Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-13

vision. Various such schemes OF the same
general nature, but widely differing in their
special characteristics, have been suggested
in the public prints, and the arguments by
which they have been supported and opposed
nave DOUBTLESS attracted your attention It is
1 likely that the whole subject win be considered
/ by you at the present session. In the nature OF
! things 1t involves so many questions OF detail
| that your deliberations would probably be
aided slightly, if at ali, by any particular sug-
gesuons which ] might now submit. I avow
/ my belief, however, that the Government
should be authorized by law to exercise some
sort of supervision over Interstate telegraph
] Tor attaining that end some measure may be
devised which viii receive your appreciation.
| JURORS FEES.
The Attorney-G General criticises, in his re
port, the provisions OF existing laws fixing the
ices OF jurors and witnesses in the Federal
| courts These provisions are chiefly contained
IN the act OF February 20, 1855, though some OF
| them were introduced into that act from
statutes which had been passed many years
| previous. 1t is manifest that such eOmpensa-
! Tlon as might, when these laws were enacted
have been just and reasonable, would in many
instances be justly regarded at the present
| day as inadequate. L concur with the Attor-
| ney-General in the belief that the statutes
should be revised by which these fees are reg
| ulated.
ATTORNEYS AND sdARsHALs' FEES
So, too, should the laws which regulate the
| compensation OF District Attorneys and Mar
| shals. They should be paid wholly by salaries
| instead OF in part by fees, as is now the case.
| The change would prove to be a measure of
economy and would discourage the institution
OF needleSs ana oppressive legal proceedings
! which it is to be feared have in some in
stances been conducted for the mere sake of
personal gain.
PENSION FRAUDS.
Much interesting and varied information is
contained in the report of the Secretary of the
Interior. particularly call your attention to
his presentation of certain phases of the In
| dian question; to his Recommendations for
the repeal OF the presumption and timber cul-
| tlre acts, and for more stringent legislation
|
| The statutes which prescribed the definitions
and punishmentS OF crimes relating TO pen
| by certain amendments and additions which
are pointed out in the Secretary's report.
ILLITERACY.
1 have previously referred to the alarming
state of illiteracy in certain portions of the
country, and again submit for the conSidera-
ton OF Congress whether some Federal aid
should be extended to public primary educa-
ton wherever adequate provision therefor
has not already been made.
UTAH POLYGAA1Y.
The Utah Commission has submitted to the
Secretary of the Interior its second annual re-
pOrt-the result of its IabOrS in supervising
the recent election in the Territory, pursuant
to the act of March y, 1882. It appears that
the persons by that act disqualified, to the
number Of about IL, OO0.wer excluded from the
polls. This fact, however, affords little cause
for ngratulatOu, and fear that it is far from
| Indicating any real and substantial progress
toward the exit rpation OF polygamy. All OF
| the members of the legislature are NiOrmons
There is grave reason to believe that they are
| in sympathy with the practices that the GOV
ernment is seeking to suppress, and that its
efforts in that regard will be more likely to
| encounter their opposition than receive their
announcement and support Even if this
view should happily be erroneous, the law
under which the commissioners have been
acting should be made more effective by the
; | incorporation of some such stringent meas
ureS as they recommend, as were included in
bill No. 2,25S on the calendar of the Senate al
its last session. am convinced, however, that
polygamy has become so strongly intrenched
in the Territory OF Utah that it is prohtless tC
attack it with any but the stoutest weapons
which constitutional legislation can fashion
| / favor, therefore, the repeal of the act. Upon
the existing Government depends the assump
ton by the National Legislature of the entire
| political control Of the Territory, and the es
adjustment of a commission with such pow
ers and duties as shall be delegated to it By
law.
CATTLE DISEASE.
The Department of Agriculture is accom-
plishing much in the direction of the agricul
turaI Development of the country, and the re
port of the Commissioner, giving the results
of his investigation and experiments, win be
found interesting and valuable. At his in
stance, a convention of those interested in
the cattle industry of the country was lately
held at Chicago. The prevalence of pleuro
pneumonia and other conta gious diseases Of
animals was one of the chief topics of discus
sion. A committee of the convention will in
VIte your cooperation in investigating the
causes of these diseases and providing meth
DDS for their prevention and cure.
ALASKA.
trust that Congress will not fail at its pres
ent session to put Alaska under the prOtec
ton of law. It's people have repeatedly re.
mOnstrated against our neglect to afford them
the maintenance and protection expressly
guaranteed by the terms OF the treaty where
by that Territory was coded to the United
States. For sixteen years they have pleaded
in vain for that which they should have receiY-
ed without the asking. They have no laws for
the collection of debUs, the support of educa-
ton, the conveyance OF property, the admin
iStratiOn of estates or the enforcement OF
contracts None, indeed for the punishment
of criminals, except such as offend against
certain customs, commerce and navigation
acts
The resources of Alaska, especially in fur
mines and lumber, are considerable in extent
and capable of large development while
its geographical situation is one of political
and commercial Importance. The promptings
of interest, therefore. as well as cOnSidera-
tons of honor and good faith, demand the ina
mediate establishment Of civil government in
Controlling RAILWAYS.
Complaints have lately been numerous and
urgent that certain corporations controlling,
in whole or in part, the facilities for the inter
State carriage of persons aud merchandise
over the great railroads of The country have
resorted in their dealings with the public to
divers measures unjust and oppressive in their
character. In some instances the State Gov
ernments have attacked and suppressed these
evils, but in others they have been unable to
afford adequate relief because of the jurisdic-
tional limitations which are imposed upon
them by the Federal Constitution. The Ques-
ton how far the National Government NAV
lawfully interfere in the premises, and what,
If any, supervision or control it ought to exer-
else, is one which merits your careful consid-
the Importance of the vast railway systems of
the country and their great and beneficial in
aueuees upon the development of our ma
terial wealth, we should on the other
hand remember that no individual and no
corporation ought to be invested with absolute
power over the interest of any other citizen or
class of citizens. The right of these railway
corporations to award and profitable return
upon their investments and to reasonable free
dom in their regulations must be recognized,
but it seems only just that, far as its consti-
tutional authority will permit, Congress should
| protect the people at large in their Interstate
| traffic against acts of Injustice, which the
| State Governments are pOwerless to prevent.
FOREST PROTECTION.
In my last annual message called attention
to the necessity of protecting, by suitable
legislation, the forests situated upon the pub
lie domain. In many portions of the West the
pursuit of general agriculture is only made
practicable by resort to irrigation, while sue
cessful irrigation would be impossible with
out the aid afforded by forests in contributing
to the regularity and constancy of supply OF