Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-22
US. COURT EXPENSES
Nj. Swanson on Proposed Abolition Of
the Fee System.
tourIrIcArrcNs IN VIRGINIA.
A Chain of Forts and othcr De-
fences on the Coast-biil 10
This Eject Introduced b, Mr.

providing TOT ilf thps..Sts "a
States courts The committee, on recon-
n,cnd,ns tbs bill. crl I'd the House 20 pass
a bill abohsh.hg the present fe; system.
This nrce.rita,cd debate. commenced
nv the chairman Of the committee Mr.
Cannon. ana participated in by many
others.
Mr. Swanson. Of Virginia. spoke
earnestly and forclb!y IN behalf of the
recommendation 90 abolish the Zee sys-
tom. and paying each United states ON
GER including United states attorneys
msrshais. deputy mGrshals. commissioner
ers and clerks, stated and fixed salaries
instead OF fees III showed now 'his
sreat reform would be better for the
oa,.crs. better for the government ana
better for the people. and explained that
IN. government paid these United States
officials last year largely over S'coo"-
afr. Swanson said that 25.si9 criminal
suits were adjusted last year, OF when
loss, were dismissed. discontinued. or the
aeeassd were acquitted, that tais SHOWS
that over 40 per cent OF the indictments
prosecuted In courts were fof petty ana
frivolous offences, or were bforght on
fmsy evidence. and should IrYer nave
been Instituted. us continued ma; ms
d,d no, include the suits dismissed before
The commissioners nor those when the
grand Jury refassd g. inoict. inAt II these
were included I. would show tnat over
half the prosecu;ions and expenses there
OF wefs useless and frivolous.
MIR. Swanson said thst II these useless
proceedings w.-e stopped II would save
q ~ NJ l.
sented figures showing that the govern
1nsfx recovered Tor tots van expenditure
las, wear only $iSz.d50s3 Tor nies ara
spsnaitlss and S7,tsN IN compromises
He pictured the great expense. Worry,
and annoyance 10 which the people were
subjected ~ defending cseless ana unjust
suits which the records OF the govern
rnent Itself show should never have been
brought lie discussed tie bill recently
introduced by himself 10 abolish this lee
system and demonstrated how u would
improve the service ne more Satisfactory
10 the officers ard m0rr cconomcdi 10
the government, ard remove the evils s"
widely complained Of. and which were
brought 10 light by THIS discussion.
Mr.. Swanson vas attentiyeiy listened
10. ana his speech WAS making az eN-
cellent impression when he had TO close
because OF the ffteen-miiuts limit.
CONGRESSMAN y. Gardner Tyler. OF the
Second Virginia District. Introduced two
important bills to-day. The first, Ia view
Of the rumors Of impending war, is OF
the greatest importance TO Virginia and
TO the country at large. IL provides for
a thorough and substantial range OF for
tfcat tons for capes Henry and Charles
and for a complete system Of tOtpedoes
10 be used In connection with the forts
The biz appropriates 100000 for these
purposes. and there is hardly a doubt
of It's passage
Mr.. Tyler also introduced a bill for pur-
pose that has hitherto been overlooked
that is, to allow all Mexican veterans
who afterwards served in the Confederate
army the privilege OF becoming inmates
OF the national soldiers homes. This is
the FIRST time such bill as this has been
offered, and II struck gtea: many peo-
pie that II was strange Ii had not been
done long ago. All who have heard Of
it seem to think that il will readily pass.
There are said TO be quite number Of
Mexican veterans who would BE- benefited
by IT.
STILL NO SEEDS
Virginia and North Carolina representa-
tives In Congress are still in receipt OF
large numbers OF postal-cards and letters
from farmers. asking for seeds. but. as
II has been previously stated IN this cor
respondence there are no seeds 10 be
sent them; no seeds in the Agricultural
Department. and no seeds 70 be gotten
anywhere here for farmers or anybody
else.
Recently a joint meeting Of the com
mittees on Agriculture of the Senate and
House was held, which was addressed
by Secretary Morton on this subject, and
II was then explained why the seed sup
ply had fsRen short Secretary Morton
stated that under the statute he had
advertised for seeds, giving the conditions
and provisions under which bids should be
made TO comply with the law. lie re-
ceived large number OF bids from seeds
men and agriculturists ia ali parts OF
the country. but as none OF them had con-
formed 10 the terms and limits prescribed
by the law be had TO reject all OF them.
and consequently the department is minus
seed supply, or any seeds al al.
Congressman Mckinney found IN his
mail this morning large number o. APP
piicatons, and no less than three were
from one immediate neighborhood. lie
had TO answer all Of them to the effect
that he could get no seeds
UNFAIRNEss TO MKENNEY.
One OF the members Of Elections Com
mittee no. g. Mr.. Bel, OF Texas. Is sb-
cent. having gone home on account OF
Illness In his family. As Mr. Bell is
Democrat. and there are only three Of
that party on this big committee MI
Bells absence may be- keerly felt by
Democrats whose seats are contested by
Republicans. In this connection | am
Informed to-day that Colonel James r.
Brady. Of counsel for Th9rp (lepubli.an)
against Mckinney DemocraD from the
Fourth Virginia District, has given notice
that he VIII appear before the committee
on Thursday and ask that day be fixed
on which 20 begin the heariug OF mat
case. II would be msn.SesiiS unfair to
Sir. McKenney TO begin The hearing of
this case in the absence OF MI. Bell, OF
Texas. end 10 doubt The Virginia mem
bers Of the commiitee-AIessre. Jones and
Walker-will see that his case Is post
poned until the return Of the absent
Democrat.
ANTI-pILOTAGE.
Tho Committee or shipping and Mer-
chant Marine held meeting this morn
ing and had under consideration
an anti-compuisory piiotage Di!l the
features OF which have already appeared
in the Dispatch. and which are familiar
90 It's readers. The ole guard ss they
are called--Colonsl Dick Marshal and
oscar Edwards. OF Norfolk We're on
hand as they always are when rlotage
~ up. The committee heard the argu-
ments OF the New England shippers
against pllotage. and have set next Tues
day for heading Sf che pilots and their
side of the question.
Tho busnes~-mea OF AieNaudris. APP
pointed a committee consisting Of Messrs.
Hurlomt. Ages~. ara others 20 SEES the
Afrplff1 .On~ra&Sptnu .t--. fhaa, IN