New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-08
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS REPORT.
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUS
TICE REVIEWED.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE WAR REVENUE Acids
POSITION OF CAPTURED vESSELs-BETTER
GOVERNMENT FOR Alaska NEEDED.

POSITION OF CAPTURED vEssEIs-BETTER
GOVERNMENT FOR ALASKA NEEDED
Washington, Dec. 7-Attorney-General Griggs
to-day submitted to Congress his annual report Of
the operations of his Department
THE War Revenue act" he says. has been es-
pecialy productive OF doubtful questions. and
many instances of advice and direction to the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue relative 10 different
features OF that statute will be found in the report
OF that officer. The attention OF Congress is re-
specially called TO them in order that II It be
deemed necessary or advisable Congress may cor
rect any defects or inequalities in the law which
the interpretations OF the Department OF Justice
have made
VERY soon after the outbreak Of the with
Spain the Department was called upon TO take
charge OF legal proceedings for the condemnation
OF vessels and cargoes captured by our Navy as
prizes and brought into ports for adjudication.
As early as April % two Spanish vessels-the
Buena Ventura and the Pedro-were so taken, and
thereafter similar captures were made by our war
ships during the progress of the war until total
OF ffy-six vessels brought into various ports
and libelled prizes. OF this number fifty were
taken to Key West. within the Jurisdiction OF the
Southern District OF Florida: four were taken to
Charleston one to Savannah and one TO New-York.
All but eight Of the fifty cases brought In the
Florida district have been heard and decided. those
still undecided being cases OF capture during the
later stages OF the war The amount realized from
the sale of captured vessels and cargoes condemned
a prizes is Sol 034 In ten appeals have been
taken on the par: Of the claimants to the United
States Supreme Court from the decree Of tho dis
trct and now pending.
There was increase of eighteen in tho num-
Der of cases the appellate docket OF the Supreme
Court Of the United States and decrease OF sixty
two In the number disposed OF. the number
naming having been reduced thereby from SSs to
3l3
THE attention OF Congress IS called to the neces
sity OF providing complete and adequate
form Of government for Alaska Tho efforts to ad-
minister justice and maintain order in the Terri
tory with the large accessons OF population that
have recently gone into that region. restricted by
the very limited machinery provided for Alaska
In its original sparsely populated condition are at
tended with great difficulty and embarrassment.
The power of Congress to provide a form Of gov
eminent adapted to the peculiar conditions OF this
Territory Is undoubted The machinery of justice
Is entirely Inadequate There should be increase
In the number Of Judges. the number Of United
States commissioners and United States district
sioners in that Territory should be increased.
to enable them to hear and conclude minor cases
OF both civil and criminal nature. with right OF
appeal to the Territorial District Court. Much
complaint arises from the operations OF the fee
system In connection with the office OF United
States commissioner | recommend that change
in the method OF compensating these officers be
tirely by a fixed salary. and all fees covered into
the Treasury