The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-01
COTTON CLAIMS BILL
MEASURE AGAIN KILLED BY
 CONGRESS.
Little Disposition shown to Recon pense Southerners for Staple
 Destroyed by Federal Troops During the War.

Killed Tor the present SesSlon. lnc measure has been on the calendar new for three years. Eight different rcrorts have been submitted on 1t from time to time and they have all been favorable. But just as often as It's friends have sought to have 1t enacted into law, the members from the old Union States and those northern commonwealths admitted since the Civil War. have lined up in solid phalanx to defeat it's consideration. Between times they are most cordial with the members from the South. They refer to the late unpleasantness as though It belonged to the dim twilight of history, and laugh at the man who at this late day talks about re reunited country They say the country has been reunited for more than thirty years. Just as certain. however. as this cotton claims bill comes up with the high sanction of the United States Supreme Court to recommend it, they vote against con sidering 1t.
 |. There were better prospects for it's pas sage at this session than ever before. The feeling of good will between all sec tions produced in part by President Me Kinley's tour of the South seemed to as- sure recognition at last. and there is little doubt that had Mckinley lived he would have exerted his powerful infiu- ence towards seeing that justice in this respect was at last done the South. The members from that section were hopeful at the beginning of this session that the memory of McKinley's kindly expressions for the former Confederate States would accomplish what he could not longer do himself. and they went to work with more determination than ever to have this long delayed measure enacted into law. Senator Money of Mississippi in the upper hna npA tai (sonnnr- nf Texas in the lower. were especially &C., tive. the bill having heen introduced by them early in the present session.
 When the matter came up for. consid- eration in the Senate few days ago 1t was defeated with scant courtesy by the Republicans voting as a body. Senator Gallinger of New Hampshire was acting President pro tenn. of the Senate. Sen ator Aldrich of Rhode Island led the fight on the floor. He began by protesting that there was no quorum present. A roll call demonstrated that he was in error. Then Senator Spooner of Wisconsin, an nounced that he was aware that debate was not In order on Senator Moneys motion, to consider the bill. and asked if the latter cared to have the bill taken up to be voted on or merely to submit re- marks on 1t.
 T wish to have the bill taken up for consideration" began the Mississippi Senator. Tt has been on the calendar for three years with six or eight favor able reports, with no adverse report. and no minority report"
 He could go no further, because Mir. Aldrich interrupted to say that debate was out of order and the yeas and nays were ordered. During the vote number of the Senators announced how they were paired Senator Money arose and asking addressing the chair said: "I de- sire to ask q question of information. notice from the statement of pairs being made that this appears to be regarded on the other side as political dues- ton"
 Debate Is not in order" interrupted Gallinger, and the vote went on. Mfr Moneys motion was defeated by 90 to 1S and the hopes of those Southern people who have money tied up in the Federal Treasury were bIighted fer another year The amount of money involved in this measure is between $10. 0.250.O0O and $l0,5O0.- 900 and 1t was accumulated in this fash ion: During the civil war and the period immediately following the cessation of hostilities large amount of property in the Southern States was seized by North ern troops, without regard to the owner ship thereof or the political status of the 
 made under the acts of March 12 1883, and July ?. 1864. generally known as the captured and abandoned property acts. They required that the proceeds of the sale of the property be placed in the National treasury and provided that re- covery could be had within two years after the suppression of the rebellion, to- gether with costs by proving that the owner had not given aid or comfort to the enemy. 4 large number of suits were filed in the Court of Claims to secure restitution, and of the $30, 900 turned into the treasury all but about $1o.0o0, 900 was returned. There has been a great deal of contention regarding the distri- button of this remaining amount. Some portion of it was no doubt derived from owners who assisted the Confederacy and 1t has been argued that the seizure and sale of such property wrought investment of title and abso- lutely transferred the property to the Government. The counter argu- ment has been that no investment of ti- tie was wrought and that the money was simply held in the Treasury until such time as the Government should see fit to decide whether 1t should be returned to the owners of the property or not. The United States Supreme Court in the case of Klein against the Government seemed to settle the matter to the satls- faction of those who make the latter contention. The court held in effect that the proclamations of pardon and amnes- ty, particularly that of July (. 1888. con- stitute a decision on the part of the Gov erEment that the owners of property seized under the circumstances hereto fore referred to, were entitled to the proceeds derived from the sale of their property and held in the Treasury and that the restoration of the proceeds be- came under the proclamations of amnes- ty and pardon the absolute right of the person or persons pardoned. The decision was also to the effect that the Govern ment constituted itself a trustee for all those entitled to make claims under the original act and for those who should afterwards be recognized to make claims as well. The Democratic members feel that they will ultimately be able to se- cure this money, now tied up fin the Treasury. but 1t is evidently the purpose of the Republicans to make them wait as iong as possible before their hopes are realized A considerable portion of the whole is claimed by Alabamians and Georgians