Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-02

md well guarded charter be granted. I [
10 not think the power granted should in
Jude the one ordinarily exercised by trust
guaranty and safe deposit companies, or
hat more branches in the United States
should be authorized than are strictly nee
,ssary to accomplish the object primarily
n view, namely: convenient foreign ex-
It is quite important that
prompt action should be taken in this mat
ter in order that any appropriation for
better communication with these countries
and any agreements that may be for recip-
rocal trade, may not be hindered by the
of making Of exchanges
through European money centers or bur
dened by the tribute which is an incident
Of that method of business.
THE SUPREME COURT.
The bill for the relief of the supreme
court has, after many years Of discussion,
reached position where final action is
easily attainable, and it is hoped that any
differences Of opinion may be so harmon
lied az to save the essential features of this
very important measure. In this connec-
ton earnestly renew my recommendation
that the salaries of the judges of the Unit
ed States district courts be SO readjusted |
that none of them shall receive less than
S. 900 per annum.
VARIOUS LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED.
The enactment of national bankrupt |
law I still regard as very desirable. The |
constitution having given to congress jur- |
isdiction of this subject, it should be exer- |
cised and uniform rules provided for the |
administration of the affairs of insolvent
debtors. The inconvenience resulting |
from the occasional and temporary exer
else Of this power by congress and from
the conflicting state codes of insolvency
which come into force intermediately,
should be removed by the enactment of a
simple, inexhaustive and permanent ma
tional bankrupt law.
I also renew my recommendation in
favor of legislation affording just copy
right protection to foreign authors on a
footing of reciprocal advantages for our
authors abroad
It may still be possible for this congress
to inaugurate, by suitable legislation, a
movement looking to uniformity and in
creased safety in the use of couplers and
brakes upon freight trains engaged in
interstate commerce. The chief difficulty
in the way is to secure agreement as to the
best appliances, simplicity, effectiveness,
and cost being considered. This difficulty
will only yield to legislation which should
NC pdScu upOu LUX Inquiry duu 1MpaIIlal
tests. The purpose should be to secure the
cooperation of all we'll disposed managers
and owners, but the fearful fact that three
years of delays involves the sacrifice of two
thousand lives and the manning of twenty
thousand young men should plead both
with congress and the managers against
any needless delay.
The subject Of the conservation and
equal distribution of the water supply of
the Arctic regions has had much attention
from congress, but has not as yet been put
upon permanent and satisfactory basis
The urgency of the subject does not grow
out of any large present demand for the
use of these lands for agriculture, but of
the danger that the water supply and the
sites of the necessary catch basin may fall
into the hands of individuals or private
corporations and be used to render subser-
Went the large areas dependent upon such
| supply. The owner of the water is owner
of the lands. However the title may run,
all unappropriated natural water sources
and all necessary water sites should be
held by the government for the equal use
at fair rates of the homestead settlers who
| will eventually take up these lands. The
United States, in my opinion, should not
| undertake the construction of dams or
| canals, but should limit its work to such
| surveys and observations as will determine
| the water supply, both surface and subter-
ranean, the areas capable of irrigation, and
the location and storage capacity of reser-
voirs. This done, the use of the water and
| Of the reservoir sites might be granted to
the respective states or territories or to in
dividuals or associations upon the condi
ton that the necessary work should be
constructed and the water furnished at
| fair rates, without discrimination, the rates
1 fO hA To ann ain hxyf all
| lures or by boards of water commissioners
| duly constituted. The essentiahthing to
be secured is the common and equal use at
fair rates of the accumulated water sup
ply. II were almost better that these lands
should remain arid than that those who &C.
cupy them should become the slaves of I'M
restrained monopolies, controlling the one
essential element of land values and crop
| results.
| THE PosTALTELEGRAPH.
The use of the telegraph by the post
Office department as a means for the rapid
transmission of written communications
is, l believe, upon proper terms, quite
desirable. The government does not own
or operate the railroads, and it should not
think, own or operate the telegraph
lines. 1t does, however, seem to be quite
practicable for the government to con
does with the railroad companies to carry
at specified rates, such communications al
the sender may designate for this method
of transmission. l recommend such legis
lation be enacted as will enable the post
Office department fairly to test by expert
ment the advantages of such use of the
telegraph.
FREE AND HONEST ELECTIONS.
If any intelligent and loyal company Of
American citizens were required to cata
logue the essential human condition Of
life, do not doubt that with absolut.
unanimity they would begin with Gree
and honest elections" and it is gratifying
to know that generally there is a growing
and non-partisan demand for better cleo
ton laws But against this sign of hope
and progress must be set the depressing
and undeniable fact that election laws and
methods are sometimes cunningly con
trived to secure minority control, while
violence completes the shortcomings Of
fraud.
In my last annual message suggested
that development of the existing law pro
viding federal supervision of congress
siona1 elections offered an effective method
of reforming these abuses. The need Of
such law has manifested itself in many
parts of the country and its wholesome re
straints and penalties will be useful in all
The constituticnality of such Legislation
has been affirmed by the supreme court.
Its probable effectiveness is evidenced by
the character of the opposition that il
made to it. 1t has been denounced as if il
were new exercise of federal government
and an invasion of the rights of the states
Nothing could be further from the truth
Congress has already fixed the time for the
election of members of congress. It has
declared that votes for members of con.
gress must be by written or printed bal
lot. 1t has provided for the appointment
by the circuit courts in certain cases, and
upon the petition of certain number OF
citizens, of election supervisors, and
made it their duty to supervise the
registration of voters, conducted by
the state officers; to challenge per.
sons offering to register; to personally
inspect and scrutinize the registry lists
and to affix their names to the list for the
purpose of Identification and the proven.
ton of frauds; to attend an election and
remain with the boxes till the votes are all
cast and counted; to attach to the registry
list and election returns my statement at.
testing to the fairness of the registry and
election; and to take and transmit to the
clerk of the house of representatives any
evidence of fraudulent practise which may
be presented to them. The same law pro.
vides for the appointment of deputy
United States marshals to attend at the
polls, support the supervisors in the dis