The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-12-08

that the fee system as applicable to the COM
pensation Of United States attorney, marshals,
clerks Of federal courts and United States COM
missioners should be abolished with as little
delay as possible It is clearly in the interest
Of the community that the business Of the
courts both civil and criminal shall be as small
and as inexpensively conducted as the ends Of
justice will allow.
The system is therefore. thoroughly vicious
which makes the compensation OF court ON
cials depend upon the volume OF such business
and thus create conflict between a proper ex-
ecution Of the law and private gain, which can
not fail to be dangerous to the rights and free
dom of the citizen an an Irresistible tempta-
tion to the uniusu6ed expenditure OF public
funds. II in addition to this reform another
was inaugurated which would give to United
States commissioners the final disposition OF
petty ofienses within the grade Of m sdemean-
ors, especially those coming under the internal
revenue laws, great advance would be
made toward a more decent administration Of
the al law.
In my first message to congress dated Decem-
Der 8, 1885, / strongly recommended these changes
and referred some hat at length to the evils OF
the present system. Since that time the GRIM
inal business of the federal courts and the ex-
pense attending it have enormously increased
The number of criminal prosecutions pending
in the circuit and district courts of the United
States on the lSt day Of July, 1885, was 8J8, Of
which l, 1884 were for violations Of the internal
revenue laws, while the number of such prose-
cutions pending the 1St day of July 1898,
was 9, 800 in which 1870 were for violations of
the internal revenue laws The expense of the
United States courts exclusive Of judges salar-
les for the year ending July 1, 1885, was e. s74,
73a IL and for the year ending july 1893, S4,52s,
656sI 1t is, therefore, apparent that the
reasons given in 1888 for q change in the manner
Of enfor cling the federal criminal laws have
gained cogeney and strength by lapse of time.
also heartily join the attorney gen raj in
recommending legislation fixing DEGREES OF
murder within federal jurisdiction, as has been
done in many of tn st ties, authorizing writ OF
error on behalf Of the government in cases
where final judgment is nde ed against the
suffciency of an Indictment or aga nst the
government on any other question arising be.
70 actual trial: limiting the right of revie in
case Of felony nishable only by fine and i'm.
prisonment to the circuit court of appeals, and
making speedy D. ision for the construction
Of such prison and reformatories as may be
necessary for the confinement of United States
convictS.
Post Office Department.
The report OF the postmaster-general con
| tains detailed statement Of the operations OF
the post office department during the last fl s.
cal year and much information touching this
important branch of the public service. The
business of the mails indicate with absolute
certainty the condition Of the business Of the
country, and depressions in financial affairs in
evitabiy and quickly reduces the postal reve-
nues. Therefore larger discrepancy than
usual between the post ONCE receipts and ex-
penditures Is the expected and unavoidable re-
suit OF the depressing strlngency which has
prevailed throughout the country during much
OF the time covered by the postmaster-gener
ais report
At a date when better times were anticipated
1t was estimated by his predecessor that the
deficiency on the 30th dav of June, 1898, would
be but little over 81, $4,000 1t amounted
however, to more than 100000. At the same
time and under the influence OF like anticpa
tion estimates were made for the current fiscal
year ending June 30, 1884, which exhibited a
surplus of revenue over expenditures of $S72,-
24a II, but now in view of the actual receipts
and expenditures during that part Of the cur
rent fiscal year already expired the present
pos tmas ergeneral est ma es that at its close
instead of a surplus there will be deficiency
of nearly 90, ,000. 900
The post office receipts for the last fiscal yeal
amounted to SIS, ,816 ,aS3 16 and its expenditures
to ssl. .074, lo4 90 This post office deficiency
would disappear or be immensely decreased II
less matter were carried free through the mails
an item of which is upward Of three hundred
tons of seeds and grain from the agricultural
department The total number OF post Offices
| in the United States on the Soth day Of June
1893, was 6s,4o4, an increase of 1,2s4 over the
preceding year. and Of these $500 were
presidential, an increase in tina
| class OF 2N over the preceding
| fortytwo free delivery Offices were added
during the year to those already existing
making total of 800. and ten cities and towns
provided with free delivery on June 81, 1898
ninety-t three other cities and towns are nov
entitled to this service under the law, but 4
| has not been accorded them on account Of in
| sufflcient funds to meet the expense OF its es
| tabushment. I am decidedly of the opinion
| that the provisions of the present law permit.
ipfr ~ I, 10 faot
| service as is necessary and justihable and tina
| it ought not to be extended to smaller com
munities than ara now designated
The expense of free delivery for the fsca
| year ending June 30, 1884, will be more thar
81, 100 0U0 and under the administration nov
| existing there must be a constant increase IL
| the item of expenditures. There we're 6, AL ad
dftions to the domestic money order office:
during the last fiscal year, being the largest in
| crease In any year since the Inauguration o
| the system. The total number of these offices
| at the close Of the year was ls, 1884, There were
| IL, ,30s, 735 money orders issued from these OF
| fees, being increase over the preceding
year Of 1.240, 293 and the value of these order.
amounted to sl27, ,576, ,433 s., an increase Of 81,
| sos. .632 SO. There were also issued during the
year postal notes amounting to &l2, ,903, ,O76 IL
During the year ls5 international mon or
der offices were added to those q ready pro-
| vided, making a to al OF .407 in operation OF
June %, 1893. The numbsr Of internationa
| mo ey orders issued during the year was Loss,
| 993, an increase over the preceding year of ~,
525 ani the value SIG 34i S57 SO, an increase
of 81, ,22l, ,b0a 81. The number Of orders paid wa
| 3C0,9l7, on increase over the preceding year o
| 13 500 and their value was g. 283, 375, an in
crease S9I IO9Ls3 From the foreg ing state
ments 1t appears that the total issue Of money
| ord rs and postal ties for the ear amouneet
to el56, ,s2i. 342 ~
Th e number Of letters and packages mailed
| during the year for special delivery was 1915,
693. an increase over the preceding year o.
nearly % per cent The special delivery staml
used upon these letters and packages amounted
to 1881, $50 30 and the messengers fees paid fo
their delivery amounted to syst, 6,59171, leaving
| profit to the government of 80 956 SO The rail
way mail service not only adds to the prompt
ness Of mail delivery at all oflces, but 1t Is the
| especial instrumentality which puts the smaller
and way places in the service on an equality il
that regard with the larger and terminal of1ces
This branch of the postal service has, there
| fore, received much attention from the post
master general, and though it Is gratifying tt
know that 1t Is 10 q condition Of high efficiency
| and great usefulness am led to agree with
| the postmaster-general that there is room fol
Its further improvement There are now con
nected with the post ofice establishment q, ,S
| employees who are in the classified service, ant
| the head Of this great depart Ient gives con
elusive evidence of the value OF civil service
| reform when, after an experience that render
| his judgment absolutely reliable, he expresse
| the opinion that without the benefit OF thi
! system it would be impossible to conduct tn
vast business intrusted to him
| The Interior Department.
| The secretary OF the interior has the super
vision Of so many important subjects that hi
| reports are Of special value and interest o.
| the 3olh day OF June, 1893 there were on tn
| pension rolls 9SS0I2 names, an increase OF 50.
| 81 over the number on the rolls June 50, 1892
OF these there were seventeen widows ant
daughters Of revolutionary soldiers the SUI
vivors OF the war of 1879, 45 widow Of soldier