The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-03-05
UNCLE SAM HAS
~SIO,OOO,OOO HE WANTS
TO GIVE AWAY
This Money Has Been in the
Public Treasury for Over
Forty Years.

Washington, March 4.-There is &c.
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-
lions lave been such that nobody could
have secured any of It even by proving
that he owned it. 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
Immediately following the war; but
there Is still left over $1O. 900, 900 in the
treasury, n 1t is now proposed to
pass a law under which opportunity
shall be provided for the people en-
titled to this amount 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. n 1t is well known that
a number OF cases are pending, involv-
Ing claims for losses during the revolu-
tLNlluAy WaIs IL 10 iIhCiy ludJ W yCdIS
hence there will still be occasional bust
ness for a committee On revolutionary
claims.
Another Century.
But at the present rate Of progress
toward settling claims growing out of
h civil war, another century will
not nearly mark the settlement of the
last Of these claims. Not a session Of
congress passes without a good deal Of
lapiSlQtinO fn 90 tfSfU SlInh rIo inns ThttS
h last session passed a large number
of claims relating to damages to
church property in the Couth, n more
of the same kind 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 n other property of non
combatants, etc.
In 1863 a bill passed authorizing gov
eminent agents to collect captured and
abandoned property in the rebellious
states, sell 1t, and turn the proceeds
into h treasury as a trust fund for
the owners if they should ever claim
it. All contraband of war was except
ed, and all articles which could be used
in waging war-furniture, forage, etc.
Altogether about $50, 900, 900 was turned
into the treasury under this act. OF
this there is still about $40, 900, 900 left.
Just Reported.
The House committee on war claims
has just reported a bill to per-
NIT persons holding claims of his
sort to carry them to the court of
claims for final adjudication. In it's
report on the bill the committee tells
a most interesting story Of the efforts
to settle these ancient claims. Con-
gress after ongres has taken some
step toward 1t. but for various reasons
finalities have not been reached. and
the present report insists that 1t is a
DUTY of congress to attend to these Just
claims. M 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
Of claims, and then the court Of claims
itself construed that act SO that It's
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 our Of claims has
seemed to believe that it's function was
to keep people from getting money
away from the government, by decid-
ing rigtdly against claimants wherever
possible.
II the present bill passes it will be
q long step toward the settlement Of
one 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. hat
does not assure payment; the matter
must then go to congress and an ap-
preparation be secured to make the
payment in accordance with the award
or en- 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 it takes centuries to close UP the
claims arising out Of a great war.