The sun., 1886-12-09

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
The conduct OF the department Of justice for
the last fiscal year is fully detailed IN the re-
port Of the attorney general. and invite the
earnest attention OF the congress to the same
and due consideration of the Recommendations
therein contained In the report submitted bv
this officer to the last session of the congress he
strongly recommended the erection OF peni-
tentiary for the confinement of prisoners con-
victed and sentenced i'll the United States courts: :
and he repeats the recommendation IN his report
for the last year. This Is II matter OF very great
Importance and should at once receive congress
sional action. United States prisoners are now
confined III more than thirty different state
prisons and penitentiaries situated Ill every part
Of the country. They are subjected to nearly as
many different modes of treat ment and dis
cipine, and are far too much removed from the
control and regulation OF the government, so far
as they are entitled TO humane treatment and
opportunities for Improvement and reformation.
The government is responsibla to them and so
ciety that these things are forthcoming, but this
duty can scarcely be discharged without more
absolute control and discretion than Is possible
under the present system. Many OF our good
citizens have interested themselves with
the most beneficial results on the
question OF prison reform. The general gov
ernment should be i'll situation.
since there must be United States prisoners, to
furnish important aid in this movement and
should be able to illustrate what NAV be prac-
tically done i'll the practice of reform and to
present an example in the treatment ana I'M
tion. With prisoners under its own control. the
government could deal with the somewhat
vexed question Of convict labor, so far as its
convicts were concerned, according to & plan OF
its own adoption. and with due regard TO rights
and interests OF our laboring citizens instead of
sometimes aiding in the operation OF system
which causes among them irritation and dis
content. Upon the consideration of this sub
Jecu it might be thought wise to erect more than
one OF these institutions, located in such places
as would best suit, and subServe the purposes Of
convenience and economy In transportation.
The considerable cost of maintaining these con-
victs at present in state institutions would
be saved by the adoption of the plan proposed
and by employing tnem in the manufacture OF
such articles were needed tor use by the gov
ernment quite a large pecuniary benefit would
be realized in partial return for our outlay
A NEEDED CHANGE.
again urge change in the federal judicial
system 20 meet the wants Of the people and OBJ
viate the delays necessarily attending the pre-
sentatiou of affairs in our courts All are
agreed that something should be done and
Il, uch favor is shown by those we'll able TO ad-
wise to the plan suggested by the Attorney gen
eral at the last session of the congress, and
recommended in my last annual message. This
recommendation Is here renewed. together with
another made at the same time to such i change
in the manner OF compensating district attorneys
and marshals and the latter subject Is COM
rneuded TO the congress for its action in the In
terest of economy TO the government and hu-
mani.y, fairness and justice TO our people,