The herald., 1894-12-04

tho su preme court in ovsrcong the ar
resrs OF its business and In kohlng
condition in which il will be \ls TO DIS
pose OF cases as they arise wAout any
unreasonable delay. TIM rssult
10 OF course very largf dus
to tha successful workingbf th'
| plan inaugursting circuit courl Of ap'
peal. In rsupect to these trihnale
suggestion Is made. in quarters phtied
to tho highest consideratioA that
an additional circuit judge Tor
each circuit would greatly strekthen
these courts aud ths BONN
dence reposed In their adjudicaions,
and that such an addition woult NOS
create greater force OF judges thai the
incressing business OF srch COURT re-
quires. commen d the suggsstidn to
the careful cons liberation Of the pons
gress.
Other important topics are advsrted
TO In the report, accompanied BY recon-
mendations, many OF which have been
treated Mt large In previous messages
and at this tims therefore need only bs
named. refer to the abolition Of the
fee system as measure OF compsnsa-
ton to federal officers, the enlareemsnt
OF the powers OF tho United States com.
missioners at least in the territories.
the allowance of writs of error
in criminal cases ON behalf
OF the United States, and the establish
ment of degrees in the crime OF murder.
A topic dealt with by the attorr ey.
general. OF much importance, IL the
condition OF the naturalization, of JUS ice
10 the Indian territory. The bsgman ent
solution OF what is called tfe Inaian
problem is probably not to be expected
at once, but meanwhile such amelior.
ations OF present conditions ~ the ex-
isting systsm will admit OF, ought not to
be neglected. am satisfied there
should be federal court established for
the territory. with sufficient judges. and
that this court should sit within the
territory and have the same jourisdic-
ton as to territorial affairs ss Is now
vested in the federal courts eitting in
Arkansas and Texas.
Another subject OF pressing moment
referred to by the at.orney-genersl 10
the reorganization OF the Union Pacific
Railway coE pany on baeis equitable
aa regards all private interests and ~
favorable to tho government as existing
conditions will permit. The operation
OF u railrosd by q court through a 70.
ceiver is an anomalous state of things.
which should be terminated on all
grounds, public and private, at the
earliest possible moment. Besides not
to exact the needed enabling legislation
at the present session, postpones the
whole matter until the assembling oi .
new congress, and inevitably increases
all the complications OF the situation,
and could not but be regarded as
signal failure to eolve problem which
has practically been before the present
congress ever since its organization.
Eight years ago, in my annual mes
sage. l urged upon the congress-, 40
strongly as could, the location and CON.
struction of two prisons. for the condne-
ment OF United States prisoners. A
similar recon- mendation has been made
from tims to time since. aud few
years ago q law was passed providing
Tor the selection OF sites for these insti-
tations. No appropriation has, how
ever, been made to carry the act into
effect, and the old and discreditabls
condition atill exists.
It Ia NOT nay purpose ct this time to
repea: the considerations which make
an impregnabls case in favor OF the own.
ership and management by tho govern
ment of the penal institutions in which
federal prisoners are confined. simply
desire to again urge former recommends
ations on the subject, and to particularly
call the attention Of the congress to that
part OF the report OF the secretary OF
prison at Fort Leavenworth, KAN, can
be turned over to the government "a Q
prison for federal convicts, without the
least diff Guilty. and with An actual save
ing OF money from every point OF view.
Pending moro complete reiorm, I
hope that by the adoption OF the sug.
geston of the secretary OF war this e-Jy
s,ep may be taken In the direction OF
the proper ca.e OF its convicts by the
government OF the United States.
PosroFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
The report OF tho postmaster general
presents a comprehensive statement d
the operations OF the postoffics de-
partment for the last fiscal year. Tbs
receipts OF the department during the
year amounted to $40. .090. 479. .04, and ex-
penditures to $S4. 324, Ala 15. The trans>
actions OF the postal service indicate
with baromstric certainty the 1uctua.
tion in the bnsiness OF the country.
Inssmuch. therefore, as business com-
pications continue to exist throughout
the last year to an unforeseen extent, IL
10 not surprising there was deficiency Of
revenue to meet the expenditures Of the
postoffiGe department. which was esti.
mated in advance at about $1,000, 900.
The ascertained revenues of the Lass
year, which were the basis of calcula-
ton for the currsn. year, being less than
estimated, the deficiency for the current
year will be correspondingly greater,
though the postmaster general slater
that the latest indications are 90 favor-
able that he confidently predicts an in.
crease of at least 8 per cent of tho rove.
nues of the current year over those Of
last year.
The expenditures increase steadily and
necessarily with the growth and needl
OF the country, go that the deficiency ID
greater or less in any year, depending
upon the volume OF receipts. The post
master general states that this deficien-
cy is unnecessary and might be obvisted
at once if the Law regulating rates upon
mail matter OF the secend class was
modified. The rate received for the
transmis ion OF this second class matter
is one cent per pound, while the cost
OF such transmission to the government
is eight times that amount. In tho gem
eral terms Of the law, this rate covers
newspapers aud periodicals. Ths
extensions OF the meaning and
terms from time to time have admitted
to the privileges intended for legitimate
newspapers and periodicals. q surprising
range of publications. and created