuries 10 them by United States troops
during the late war. Claims OF this char
acter now before the committee aggre-
paate S2s5. 726.52-colleges and universities.
S1S7. .627 90: churches, s10S.0SS.66.
This bill is based on numerous prece-
dents. In the Forty-frst Congress The
Kentucky University at Lexington Ky
was paid So eco for the use and 0ccUpa-
ZION of their buildings by United States
troops The Forty third Congress paid the
East Tennessee University SlS.500 for use
OF its property The Forty-eighth Congress
donated 46 ESQ acres of public land 10 the
University of Alabama. to be applied 10
the erection Of suitable buildings for said
university destroyed by fire on April I.
1865. during military operations al Tusca-
loosa The Fiftieth Congress paid the fol-
lowing claims Roman Catholic Church OF
s. Peter and St Paul at ChattanooSs.
Tenn SlNT2s0G: Protestant Episcopal
Theological Seminary and High School at
Alexandria. Va $50 GEO; First Baptist
church Of Smi1hland Ky. $500. ST Joseph
Commercial College of ST. Joseph No.
settled in Treasury Department and lnNeS-
tipated by the War Department.
The Fifty-frst Congress paid the follow
ing claims. St. Cecilias Academy Of Nash
vile. Tenn $3.50; Roman Catholic Church
q Charles county, Nd. S4o35.5o
The Fifty-second Congress paid TO VIII
liam and Mary College. Of Virginia S65.-
O00; and 70 First Methodist Church at
Jackson. Tenn. So. 100.
The Fiftv-third Congress paid TO Wash
iugton College NOW known as Washington
and Lee University. located at Lexington,
Va, Sl7 Asa and 10 Presbyterian Church az
Bethel Springs. Tenn. $500.
The total amount authorized TO be pald
by Congress TO churches and colleges since
the late war is $20S. l2S.5S.
The committee reports as follows:
Every authority on the law Of nations
who touches this subject. from Grotius 10
Halleck agrees that the destruction Of
property OF this class is a violation OF this
law But il cannot be maintained that
The Government is Liable for all injuries
committed either by lis authority or wan
touly by its troops without orders. upon
properly protected by this rule. But there
are many examples in history which seem
TO place the case of endowed Institutions
OF learning. established by funds given for
public purposes. upon grounds OF Their
own. and give them peculiar ute 10
reparation when so injured vnich Is not
possessed by the public school or even by
the church.
THE funds or buildings of the public
school are public funds belonging TO the
hostile sovereign and appropriated 10 tle
fulfllmeut of a function which thar -ureT-
eign undertakes 10 perform for The citizen.
The funds or buildings Of the chul CD,
though ccnseCrated TO the highest objects.
ID 4
are neither within the control nor for the
use of mankind at large But. in the Ian
guaee Of an eminent judge. The arts and
sciences are admitted among all civilized
nations as forming an exception TO the Sc
we're rights Of welfare and as entitled 70
favor and protection. They are CCu-ld red.
not as the pecUlIum OF this or that nation,
but a. the property of mankind at large.
aud as belonging TO the common inter
est OF the whole species.
Your committee are OF the opinion that
the Government should in dealing with
churches and colleges. initiate the frequent
examples which history furnishes. where
the most highly civilized nations and the
most famous commanders have respected
their moral obligations by making voluu-
tary reparation. at their own expense. Of
injuries inflicted on churches and colleges
aud kindred institutions by the operations
Of war.
Your committee are Of the opinion that
$ito.oo0 would pay all mertorious claims
of this nature. As there are a number of
these claims pending before Congress the
committee are of the opinion that Justice
TO the Government and to the corpora ions
is better assured in providing as this bill
does. a tribunal where all claims Of this
character may he Investigated and deter
mined Your committee therefore recon-
mend the passage of the bill.