New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-04
TO DO AWAY WITH FEES.
THE UPDEGRAFF BILL CONSIDERED BY
THE HOUSE.
TT PROVIDES FOR PLACING UNITED STATES DIS
TRICT-ATrORNEYS AND MARsHM.s ON
FINED SALARIES, THEREBY EFFECT
ING LARGE SAVING IN
COURT EXPENSES.
fnY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.1

COURT EXPENSES
tnr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIEuNE.l
Washington. March 3.-The House Of Repre-
sentatves to-day devoted the time to the discussion
of the Updegraf bill to abolish Official fees OF
United States district attorneys and marshals and
substitute fixed salaries therefor. and to revise and
reduce the fees Of United States court commits
sioners The bill is proposed by the judiciary Com
mlttee as q amendment TO the Legislative Apnro-
praton bill Mr. Updegraf supplemented his ehec-
tive speech Of yesterday In explanation and ad-
vocacy of the provisions of the measure. and the
remainder OF the day consumed In general de-
bate There is considerable opposition to the amount
of salary proposed for attorneys and marsha.s In
number OF the jud!cla. Districts and efforts vii be
made TO amend the bill to increase the amount
In each OF the
Some of the members who spoke to-day ex-
pressed the opinion that the measure did not go FAR
enough. and they proposed that the fees of clerks
OF courts ana commissioners should be abolished
and salaries substituted. Several OF them we're In
favor Of aboshng fees Of deputy marsia.s also.
II Is understood that OF the Clerks OF courts
have suddenly become anxious TO have the fee
system abolished and fixed salaries adopted for them
also They evidently fear that their own fees VII
diminish To such an extent after the attorneys
and marsha.s placed on salaries that salaries
would be preferable 10 them. The trainers or the
bill however. decided that II would not be wise 10
attempt too much reform in single measure.
The debate to-day an interesting one to the
lawyers who members of the House many OF
whom have personally become wel-lnformed In
regard to the abuses Of the present system in the
course of their practice in United States courts
and before court commissioners.
Mr. UpdosraR G,ep.. IowD. who reported the
amcnim "a an Independent measure. further
explained It's provisions and the reasons actuatng
the Committee the judiciary In coming to the
conclusions expressed In the bill The saving in
-. no. he sal arO
TO about $500 but this he counted the least Of
tho benefits resulting from the operations OF the
law The great saving would come In other ways,
/ fewer cases In and fewer terms OF courts.
and relief from harlsslng AMI burdcnsome prose-
cutions
Mr. Sulzrr Dem. y. " asked Mr. tpdegraN II
United states Commissioner j. \. Shields. Of the
Southern District OF NcwYork. was exempted from
the b.ll.
why he's the very fellow we're after" answered
Mr. Tplcs.an Under the bill no man can hold
two Offices Eu, there is no exception made In the
bil IN favor Of against any individual Commits
sloncr" Mir y'tasgran said he hal received tele-
cram from a former member Of the House which to
his mind was significant. II read that II marshals
and attorney were put on salaries. clerks or the
courts would be ruined unless they, too. were sal
arled How VIII this amendment ruin clerks?
aske! Mr. Updcgran. "Wlll IT burn down their
hobltatlons or affcc, their ocks with disease? Not
at ALL But II it be ruin to prevent officials from
Numbering the Government and taking money from
their fellow citizens by vexatious and baseless
prosecutors then wish every official. National and
State were rulrod. That If exactly the ruin this bill
| is Intended to bring about" The BILL he said. In
closing had no partsanshp in 1t. and had received
the earnest support OF Attorney-"eherai iiriioh
and the Department OF Justice
Tho amendment was further advocated by Messrs.
swanson Dem, Va). McRae Dem. Ark) Brown
nep.. Tenn and Burton (Rep. MOI. Most of the
sneakers EXPRESSED regret that the bill did not go
further and put United States Commissioners in the
list Of saIarled officers believing that that step
would do more to discourage and prevent frivolous
and urv,rranted prosecutions than any other, but
,hcv were willing to take the amendment as the
hest thing that could be obtained at present
Mr. Hartman Rep Month while giving his APP
nrova 10 the purpose and principle Of the amend
ment attacked the inequalities OF salaries carried
in the measure. These Inequalities ne Asserted al
fecied the officials IN Montana meet seriously r o
,nnt ~ fees 10 the Treasury. but the salaries
| nroylded In the bill for the attorney ana inarsldI
iSr ,nat ave TWO lie gave notice that ne would
move series OF amendments intended to correct
Mr.. Gardner Hep., n. j. followed in similar
strain saying that no member OF he C9n n on
House The basis which the scheIu OF salaries
proposed had been arFnngea IN ,he me- a wav as
Mr.. Giilett CRep Mass) explained for the com.
in view OF what constituted fair. adequate salary
in the district for which II was provided ana also
| In view OF what the official had done. he recog.
| nized ana admitted the practical impossibiity or
nr~naring n bill which reduced Incomes or otcials
| All over the country that would meet the approval
| OF ali the members OF the House. but SAID that the
com,uttt.e had done the best Il could. Against
! hIs PERSONAL opinion the committee had follower
the old System OF making the salary OF the marshal
in onv Il stric, the same as that of the attorney,
the result being inequalities ana NJ parent discr,h-
nations but they were due ony 10 the policy oi the
| committee and not It's intent $780,, , .
| e;encral debate the amendment was closed ny
| "
| lion lie charged that the Internal revenue system
was responsible for the growth or the abuses com
,laInel of in the enforcement or the law ana whlcn
iIe am endment l. intended to cure. He would well
| come he said the day when the entire system
| sbouid be wiped or the statute books.
| At 5:ij O'Clock the committee rose senate JOINT
| solution was agreed TO motion OF Mr.. Baker
,nen \ I'D authorizing the Secretary OF war TO
rn,,iriuso The State Of Ncw-Iinmpshre the flag OF
| The llfn Regiment OF that State
| At $50 o'clock the House adjourned.