The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-03-11
CONGRESS is CLOSE.
Very Rarely Makes Appropriations
for War Claims.
Just and Unjust Suffer Alike-Famous
king Case, Although Approved
by Court of Claims, Still
Hangs Fire.
Especial Washington Letter.l


&C A LMosT 1000 bills have been
~ introduced and referred to
my committee" says Con-
gresham Thad Mahon, of Chambers
burg, Pa. Mr.. Mahon is chairman of
the committee on war claims, which is
regarded as one of the most important
committees of the national house of
representatives.
'sYou see there are claimants from
every state in this republic" contin-
ued the congressman. each claim
ant has bill prepared covering his
case and providing for an appropria-
ton from the federal treasury. There
was a time when these bills received
more prompt consideration than they
do now. The bills are introduced by
the various congressman, not because
they expect to secure their passage;
but in order to satisfy the claimants.
If the congressman were to refuse to
introduce such bills, the claimants
and all of their friends would be down
on that man, and be busy pushing for
ward some one else for congress. But,
duces bill, he takes no further inter-
est in it. In the first place nearly all
of these war claims originated before
some congressman were born, or while
others were in their cradles. The con-
gressmen are interested in matters
more modern.
cit may surprise you, but it is a
XII l.
ing claims against the government
have originated since and out of the
war with Spain. Small and brief as
that war was it gave opportunity to
quite a number, of people to entertain
grievances of some sort against the
government, and it will be the duty of
this committee to examine into the
merits and dement's of all of those
claims. The older claims do not re-
guire so much attention. We are IA
miliar with them. Reports have been
prepared and reprinted year after
year for so many years that the older
members know them all by heart"
'Some years ago, before I became
chairman of this committee, claim
was made to appear to the committee
and to the house that the claimant had
furnished quite large consignment
of ice to the quartermaster at Jeffer-
son barracks, at St. Louis, Mo-; that
the quartermaster did not take the ice
from the barges until it had almost
melted. This was in July, 1868. The
claimant made ont what seemed to ha
a good case, and the bill was passed;
but it has always been called the ice
water bill.
"One bill, covering a thousand or
more items, introduced by Mr.. Gibson,
has been favorably reported. It is en-
titled: "A bill for the allowance of
certain claims for property taken for
military purposes within the United
States during the war with SPAIN
That bill will undoubtedly receive con-
sideration. 1t embodies the most mer-
itorious of all of the bills introduced
covering that small war period, and is
divided into claims by states. For ex-
ample, in this one bill there are seven
claims from Alabama, and their aggre-
gate is only $5,10S. There is one claim
from Delaware amounting to $635.
Georgia comes forward with SO claims,
aggregating $11,397. Pennsylvanians
claim great deal, there being 81
claims in this one bill, the aggregate
being $4,000"
George Fry, clerk of the committee,
called attention to the bill No. s5S7,