The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-12-04

| fchuuy cHtcuNc TOT any 0cfNtcr Whicn
 they may be called upon to perform.
 In access of the extent of
 the territory under protection without
 diminishing the security heretofore af-
 forded to any locality. improves the
 discipline. training and esprit de corps
 Of the army. besides considerably de-
 creasing the cost of it's maintenance. Though the forces of the department
 of the east have been somewhat in- creased. more than three-fourths of the
 army Is still stationed west of the
 Mississippi, This carefully matured policy, which secures the best and
 greatest service in the interests of the | general welfare from the small force comprising our regular army. should
 not be thoughtlessly embarrassed by
 the creation of new and unnecessary
 posts through acts of congress to grat- fly the ambitions or interests of locali- ties. While the maximum legal strength of the army Is 25.o00 men, the effective strength. through various causes, Is but little over 10000 men. The purpose of congress does not, SAoies sSth " pS tuhy uhtaAtNa by the existing conditions. While no con- siderable increase in the army is in my
 judgment demanded by recent events, the policy of seacoast fertilization, In the prosecution of which we have been steadily engaged for some years, has | so far developed as to suggest that the effective strength of the army be now nlo1a af 1aact a1na1 fn the legal | strength. Measures taken by the de-
 pertinent during the year, as indicated. have already considerably augmented the effective force, and the secretary of war presents plan which I recom-
 mend to the consideration of congress, to attain the desired end. Economies ef- fected in the department in other lines of its work will effect to a great ex- tent the expenditure involved in the proposition submitted. Among other things this contemplates the adoption of the three battalion formation of regiments which for several years has
 been indorsed by the secretary of war and the generals commanding the army Compact in itself, 1t provides a skeleton organization, ready to be filled out in the event of war, which is pe- | culiarly adopted to our strength and requirements; and the fact that every other nation, with a single exception, has adopted this formation to meet | the conditions of modern warfare, should alone secure for the recommen- dation an early consideration. It is hardly necessary to recall the fact that in obedience to the commands of the constitution and the laws, and for the purpose of protecting the property of the United States aiding the process of federal courts and removing lawless instructions to the performance by the government of it's legitimate functions, it became necessary in various locali- ties during the year to employ a. con- siderable portion of the regular troops. The duty was discharged promptly, courageously and with marked discre- ton by the officers and men, and the most gratifying proof was thus afford ed that the army deserves the com plete confidence in its efficiency and discipline which the country has at all times manifested.
 The skill and industry of our ord nance officers and inventors have, it is believed, overcome the mechanical ob- stacles which have heretofore delayed the armament of our coasts, and this great national undertaking upon which we have entered may now proceed as rapidly as congress shall determine. With supply of finished guns of large calibre already on hand, to which addi- tions should now rapidly follow, the wisdom of providing carriages and emplacements for their mount cannot be too strongly urged.
 THE JUDICIARY.
 The report of the attorney-general notes the gratifying progress made by the supreme court in overcoming the arrears of it's business and in reaching condition in which it will be able to dispose of cases as they arise without any unreasonable delay. This result is, of course, very largely due to the successful working of the plan inaugu- rating circuit courts of appeals In respect to these tribunals the sugges- tion is made, in quarters entitled to the highest consideration, that an ad- ditional circuit judge for each circuit would greatly strengthen these courts and the confidence reposed in their adjudications: and that such an addi- ton would not create a greater force of judges than the increasing business of such courts required. I commend the suggestion to the careful considera- tion of the congress. Other important topics are adverted to in the report, accompanied by recommendations, many of which have been treated at large in previous messages. and at this time, therefore, need only be named. refer to the abolition of the fee system as a measure of compensa- ton to federal officers; the enlargement of the powers of United States commits sioners, at least in the territories. the allowance of writs of error in criminal cases on behalf of the United States, and the establishment of degrees in the crime of murder. A topic dealt with by the attorney-general of much importance is the condition of the ad- ministration of justice in the Indian territory. The permanent solution of what is called the Indian problem is probably not to be expected at once, but meanwhile such ameliorations of present conditions as the existing sys- tenn will admit of ought not to be neg lected. I am satisfied there should be a federal court established for the ter