The Washington times., 1912-08-21
WOMAN'S WEEPING
MOVES SENATE TO
ACTION ON CLAIM
Resolution Awarding $42,-
600 to Shoshone Dam Suf-
ferers Up to House.

The House is to have another oppor-
tunity to show that those who thought
they were trusting the Government in
putting time, labor, and material in
the big Shoshone dam project have
not been the victims of misplaced con-
fdence.
The Senate has passed a resolution
to pay direct from the Treasury 342,-
600 to the unfortunate laborers and
supply men whose labor and material
went into the irrigation dam, but who
have received nothing because of the
contractor and the action of the Gov
ernment in taking over everything
about the proJect-except the liabil-
tiles.
Among these creditors is Mrs. Kath-
crime Macdonald, who recently sat in
the House gallery and sobbed as that
body failed to override the veto of the
President on the original bill, which
ferers.
Her Claim Is $4,000.
Mrs. Macdonald, who conducted a.
grocery store, and who holds 81 900 in
time checks" of the laborers employed
on the dam, loses her home unless Con-
gress act again, since the President ve-
toed the former bill for the relief Of
those who suffered through the failure
of the contractors.
AS fully described in The Times of
Monday, both the Senate and House
passed bill giving those who held
claims against the Shoshone irrigation
project the right to sue the bondsmen
for the contractors. The President
vetoed the bill, on the ground that Il
would set bad precedent and impose
an additional burden on the reclamatio
settlers-because the Government had
to take charge of the project and fin
ish it--and the Government insists that
1t should sue the bondsman first.
AS bondsman Is onl liable for $75, 900
and the Government says 1t cost $1SO, 900
additional to construct the Corbett tun-
nels and the Shoshone dam. following
the failure of the contractors, there
would be nothing left after the Govern
ment first gets what's coming to Uncle
Sam"
The Senate overrode the Presidents s
veto. The House failed to override by
Q scant six votes, and 1t was then that
Mrs. Macdonald. seated in the gallery
and knowing that the bank would fore
close upon her home after learning of
the vote, sobbed aloud and was led
weeping into the corridors.
Is Myers Resolution.
knowing the desperate condition of
many of those who lost money when
the contractors failed-those who
thought they were trusting the Gov
ernment, and not the contractor, and
who considered they would always
have a lien on the Shoshone project
Senator Myers, of Montana, introduced
another resolution in the Senate i'm
mediately after the publication of The
Times story.
claimants should be paid out of the
Treasury, and 1t passed the Senate on a
viva voce vote. The bill is today on
the Speakers table in the House, and
q number OF Western members are
awaiting an opportunity to ask its con-
stderation in the lower body.
If the President should veto this Sec
ond resolution, which provides another
method for the relief of the Shoshone
sufferers and the redeeming Of the good
faith of the Government, 1t is believed
that sufficient votes in both the Senate
and House will be obtained to override
the veto, now that the pathetic story
OF Mrs. Macdonald and others whose
welfare and happiness depend upon
the vote hos become known
Old Law Gave Relief.
Those who deal with the technicali-
ties of the law, hold that existing
statutes do not provide any recourse for
claimants in the event Of a failure of
contractors, as in the Corbett tunnel
case.
The old law, however, granted such
claimants the right of lien and suit,
but about the time the Corbett tunnels
were begun the law was changed SO
that the Government has first claim
upon the bondsmen. Believing that they
possessed the right of lien, and that
the Government would stand behind a
million dollar irrigation project Mrs.
Macdonald and others trusted and lost
1t is not denied that the Government
received the benefit of the labor and
material utilized by the bankrupt con-
tractors But the Government says It
lost $4,000. too, and that Mrs. Mac
donald's home and the time checks
held by unfortunate laborers do not
compare with the additional burden
heaped on the bending shoulders of
Uncle Sam.