The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-05

Washington, Dec. THE attorney-gen-
erals annual report to Congress. made
public today. shows the affairs with
which the department of justice has had
TO deal during The past year have been
in some particulars of unusual interest
and Importance. From the figures given
the continuous growth of the business
in the federal courts is manifest
In speaking of the Supreme court. the
attorney general says that at no distant
day it will be las distinguished for the
prompEtude with which decisions arc
rendered as il was once for the delays
inevitably accompanying Them and pre-
diets that the court sin the course Of q
few years, Will be able. to dispose of IT'S
docket in d session of two or three
months. while the justices will be able
no devote a reasonable. amount of time
no the Circuit Court of Appeals, and to
thus materially add to the efficiency and
prestige of those courts
After mentioning the steadily incrsas-
ing business of the Circult Court of APP
pealS, MIR. Olney suggests that as the
circuit judge should be appointed IN tie
Seventh and Ninth circuit and possibly
in tine Sixth.
The facts concerning the claim pre-
sented by the United States to the exc
cirtrix of the estate of Leland Stanford,
is terSely stated in the report. 1t IS
California. each Stockholder of a corpor-
atfon is individually and personally Ea-
bic for his proportion of all its debts
and liabilities: that the Central Pacific
the year 1869 absorbed the Western Pa
cific Railroad company. which was also
a California. corporation.
That aid was given both corporations
by the United States in the shape of sub
Sidy bonds on account of which, and the
interest paid thereon by the United
States. there viii eventually result, when
the subsidy bonds shall nave all ma
tursd, an Indebtedness to the United
States aSSTeSat in round numbers
$50 coo, 0GG; that Leland Stamford at the
time the subsidy bonds were advanced.
owned stock in both the railroads to the
extent of One-quaTter of the indebted
ness. The report states the claim in
wolves complicated and strenuously. con-
tested questions. both Of law and of fact.
as to the merits of which it is inpOss1bis
to form amy reliable judgement II ad-
vance OF a thorough judicial investiC2--
''On this point" the attorney-generaf
says, 'Jt was plainly the duty of the
department to see that the claims, what
ever its merits or its value, was not
preJudicet by the decease of STANFORD,
and the administration OF his estate in
the probate court. The claim was pre-
scented, and except this, no action has
yet been taken. L have offered 10 bring
suit upon the claim at once Upon the de-
PENDANTS agreeing thar evidence taken
in it should he, indeed. eV 4dence in any
subsequent suit. if such subsequent suit
were found to be necessary. This prop
osition has not yet been accepted
The att1rnev-gener3l briefly reviews
the course taken by the department with
reference to the ''comnonWeaIers'
Mr.. Olney deVOtsS several pages of his
report to the Pullman strike, in the course
of which he says the relation to it OF the
department of justice was indirect and
rose only when the railroads of the
country became involved ana the passage
of the United States mails and the move
ments of interstate commerce We're inter-
fered with.
The attorrey general reviews the action
of the United States marshal under the
direction of the attOrney-general in pro
curing an Injunction from the United
States court against DebbS and his dSSO-
ciGtes and says it was hoped the vigorous
measures taken by the marshal would
prove adequate to the emergency and re-
sort to the military arm of the govern
ment would be unnecessary. The SitUa-
July 3 it had become so serious that
troops were called for and the strike ut
Chicago. so far as it involved the obStruc-
ton of United States mails and the para
lying of interstate commerce. was prac-
ticalIy broken when the United States
troops reached that city.
In commenting en- the status of the
Union Pacific Railroad company as a
creditor of the United States. reference is
made 20 the report of Hon. George HOad-
In the same connection. the attorney-gen-
PYaI quotes at length the report he made
to Congress- on April 20 last, EXPLAINING
the repetition of said report as follows:
s'AlI the reasons therein stated for i'm
mediate congressional action looking to a
reorganization of the Union Pacific Rail
vvqv company still eXiSt-indeed have only
increased in force by a lapse of time"