The Washington herald., 1915-10-17
Editor of The washinston Herald

| VI lie "
Permit me to express my hearty ap-
proval Of your editorial in this morn
inSs paper on an An Cnwarranted
Suspicion" and cite my case as another
| instance Of this unwarranted distrust
and its consequent injustice to property
owners. My case differs in that 1 have
long since been forcibly dispossessed OF
my property, whereas in Washington
the lawful owners were not dispossessed
, until their properties had been adjudi-
| Gated.
| For the past fifteen years l have been
J in the foreign service of the War De-
partment-one year at Pekin, China.
! four years in the Philippines, and ten
years on the Panama Canal.
In 1911 I invested my little savings in
| a small piece OF land in the Canal Zone
and put out some fruit trees in order
to eventually have little home for my
self and family. In 1872 my property.
together with all other private property
In the Canal Zone. was appropriated
(confiscatedD by the War Department
but no efforts were made by the gov
ernment to compensate me or even fix
value on the property. although the
government readily admitted the valid
ty of my title.
At the completion Of my work on the
Canal Zone in September 1914 be-
CAME more lNSlslent upon Il settlement
for the property. but was finally OBJ
Joint Land Commission, sitting at Pan
anna. This commission consists of two
American and two Panamanian commits
sioners and was created by a treaty
between the United States and Panama
for the expressed purpose of adjudicat-
ing just such claims as mine. And the
treaty further provided that the decis-
,.,,,s. -
and the awards should be paid solely
by the United States
l returned from New York TO Panama
to defend my claim before this commits
sion and on December IL. 1914 got
unanimous decision awarding me the
sum of SS,55GE, which was less than
half of the price I had been offered for
my property shortly before its expro-
priation (confscation) by the govern
ment
Realizing. however. that had no other
recourse under the treaty. 1 went to the
American authorities on the isthmus and
demanded the amount awarded when.
to my surprise. I was informed by the
chief attorney for the Panama Canal that
the government considered my award
excessive. and that he would not GER
tify it for payment Furthermore, because
I had made unfavorabls conment on the
ernment had seized these properties and
burned the homes of the inha bitants be- |
fore being adjudicated. the chief attor- |
ney boastfully informed me that he
would see that I never got paid for my |
property.
After six months correspondence with |
the Washington authorities. finally |
came on here in June. and have exerted |
every effort since that to get my money. |
hnf without avail ia
made by the chief attorney on the 18TH /,
mus. the authorities here In Washington |
have Concurred in the opinion that the |
award in my favor was excessive" And |
on August y. 1876. eight months after
the final award by the joint land COM
mission at Panama. the government |
moved to reopen the case and reduce the
award
Pressure was brought to bear on the
in order to force compliance
with the governments wishes. whereupon
he Panamanian commissioners resigned.
New commissioners We're then appointed.
put SO far these also have refused to re-
open the case. and 1t now appears prob
able that the papers will rot in the files
before any action will be taken in the
natter. And the chief attorneys boast
or my property seems in n fair way of
)eing made good
Thus. after fifteen years foreign serv-
&c for the United States government.
%ith a service record for conduct and
efficiency of excellent. l am rewarded
W having my property conf1scated. AMI
he very law or treaty which guarantees
he property rights of foreigners is fla
;rantly violated in my case. I being a
lative of the good old State of Indiana.
You can. therefore. readily appreciate
Why I SO heartily indorse your editorial
bove referred to. However. were | to
xpress my sentiments in full. it would
ave to he in terms more emphatic than
hose in your editorial