Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-12-11
Mr.. HARM0N'S REPORT.
Declares the SALARY System Great
Successive enkness of the
inti-Irusf LnNY.

SUtcPSS-N eukneSs OF tne
inti-Trust LAW.
Washington Dec. 1O.-AttOrney General
Harmon, in his annual report to congress,
expresses his satisfaction at the results of
the new salary system which displaced the
old fee system July l. The returns, he
says. afford striking evidence of the wis
dom Of the course so long advocated which
removes the public service from some of
the common temptations to eXtravagance
and abuse. \ very large reduction is
shown in every one of the items which
would naturally be affected by the fee sys-
TEN. The fees for United States marshals
will show d reduction for the year of about
100000. Other reductions will be made ap-
proXimately as follows: Fees of jurors.
S2l5S06; fees of witnesses. $S0I07S; pay of
bdilirS 80, ,929; salaries and expenses of dis
trict attorneys, $l92, 0i2.
The report shows that although there
was an increase during the year of fifty in
the number of cases docketed by the Unit
ed States supreme court, there was an in
crease of eighty-four in the number dis
posed of. The dockets at the close of the
last terms showed a decrease of 107 cases
since the close of the preceding term.
Mr.. Harmon recommends that a new
crimes act be passed at once providing uni
form punishment for many crimes which
which lead TO unjust variation in the pun
ishment meted our for offenses of like
enormity.
on the subject of the antitrust law, the
attorney general says: The restricted
scope of the provisions of this law, as they
have been construed by the courts, makes
amendments necessary if any effective ac-
ton is expected from this department. Be-
sides, the fund at the disposal of the attor-
ney general which can be applied TO the
investigation, preparation and prosecution
of cases under this law is wholly made
quate."
The attorney general has the following
TO say IN regard to judicial processes in
Oklahoma:
Much progress was made during the
past year in reducing the great and fast
growing expenses of the federal courts in
oklahoma. These had increased from $10S.-
nI6.S5 for 1891 TO $37i no for 1895 The
traffic in certificates for witness and dep
uty marshaIs' fees. with its accompanying
decentralization. was, It is thought stopped
by the removal of the marshal January
n. 1896 which was made chiefly because
he was shown, against his denial, to have
been directly interested in the purchase
of such accounts. The number of deputy
rIarshalS was at once largely reduced
without impairing the efficiency of the
service. and reforms have been made in
pliltT ulTtCliOllS WITH "lbltStUle eueCt, so
that the total expenses for the year are
only $157.3140t"
The attorney general inveighs against
the practice of holding federal courts in
each of the twenty-five counties. He says
the business of these courts is cOmpara-
lively light, and the holding of a federal
court at one place in each district would
be entirely sufficient, and would prove to
be Il great measure of economy. 1t would
also put stop to u practice which has
ieen difficult to reach, although both Judge
Burford and his successor, Judge Tarsney,
have been fully in accord with the wishes
Of the department in this respect. He
states that a communication has been ad-
dressed to the judges, requesting their CO.
operation in arranging the United States
business at each term 50 that it can be
disposed of, as contemplated by the stat
ute. within the first week. II, however.
the sittings OF the federal courts We're lin
tied by law to only one place in each dis
trict. it is easy to see that an end would
be put to this practice.
Regarding the courts in the Indian Ter
ritory Mr.. Harmon alludcs to the COM
plants made of the character of iails in
which the marshais are compelled, for
want of better to Confiue federal prisoners,
and recommends an immediate appropria-
tion for the building of at least one good
iail in each of the three districts. He also
recommends that the provisions of the gen.
eral law in relation to United States at
torueyS and marshals he made applicable
to Indian Territory. believing that the de-
rartment will be able to secure efficient
service at reasonable cost. In fact. he says
the service will be more efficient, because
the amount of tho appropriation makes it
impossible to provide the number of mar
shals recommended by the judges. paving
each one 4 fixed salary Of 500 month.
trt4 l,a
able TO secure greater service To use it as
in other places.
Referring to the Lcaveuworth Deniten-
tiary, the attorney general says:
If the present law Is to stand which linn
its the labor of convicts to the making of
supplies for the government, the other de
partmentS should be required to order from
the penitentiary such supplies as it is pre-
pared to produce. / endcGvored TO have the
military authorities order from the peHiten-
tiary. but they refused 10 do so. prcfcrring
for some reason TO procure them else
where. and this refusal has resulted in the
almost entire lack of work for the conviCtS
Il have been unable to furnish any en-
ploymcut in the WAY Of making excava-
tionS or building foundations Of the pro
posed new peuitcntiary, because the act of
last winter setting aside q portion of the
military reservation at Fort Lcaycuworth
for a site and directing the attorney gen
erl to proceed with the planning and cree
tiou of the buildings forbade the mourning
OF any expense until an appropriation
should bc made which was not done /
was not even able to eXpend for this plr-
pose the large balance OF the appropriation
for the maintenance of the present peniten-
tiary, which, accordingly, uS shown by the
warden's report. has been covered into the
treasury. amounting to 81. @S97a
Il respectfully urge At least partial ap-
preparation to he made available at once
which will enable me to commence the pro
posed work and furnish the prisoners i'm
mediate employment"
Navajo Indian Blankets.
See Riggs collection over Kansas City
Gas Company Blankets from 81 90 up