The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1881-12-07
XLVHTH CONGRESS.


repositories III connection with the
poStollice department.
Statistics OF mail transportation
show that during the past year railroad
routes have been increased i'll length
over ., 100 miles, aud i'll cost $l,Hl,3S2,
while steamboat routes have been
decreased III length =, lS2 miles, and in
cost $l34,05l The so-called stag
routes hare been decreased in length
3,If9 miles; i'll cost $3GI, IA. Nearly
all of the more expensive rontes have
been superseded by railroad services.
The cost of star service must therefore
rapidly decrease III the western states
and territories.
The postmaster-general, however,
called attention to the constantly in
creaslnG cost of the railway mail ser
vice az a serious difficulty III the way OF
making the department self-sustaining.
Our postal intercourse with foreign
countries has kept pace with the
growth of the domestic service. Within
the past year several countries and
colonies have declared their adhesion
to the postal union. 1t includes all
those which have an. organized postal
service, except Bolivia, Costa Rico,
New Zealand, and the British colonies
in Australia. As has been
already - stated, great educ
tions have recently been made
in the expenses of the star
route service. The Investigations III the
| department of justice and the post
office department have resulted III the
presentation Of indictments against
persons formerly connected with the
service, accusing them of otienses
against the United States. / have en-
| joined upon the officials who are
charged with the conduct of the case
on the part of the government and
| upon the eminent counsel who, before
my accession to the presidency, were
called to their assistance the duty Of
prosecuting with the utmost rigor OF
the law all persons who may he found
| chargeable with frauds III the postal
service.
The acting attorney general calls
attention to the necessity of modifying
the present system of the courts Of the
United States. a necessity due t. the
| large increase of business, especially in
the supreme court. Litigation in our
federal tribunals had become greatly
expanded after the close Of the late
war; SO long as that expansion might
| be attributable to the abnormal cundi-
ton in which the community found
itself Immediately after the return
of peace, prudence required
that no change be made in the cunsti-
tuition of our judicial tribunals; but it
has become apparent that an immense
increase OF litigation has directly re-
suited from the wonderful growth and
| development of the country. There Is
no ground for the belief that the bust
ness of the United States courts will
ever be less i'll volume than ut present,
but that II is likely to be much greater
| is generally recognized by the bench
and bar. In view of the fact that con
gress has already given much con-
sidcration to this subject, l
make no suggestion as to detail,
but express the hope that Your de-
liberations may result in such lcgis-
lation as will give early relief to our
overburdened courts.
The acting attorney general also
calls attention to disturbance of the
public tranquility during the past
year in the territory OF Arizona. A
band of armed desperadoes, Kiowas
and cowboys, probably numbering
fifty to one hundred men, has been
engaged for months III committing
acts of lawlessneSs and brutality,
which the local authorities have been
unable to Suppress. The depredations
of these cowboys have also extended
into Mexico, which the marauders
reach frOmithe Arizona frontier. With
every disposition to meet the cXigen-
cies of the case, am embarrassed Ly
the lack of authority to deal with them
ell'ectHally. The punishment Of crimes
committed within Arizona should.
ordinarily, Of course he left to the tern
torial authorities, but it is worthy of
consideration whether acts which
necessarily tend to embrace the
United States with neighbUring roy
orumepts should not he declared
crimes against the United States.
Some of the Instructions alluded
to may, perhaps, be within the
scope of the law revised statutes, sec.
), y. 26S,) forbidding military expedl-
lures or enterprises against friendly
states; but, in view of the speedy as
semhlimg of your body,il have preferred
to await such Legislation as in your
wisdom the occasion Inay seem to de
mand. 1t may, perhaps, be thought
proper to provide that setting on foot,
within our own territory, of brigand
age and armed marauding expeditions
p. Il Al
zens shall be punishable as an ofTense
against the United States | will add
that, i'll the event of request from
the territorial government for protec-
ton by the United States against
domestic violence, this government
would be powerless to rem
der assistance. The act Of 1875
(chap. So states that at a time when
the territorial governments received
little attention from congress this duty
of the United States government was
enforced only as to the state govern
ments; but the act of 1903 (chap. 80
applied also to territories. This law
seem ms to haye remained in force
until the revision of the statutes, when
the petition of the territories was re-
ceived. | am not advised whether the
alteration was intentional or acct
dental, but it seems to Inc the terri
tories should be offered the protection
which Is accorded to the states by the
constitution. [ suggest legislation
that will remedy the hardship. 1t
seems to me that, whatever views
may prevail as to the policy
of recent legislation by which the
army has ceased to be part of the
posse cOmitatus, an exception might
well be made for permitting the mill
tary to assist the territorial authorities
in enforcing the laws of the United
States. This use of the army would not
seem to be within the alleged
evil against which that legitlatioll was
aimed. From sparseness of popula
ton and other circumstances it is
often quite impractiCable to summon
civil posse in places where officers of
Justice require assistance, and where
a military force is within easy reach.
The report of the secretary of the
interior, with accompanying docu-
ments, presents au accurate account of |
the business of the department. A
summary of it would be too extended
for this place, and | ask your careful
to the report itself.
An important question for The pres
ent session is the management |
of our Indian affairs. While this ques-
ton has been cause of trouble and |
embarrassment from the infancy of |
the government, it is but recently that
any effort has been made for its solu-
ton, at once serious, determined
and consistent, and promising sue
cess. 1t has been easier to resort to
make-shifts for tiding
over temporary difficulties than TO
graphic with the great paramount
lrnhlenl and nnnnrdin rrlrr thn nnr;n,. |