The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-13
IN THE SENATE.
The Fec System In United States Courts
Denounced on All Sides.

Tho Fec System In United States Courts
Denounced on All Sides.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Feb. IA
There was an unusually full attendance
on the Republican side of the senate
chamber to-day. us Mr.. Morrill,. chair
man of the finance committee, had
given notice Of motion to take up the
tariff bill.
Mr.. PETER (Pop., Kas) came forward
with a lengthy resolution proposing
u senate investigation OF the circum-
stances OF all recent bond issues.
The resolution proposes special
committee OF Ave senators and gives
comprehensive directions as to the
scope OF the inquiry, the dealings with
syndlcates, ETC., the effect of such deal
ings and explicit information as TO the
purchasers OF bonds, rates and all at
tendant circumstances.
Mr. Morrill, asked that the resolution
go 10 the finance committee, but u went
over by the rules until tomorrow.
Among the favorable reports present.
ed was one on Mr.. Hale's bill making
February IL (Llncoln's birthday a ma
tIonal holiday.
The project for memorial bridge
across the Potomac river, connecting
Washington and the old Arlington
property. in Virginia, was passed.
The consideration Of the urgent de-
flcIency bill wRs then resumed.
The item OF $4,000 for salaries OF
judges and officers OF the federal courts
in the Indian Territory brought out
protest from Mr.. Chandler. Two OF the
judges (Springer and Kilgore) are ex-
members OF Congress. and had gone TO
the Indian Territory with all the ex-
travagant notions engendered by life
in Washington and membership in
billion dollar Congress"
Mr.. Chandler also criticised the grow
ing expenditures under the department
OF justice. These had trebled In ten
years with little increase in business.
The senator pointed out that the last
Congress, Democratic in both branches
and with u Democratic President, had
appropriated S675,000 for United States
marshals and made It necessary TO pro-
vide 81, 1870 900 for deficiencies for United
States marshals. Mr.. Chanler declared
that the fee system was responsible for
the growing extravaganza OF federal
"cOurt officers. He spoke OF consplracles
In Alabama, South Carolina and else
where to get up fraudulent prosecu-
tions to swell the fees Of officers.
This brought Mr.. Tiiiman tDeFn.,
S. C.) to his feet for a characteristic
speech. He argued with Mr.. Chandler
that the fee system was wrong. a
supreme court judge had recently
pointed out that court officials were en-
Outraged to get up fictitious prosecu-.
tIons. There is class OF habtual
witnesses in the south. They do Moth
ing but earn witness fees, going
around ''bamboozling negroes and get
ting whole teams OF negroes TO prose-
cute fictitious cases"
Mr. Sherman spoke OF the enormous
cost Of our government system, which
arose in part from the complication OF
appropriation bills. Mr.. Sherman
urged that the t1idget system IN use In
England was far simpler than that OF
the American and could be probably
Nfr. Vest spoke Of the robbery and
plunder" practiced by United States
marshalls in order to earn fees. There
we're coterIes and rings OF these mar
shals who made It a trade to go around
arrestlng men and dragging them
hundreds of miles to Jail. not for pur-
poses OF justice. but to swell marshals'
fees.