The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-03-07
COMMON HONESTY DEMANDS
PAYMENT OF WALES CLAIM

For weeks past the leading daily
and weekly newspapers Of Florida
have been demanding fun payment by
the state to Col. Sydney /. Wales of
his claim for Is per cent of S1,0s9,-
1886, which WALES, under binding
contract with Governor George Drew,
made in 1879, collected from the Unit
ed States on what was known as Flor
ida's Indian war claim. The papers
have waged this just war since the
legislative session Of 10 3, when Col
Wales was beaten out of his commits
sion by powerful politicians, who have
managed TO cheat the states faithful
servant year after year, although with
out one real legal or moral argument
on which to base their fight
The facts of the Wales claim, brief
ly stated, are these:
Governor Drew asked Col. Wales, a
powerful figure in Washington at that
time, to take the contract for collect
ing the Indian war claim, which pro-
vided that Wales was TO bear every
cent Of the expense OF collecting data
and prosecuting the claim. The state S
scrip at that time was selling at 40
cents on the dollar, and 1t was ex-
pressly stated that the state should
not be called upon for a nickel Col.
WALES claims to have spent about
$55,00O in the fight of twenty-three
years necessary for collecting the
claim, and the late Gen. Robert Bull
lock OF this city, who served two
terms in Congress, made affidavit to
the fact that Col. Wales books, up to
1892 alone, showed expenditures
amounting to $4,000, just two thou
he of nF 1000
pitched to Col Wales for his years Of
service and expenditures, to say moth
ing Of interest, and which he was
forced by poverty TO accept.
Two legislative acts and two cabinet
resolutions gave Governor Drew au-
thority TO make the contract with Col.
WALES. The contract was afterward
ratified by Governors Bloxam, Perry,
Mitchell and Fleming and the legisla-
tive bodies serving under them. It's
validity was never questioned until the
legislative session of 1903-months
after the money collected had been
placed in the states treasury. Then
the movement to defeat Wales, head
ed by Governor w. S. Jennings, was
begun.
On two occasions, during the admin
istrations Of Governors Bloxam and
Perry, Col Wales prevented the state
from settling the claim for $4,000 and
afterward got $1,0S9, 1886. During
the first Bloxam administration Sen
ators Call and Jones introduced a $92,-
900 bill in the United States Senate
and Col. WALES had great difficulty ii
having this bill withdrawn. The leg
islature OF 1887. under Governor Per
ry passed a resolution providing fol
acceptance of $4,000. Col Wales also
defeated this plan.
Documentary and sworn testimony
have proven beyond question that Col
WALES carried out his contract to the
letter, and sixty-one of the leading
lawyers of Florida, including sucf
men as w. A. Blount of Pensacola, the
late George p. Raney, of Tallahassee
w. Hunt Harris of Key West, w. A
MacWil1iams of st. Augustine, all state
senators. have fought for justice t.
WALES, TO say nothing Of Horatio Bis
bee OF Jacksonville, and the late Judg'
Joseph B. Wall Of Tampa, president o
the Senate in 1887, when the resolution
providing for the acceptance of 1872,
900 was passed. have declared the con
tract to be valid, and demanded full
payment.
In denouncing the reputation o
this just debt the newspapers of tn
state are simply contending for Flor
ida's honor.