The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-30

think Of the work itself more than Of
the contingencies. A good many ques-
lions come here, connected with the
government reservations; and we must
deal with violations Of the customs and
revenue laws, which have been pre-
scented in the courts and appealed; such
cases must be argued here"
, 'Is there anything else?"
"Yes; an important function of the
department is the supervision of all the
district attorneys and marshals
throughout the United States, as to
matters of government policy and as to
expenditures. Then we have to pass on
the titles of lands acquired by the gov
ernment. There have been, of late
years, more great constitutional ques-
tons decided in the attorney-genera's
Office than for long time previously;
such, for example, as that in which
Justice Field was concerned some time
ago"
"And are records of all these judg7
,.ments kept by the Department."
"Oh, yes" said Mr.. Miller. He part
ily turned in his seat and indicated
bookcase full Of large, leather-bound
volumes. ''There they are. And since
i have been here there have been de-
Icisions enough handed down to ell at
least volume"
I SIS it true that you exercise super
vision over all prisoners in federal
Icourts?"
"Yes, on an average there are about
10000 of such prisoners, as distinguished
from those who are confined in state
prisons. We employ examiners to in
yestigate the proceedings of all officials
concerned in the trial and sentencing
of federal prisoners, except, of course,
the judges, who are not subject to our
supervision. Most of the federal pris-
oners are such as have been sentenced
to long terms. Three-ffths of the
whole number of them are confined in
three prisons-in Columbus, in Detroit
and another. These are considered to
be model prisons. If any abuses arise
we see that they are corrected"
"And / suppose you are applied to
also in the matter of pardons?"
eyes, we have as many as ten or
twelve applications for pardons come to
us every week. It is one of the most
painful functions we have to discharge.
There is the conflict between the nat
ural desire to be merciful, and the de-
mands of duty. The applications are
first referred by the pardon clerk to
the court of the district attorney, then
a brief is made out and submitted to
me, and again submitted by me to Press
ident Harrison. He looks it over be-
fore afixing his signature. have the
appointment, by the way, of all dis
:trict attorneys. And in all matters in
which attorneys are employed in cases
at distance, have to fix the fees.
but in addition to that, there are Incl
dental and fortuitous matters for which
extra fees can be charged, and all these
have to be carefully investigated, and
any tendency to overcharge checked
This makes constant struggle for ex-
penses. 1t is irksome business, and the
system is bad one. have suggested
that it be reformed. As it is now there
is naturally an effort on the part of
case is similar in journalism between
space-writers and salaried writer's. The
former are tempted to send in as much
material as possible; the latter are only
interested to do well the work they have
to do"
SIS there any particular class of
crimes" ! inquired, (which is more
onnfhnr. - haf%
you?"
"No; not specially as to the nature of
the crime; but, for instance, we have
had more to do with the crimes COM
mitted in the territories, and especially
in the Indian territory, which was a
great hot-bed for crime. Now that
Oklahoma has been settled, however,
the courts there attend to the offenses
against law. The fact is, this is great
big law office-that's what it is-and
administrative, too
''And how much time day do you
give to the transaction of all this bust
ness, Mr.. Miller?" asked /; though my
personal ambition toward the attor-
ney generalship had been fully and
finally cured some while before.
well, get down here never later
than half-past eight, and don't get
away again before five,' was the reply.
"Yes, those are longer hours than the
clerks have to keep, but it's the same
as any law business, except that you
haven't the same option as to what
you'll undertake that you have in pri-
yate practice"
'You are an Indiana man, are you
not?" I inquired.
'T was born in New York, but I
moved out to Indiana and practiced law
there" he said. "Mr. Harrison and
came into business relations then. Since
1875 have seen Mr.. Harrison about
every day."
"Did it ever occur to you, in those
days, that you might be sitting here?"
ST never had the slightest anticipa-
ton of such thing. In fact, 1 may
say that, until within three months of
my coming here, the idea of holding
public Office had never presented itself
to my mind"
And certainly only high motive
could have induced him to accept the
Office when it was rendered to him.
W