The Washington herald., 1912-08-26

Virginia and Texas. They involve in the
aggregate a little more than $500, 900. One
of them, the Virginia. Maryland claim. is
, more than Ito years old. The others are
hoary with age.
The Senators from the States interested
declare that they will fight adjournment
with these claims, and also carries along
with II the provision authorizing the
payment Of an additional months sal
airy to the officers and employees of Con-
gress.
BY unanimous vote the House. at an
early hour yesterday morning. asserted
| that IL would never yield to the Senate.
In this conclusion the Republicans sup
ported the position of the Democratic
leaders. According TO statements made
in debate the House would rather see the
bill fail than pass in the form in which
1t was adopted by the Senate.
There has been no substantial change
in the situation since the two Houses ad-
journed yesterday morning. Under the
rules neither House can adjourn In the
| absence of quorum II a point is made
that no quorum is present. Up until yes
terday everybody seemed to agree that
the rules were perfectly clear on this
point. However. Senate leaders. who had
spent the day consulting musty volumes,
declared that they had found a precedent
justifying adjournment in the absence Of
a majority. They refused to throw any
further light on their discovery, content
ing themselves with the assertion that
the Senate could be adjourned in the alb
sence of a quorum. even though the point
was made. and that there was a precedent
for such action
Deficiency Bill May Fail.
l.
and Senate foreshadows the failure Of
the general deficiency bill. This is not
regular supply bill. No activity Of
the government will be crippled IL It
fails to become a law. However. the
officers and enlisted men of the army
and thousands of employees in the Gus
toms and internal revenue services will
be put to Inconvenience. The persons
enumerated. owing to deficiencies in ap-
preparations maze for them, have not
received their salaries for June. APP
preparations to meet them are author
lied in the pending bill. II il fails the
army and the customs and internal
revenue officials must wait until next
winter for the June compensation that
should have been paid to them on July l.
The deficiency bill as II passed the
House authorized expenditures a little
in excess OF $6.O00.0c0 The amount was
increased by the Senate 10 more than
81. 600 900. OF this more than s3.000,0O0
was represented in an Indian claim
This amendment was adopted by the
Senate. but was discarded in conference.
Other concessions were made by the
Senate in conference. reducing the ap-
priations in the aggregate to about
81, 243. 900.
AS stated. the only provisions in con-
troversy are those bearing on the States
claims and the Senate amendment
granting the employees of Congress an
extra months pay. The latter provision
will undoubtedly be thrown out. The
Democratic caucus passed a resolution
condemning the extra month" graft.
and the House will not accept this
amendment under any circumstances.
State Claims Old.
The four State claims in dispute have
been kicking around Congress anywhere
from fifty to more than one hundred
years. The Virginia Maryland claim runs
back to the early days OF the govern
ment It Is based upon an appropriation
made at the instance Of President WASH
ington by the legislatures of the two
States. The capital had been removed
from Philadelphia to Washington, and
Virginia and Maryland made appropria-
tons as an inducement for the govern
ment to make the transfer. The Fed
eral Treasury at that time was depleted.
Washington informed Virginia and
Maryland that the government wanted
to erect buildings in the new Capital
and had no money for the purpose. Vir-
ginia made an appropriation OF Sl12s-
900 for the purpose, and Maryland al
lowed about 10000. Virginia first made
a claim for reimbursement. Later Mary
land Joined in the demand
The Oregon claim is based upon expend-
lures made by the State about fifty years
ago to repel Indian invaders. The Texas
claim is quite similar. About 1850 Texas
put troops in the field to repel invaders,
and has been trying to persuade the Fed
eral government ever since to foot the
bills
None of these claims has been certi-
fed for payment as required by law.
Under the law such claims are first pass
ed upon by Congress, referred to the
Court Of Claims, and certified under pre-
the Treasury. 1t is the contention of
those who oppose the payment Of these
claims that none Of them will stand on
their merits that those who advocate
them are well aware Of the fact, and are
merely taking advantage Of the present
situation to put the claims over as rid
ers' on an appropriation bill, figuring
that a delay will force members who
are anxious to 60 home to give in and
concur.
Servians Massacred.