The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-11
A REVIEW OF THE YEAR.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SUBMITS
HIS REPORT.

A Chapter Devoted to the New Cir
cult Court Of Appeals-Amendmen
OF the Chinese Exclusion Act Neces-
sary-rhe Evils of the Fee System
Again Pointed Out.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The annual re-
port Of Attorney General Miller was sub
mitted 10 congress to-day. IL reviews the
business of the United States supreme court
and devotes q chapter to the circuit court
of appeals which, he says, has been
organized in each circuit and is ready
for business, although an additional
circuit judge In each circuit has
not yet been appointed. 1t was found that
the court could be organized and such BUSH
ness as might be offered could be transacted
without such judges and their appointment
was therefore delayed until such appoint
ments could be acted upon by the Senate.
CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT.
After speaking of the well-known Difficult
ties In the enforcement Of the Chinese ex-
clusion act, he says: "If ii Is desired that
these laws should be made effective they
should be SO changed that they cannot be
misunderstood. To arrest and try such per-
sons and, as a result, simply send them back
across the British line, is shown
to be an idle expenditure of time,
labor and money, by the fact that, as
might well be expected, the same persons
have to be arrested and tried over again.
Moreover, it Is quite uncertain whether an
order requiring Chinese prisoners to be sent
back into the British dominions can be
made effective. In a recent case, origi-
mating at Fargo, the authorities of British
COLUMBIA reIuRAd To naFnfk
Cinnamon to be returned across
the border. unless upon the payment of a
$50 head tax each, which, OF course, the
marshal refused to pay. These persons we
now have on our hands and we have no way
OF disposing OF them according to law. This
subject demands prompt consideration"
EVILS OF THE FEE SYSTEM.
In chapter devoted TO the "evils Of the fee
system" the Attorney General says: "The
attention of congress has been repeatedly
called to this subject by my predecessors as
well as by myself, and we're the evils of
the system less l should hesitate TO
again ask that it be changed. AS
however, every year and month
makes more plain that the payment of
United States attorneys, rnarshals and COM
missioners results yearly in q vast expendi-
ture OF public money, not only to no good
purpose, but what Is worse, is creating and
pushing forward prosecutions with a view
solely TO make fees against persons who
ought not to be prosecuted at
all, l should fall short of
what believe my duty If did not urge a
change in the interest of the Just adminiss
tration Of the laws, as we'll as of public
economy. l believe that II these officers
were paid a stipulated salary, fairly com
mensurate with the work they have to per-
form, the total cost of the courts by reason
of the great reduction In fees and mileage
of jurors, prisoners and officers would be
greatly lessened, and that with positive i'm
provement In the administration of the
lava"
CAsR OF THE ITATA.
The Attorney General reviews the legal
proceedings in the case of the Chilean
steamer Itata, and 10 the conclusion of the
court in that case. that ii is only In the IN
terest Of government recognized as such
de jure or as belligerent, that tine neu-
trality statutes of the United States
can be violated, the Attorney Cen
eral says: "Experience shows that
IL is by unrecognized insurgents
and revolutionists, having everything to
gain and little TO loose, and often, therefore,
desperate that the neuturality obligations
are most frequently violated. Without dis
cussing the proposition that suoh a trausac-
tion is legitimate commerce. venture a
suggestion that, in the case Of serious IN
jury to commercial or other interests of a
nation with which we are at peace by ships
fitted out in our harbors, the plea OF such
non-recognition would bea very insufficient
answer before board Of arbitration or the
tribunal of just public opinion. II the con,
struction given these statutes by the trial
court shall be sustained on the appeal the
statute should, think. be amended"