The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-11
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
Attorney General Harmon Submits
His Last Report.

Washington, Dec. 10.-A ttorney Gem
eral Harmon in his annual report to Con-
gress expresses his satisfaction mt the re-
suits, so far as obtained, of the new salary
system which displaced the old fee sys-
TEN on July of the present year.
y Very large reduction is shown In
every one OF the items which would nntu-
rally be affected by the fee system The
fees for United States marshals will show
II reduction for the year of about 800, 900
from those of the previous year. Other
reductions will lie made approximately.
Fees of jurors, $215, 306; fees of witnesses,
SSO7, 013; pay of bailifs, S94, 92O; salaries
and expenses of district attorneys, $780,
O42
The report shows that although there
was an increase during the year of fifty
in the number of cases docketed by the
United States supreme court there was
an increase of eighty. three i'm the number
disposed Of The lockcts ut the close of
the last term show II decrease of 1O7 cases
since the close of the preceding tenn
The attorney general points out two
defects in the criminal laws to which the
attention of Congress is invited. The
first, he says, is the unnecessary and un-
fortunate confusion of criminal legisla-
ton. Provisions are constantly enacted
to meet special cases. In consequence it
IL often difficult to ascertain which of
two or more laws is applicable to the case
In hand Cases arise which ought to be
covered by law, but are not.
There is IL general statute Furnishing
embezzlcment," he says, .'but there also
may he special statute furnishing en-
bezZlement in particular cases and am
not aware that it has yet been settled
whether the general statute APPLIES &c
such cases or not. There are statutes
furnishing frauds on the United States
Ill many specific cases, and there is Il gen.
eral statute Furnishing conspiracy to de
fraud the United States in all cases, but
there Is no general statute Furnishing
frauds against the United States when
committed by one man alone think
that new crime act should be passed as
speedily ns possible which would contain
provisions as simple, easily understood
ana general in their scope, covering snch
crimes as these above stated: that IL uni.
FORM system of punishment should be pro.
vlded; and that, as to cases arising in the
future, the present laws relating to these
crimes should be repealed. This work
could be easily and quickly performed by
IL commission
Many mplaints have from time Ia
time been made by private citizens and
oeherS OF combinations i'll restraint OF
trade and commerce and of alleged mo
nopolles. | have caused to be investina-
ted as well rs the means aud force at my
command permitted such of them a,
seemed to come within the scope of fede
raj authority over interstate trade and
commerce, to which alone it extends. Th,
only case, however, in which sufficient
evidence was discot cred to Justify action
was that of the Joint Traffic Association
of trunk line railways against which 4
bill was filed by the United States Jan
uary i, 1876, in the circuit court for tn,
Southern district of New York Although
the case was ably prepared and presented
by Wallace McFarlane. the United State,
attorney for that district, under my su
| pervision, the court, Judge Wheeler pre-
siding, dismissed the bill, holding that
the articles of agreement of the associa
| ton were not in violation of the law. Tn,
case is now pending in the circuit cour
of appeals for the Second district an,
+ will soon he argmcur
The Attorney General gives the stat,i,
| OF the Union Pacific Indebtedness and
recommends immediate settlement b,
| foreclosure or extension of bonds, whcl
| ever may best protect the interests of til,
| United States.
Andrews celebrated Red Ash is TIN
4 \