The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-06
UNCLE SAM HAS
100000 He WANTS
TO GIVE AWAY
This Money Has Been in the
Public Treasury for Over
Forty Years.

Washington. March 4.-There is $10,-
OPS ,351.SS in the United States treasury,
which has been there something over 40
years. for which the government is
anxious to find an owner.
The money was paid into the treasury
in cash. and has been there since the
civil war period. Nobody has been ask
ing for 1t. and latterly the legal condl-
ions hav been such that nobody could
have secured any of it even by proving
that he owned 1t. 1t represents the pro-
ceeds of captured and abandoned
property" taken by union soldiers dur
ing the war. sold for cash. and turned
into the treasury.
Many millions of claims for this sort
Of property were paid out in the years
there is still left over s1o.O 900, 900 in the
treasury. and it is now proposed to
pass d law under which opportunity
shall be provided for the people en-
titled to this amoun to get it.
There is still maintained a committee
on revolutionary claims, which doesn't
often have any business: but there Is
record Of that committee meeting in
recent years. and it is we'll known that
a number OF cases are pending, involv-
ing claims for losses during the revolu-
tionary war. 1t is likely thai so years
hence there will still be occasional busi-
ness for q committee on revolutionary
claims.
Another Century.
But at the present rate of progress
toward settling claims growing out of
the civil war. another century will
not nearly mark the settlement Of the
last Of these claims. No a session OF
congress passes without n good deal OF
legislation to satisfy such claims. Thus
the last session passed a large number
of claims relating to damages to
church property In the Couth, and more
Of the same 4 constantly find their
way to the bill files OF the two Houses.
Many millions of claims are still pend
ing. relating to destruction of property,
use of vessels and other property of nom
combatants, etc.
In 1863 n bill passed authorizing gov
nm agents to collect captured and
a%bandoned property in the rebellious
states. sell it, n turn the proceeds
into the treasury as a trust fur for
the owners IL they should ever claim
it. All c~ontraband of war was except
ed. and all articles which could be used
In waging war-furniture, forage, etc,
Altogether about $50. 600, 900 was turned
INTO the ~treasury under this act. OF
this there is still about $40, 00o, 900 left.
Just Reported.
The House committee on war claims
has Just reported q bill to per-
sort to carry them to the court Of
claims for final adjudication. In its
report on the bill the committee tells
n most interesting story Of the efforts
10 settle these ancient claims. Con-
gress after congress has taken some
step toward It. but for various reasons
finalities have not beer reached. and
the present report insists that it is a
duty Of congress to attend to these lust
claims. No persons who were engaged
IN rebellion are to be paid any of the
money. AT one time congress gave the
court OF claims jurisdiction of a class
Itself construed that act so that its
terms expired five years before the date
OF its passage. This ridiculous per-
torrance is referred to in feeling terms
In the present report. which intimates
broadly that the court Of claims has
seemed to believe that its function was
to keep people from getting none
away from the government, by decid-
ing rigidly against claimants wherever
possible.
If the present bill passes 1t will be
a long step toward the settlement of
n class of claims: but there are thou
sands of other still pending which
would not be affected by this bill, and
further legislation would be needed to
reach them. 1t must be understood
that when the court of claims reaches
a verdict against the government, that
does not assure payment: the matter
must then &C to congress and an APP
preparation be secured to make the
payment in accordance with the award
or on some other basis. Congress is
therefore made the real supreme court
of claims. 1t is small wonder, in view
of the complications of the matter,
that 1t takes centuries to close up the
claims arising out Of q great war.
INSURANCE ATTORNEY