The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-02-28


one of the southern states having
many citizens who are interested IN
the return to the rightful parties OF
the proceeds of the property captured
and sold by the United States govern
ment during and just after the civil
war.
The omnibus war claims bill which
has Just been passed by the house of
representatives carries only $l,i50,-
coo. II it is enacted into law. 1t will
Ge the first bin of its kind adopted
for six years. Even then, it will
leave III the United States treasury
over $500 900 which has been lying
there ever since the war, awaiting
distribution to the legal heirs of the
owners of the property taken and
sold by the federal government.
Under the present regulations OF
the government, it is a tedious and
hcartbrealng process to make good
a claim. The claimant first has to
obtain authorization to sue by getting
his representatives in congress to
nave bill passed to that effect, and
then the matter is carried to the
court OF claims which invariably de
cidcs against the claimant if his
name is not on the officia! list of the
owners which is on file at the treas
ury department. or unless the claim
ant can establish the fact that he is
the legal heir of the owner
The list of property taken by the
government after June !, 1860, is
public, but for all the years of the
war previous to that date the list
is secret, except for references by
the court OF claims with regard to
suits actually authorized and brought.
II usually takes years to get bill
of authorization through congress
and chen all the trouble and expense
are for naught if the treasury depart
mcnt records do not show the neces.
sary names 1t is because of this es-
tablished practice that members OF
congress from southern states have
been practically powerlcss to secure
recognition and allowance of claims
for their constituents.
To Make List Public.
To correct this condition and to
save time and expense in serving the
ends OF Justice, Representative Byrnes
Of South Carolina, who is a member
of the war claims committee Of the
house, mas offered a resolution di-
recting the secretary Of the treasury
TO furnish the speaker of the house
with certified list showing the
names OF the individuals and institu-
lions whose property was taken by
he federal government under the
'aptured and abandoned property
nets when and where such property
vas sold and how much of the pro
.eeds Is now in the treasury. If |
such a lisr We're furnished, it would |
,e possible for the representative to |
.sCprtaiu immpdiatplV if thprp were |
my use in bringing action in spe-
.itic cases, and a vast amount of
rouble, expense and delay would be
Dbyated
Resolution Favored.
Representative Byrnes believes
here is a good chance OF getting his
esolution adopted He calls attention
u the fact thai the $l0,0O0,OO0 now
wing in the treasury awaiting resto-
alton to the rightful owners or heirs
t owners of the confiscated property
5 bound to be distributed to the par
les or institutions legally entitled to
+, aud that the continuation of the
resent tedious and complicated
lethods OF procedure would mean
hat by the time the money was
laced where it belongs nearly all OF
he persons who actually suffered
rom its loss would be dead, while the