The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-03


ces, brought the land under cultiva-
ton, planned an orchard, lived upon
the land for years. He has made q
home. Yet in a court BIS patent can
be set aside or cancelled, for the gov
eminent had no authority to issue it..
Yet how about the governments liza
bllity to b? The government has
Surely liability exists.
Case 2. The Post Office Depart
ment awards. q the contract to carry
the mail on star route Y to 2 for 81 -
500 per annum. C is told that bond
will be adjusted as soon as possible, )
but in meantime he should go ahead
with work. G does so, and sends
in bond in few weeks. Error is dis
covered and bond is returned to c.
C's bondsmen discover that c has un-l
der bid and are delighted that bond;
is imperfect and refuse to renew it,
G continues to carry mail for six
months under direction of depart
ment till new contract is awarded to
x. Then G is told that under the law
he can not be paid, because his bond
was imperfect. The government owes
him $500 that any honest man in the
governments place would pay at once.
Case 3. A government depart
ment is about to build a public build
ing at w. Before awarding building
contract office arranges by special
contract with D to drive piling to test
out character of foundation neces-
sary at cost of $125. BY oral ar.
rangement inspector is to be notified
when D is ready for test and is to re-
port at once. D performs his duty
fully, inspector is notified, but de-
lays reporting for four days. Con
tractor is paying $3.50 each to 4 la j
borers, who are to help with test, $40
per day. After four days delay, in
spector shows up. Government ad-
mits its fault but says it has no au-
thority to pay his workmen. Any
honest man in the governments place |
would pay D.
Case a.. The government Forest
Service, through the utter reckless
ness and carelessness on the part of
its employee or agent, and while the
latter is doing official work for the
burns $1,000 worth Of |
logs and telephone poles belonging |
to E. Any honest man in the GOV
ernment's place would make full set
Element at once with E.
others that | could mention, an hon |
est claim has arisen against the gov
claim so honest, so just
that if it were against any member of I
ibis house settlement would be made |
at once.
Present Method of Settlement a
Sorry Story. I
More than that, in each of the fore
going claims referred to, the partic-
liar executive department under |
which the claim arose could not make |
settlement. The claims are recogniz-
I'd as just, and yet no settlement |
nay be made under any general law.
Moreover, the injured party may not
sue the government in any court.
What shall B, C, D and E do under /
he circumstances Why, they take
Up the matter with their representa-
ives in congress or their senators.
bill is introduced, it Is referred to
! proper. committee. and evidence is
furnished. From that point on tho
progress of the matter is a sorry sto-
y. Each of the claims referred to
bove has been recommended favor
bly, by the department in which it
rose, each has been reported by COM
Mite in the house or senate from one
o three or four different times. One
f them has passed both house and
enate in different congresses. No
ack of diligence has existed Or the
art of the claimant or on the part
the member Of congress in prose-
uting the claims. Yet the claims are.
till unpaid. In one INSTANCE the
lain is 10 years old They are all
n the calendar of the house today,
he first one having been on the cal
ndar since June 4, 1913. We simply
ave not had time to consider these
mall items iii the stress of big mat
ers. If private Individual were in
olyed instead of the government we
Guild say he did not have time to
= honest and pay his just debts. Let
5 not say that of our government.
ct US say, rather, that we are work
lg under most stupid system in
lie matter of claims of this charac-
r, and let us see if we can not work
1T a better system.
The claims above referred to in
i've amounts ranging from $40 to
so. Why, in any community in the
untry a court would direct trustee
administrator of an estate to pay
claim that was as well authenticat
and not contested by a living soul.
+ if the claim were in dispute be-
yeen neighbors, it would be tried be-
re a Justice of the peace in my
ate or in the district court. Yet
re we say that since the govern
emit is involved we shall ask 435
sy representatives and 90 busy sem
ors to pass upon each claim. We
k, first of all, that busy commit
IS of some II or 10 members shall
nSidpr each claim and thop affor