The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-03-20
I.l:'Il.L[LDIAN'S !: ! & WORK
In Settling the States Account With
the United Sta tes
STORY OF TIE TRANSACTION.

& .iSi Stu'S . Dcpl Oh S-14O,SSU rs
Wiped Out md Balance OF
$50, 1870 Duo to the
Stntc is Paid.
Through the efforts of Senator Till
man more than anyone else, as we
< stated last week, tho State treasury
is now $50, better of than it
has been. This is the amount Of the
net claim collected from the United
States Government by Senator Till
man. Senator Yillman on recent
visit to Columbia presented the war
8 rant and receipt in person to Governor
Hayward. The impression has been
that Senator Tillman collected less
than 100000, but, as Il matter or
fact, he settled claims against the
State aggregatiny s337 1897 ST, lis is
fully shown by his statement Of the
ease. Senator Tilman, in handing
over the papers in the case to Cover
nor Hayward, submitted Il letter, in
which he fully explains tho entire
transaction in us brief space lis .G;lD
we'll be done, and what lie has To say
is Of grcat,intcrcst. 1t is as follows:
Washington, ID. c., March 6, 1903.
Governor ID. G. Hayward, Columbia,
5. C.-My Dear Sir: 1T affords me
great qualification to hand you here
with warrants Nos. Stag and 5,1l7 on
the United States Treasurer fur $780,
1876, together with receipts from
the Southern Express Company for
$l25,000, coupon bonds of the State or
South Carolina, with coupons attach
cd, aggrcgating, principal and inter
est, S249, $50, making a total in cash
and bonds OF $:l37, SS7 SO.
This warrant and these bonds have
been obtained by my rcceiptinE the
United States in full for the claim Of
the State Of South Carolina, Which
grew out Of the expenditures by the
State on behalf Of the United States
Z Government during the war Of 1872 :
1915.
have been working on this matter
FOR the past four years and Il brict
statement Of The facts may be Of in
tercst to you and to the people Of the
State.
When the expenses attending the
enrolment OF tile volunteers for the
Spanish war were being provided for
by Congress in 1898 attention was di
rcctcd by the Secretary of the Treas
ury to the fact that South Carolina
was indebted 20 the United States ON
account or the Indian trust fund, tile
same being invested in the bonds
above mentioned, and the request was
nato by the secretary thai Congress
:. give hin tic authority to collect said
nount!a Without my knowledge, or
l. fact the kno lgc.-of anyone, IL
provision was Snc:lkcd Into the confer
encc report Oh an appropriation bill, l.,
authorizing the Secretary to begin suit
against the State Of South Carolina
for the collection Of the debt. Demand
was made upon Governor Ellerbc for
ter TO me, and | at once set about
trying to secure an adjustment, OF The
account Of the State for The old claim
or lS12-l5.
1t required an immense amount, OF
work and research to get track of the
necessary papers. We had to invcsti-
gate the settlement in the war depart
mcnt and rimmagc through volume
after volume Of treasury reports, ne-
ciSionS OF the courts, reports of com
mittceS, etc. My own time was too
much occupied with other necessary
business with which | have to deal to
do more than give general directions
The main work Of That Kind in tile
case was performed by Mr.. james NJ. /.
Baker, assistant librarian Of the s, :
ate, and Il citizen Of South Carolina.
whose home is at Lowndcsvillc. Mr..
Baker worked zealouSly and indefati-
gably both while Congress was in Scs-
sion and after its adjournment so
that at the next succeeding session
was prepared to demonstrate that in
stead Of South Carolina being in debt
to the United States, tie boot was on
the other foot, and that we would be
only too glad to have Il settlement. In
the mean time suit had been begun by
the Attorney General for the United
States and Il summons was directed to
the Governor to answer the suit l
submitted all my evidence, based en-
tircly upon Official documents cmana-
ting from the treasury department it
self to the committee on claims, and
secured from that committee a favor
able report on IL bill 70 authorize an
adjustment and accounting between
the State and the United States, in
which was included claim for IL bal
ancc due the State ON account of mon
cYs expended during the Indian war
Of 1896. The bill passed the Senate
without opposition, but was held up
in the House. | tried TO get it on The
appropriation bill, but it was ruled
out on a point Of order, and the only
thing could accomplish was to have
the law authorizing suit against the
State repealed
Last year this calm, along with {;
similar one from Virginia, and includ-
ing tile City Of Baltimore, was placed
on what is known as the omnibus
claim bill, but the situation in regard
to Virginia's debt was different from
ours, and Senator Martini without my
knowledge, Incorporated a provision
which w;s very advantageous to Nir-
ginia, but without Ills knowing il,
worked great wrong to our state. I'm
der the terms Of this act the auditor
for the war department. made up the
accounts and practically balanced
them, making the bonds of the re-
Spectivc States utlSet the claim OF
each. The difference in the cases aroSr
from the fact that Nirgini;ls bonds
were not due until 1894, and in order
To have the accounts balance, as the