The record-union., 1899-12-06
Reeomnsnds an Increase 10 the Salaries
Of Judges Of Federal Courts.
The Chief Justice and Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court
Should Receive Twenty Thou
sand Dollars Per Annum, Cir
cult Judges Ten Thousand and
District Judges Seven Thousand
Five Hundred.

WASHINGTON, Dec. D. - Attorney
General Griggs, in his annual report to
Congress, reviews the work of the De-
partment of Justice during the year,
and then says that application is oc-
casionally made to the department to
have legal proceedings brought in the
name of the United States against cor
porations or combinations of companies
that are alleged to be engaged in form
ing or maintaining monopolies or agree
ments in restraint of trade or competl-
ton.
such actions the Attorney General
says, '.can he maintained only when
the offense comes within the scope OF
the Federal statute. The only Federal
law against combinations in restraint OF
trade is contained in the so-called
Sherman Act of July 2, 1890. 1t VIII
be observed that this statute is directed
only against combinations or monop-
olies in restraint of trade or commerce
among the several States or with for
eign nations. 1t does not pretend &c
go into other branches of business or
commerce. or attempt in any way TO
interfere with those transactions which
are carried on exclusively within the
amount to what, under the decisions
of the United States Supreme Court, is
understood by the term interstate COM
merce.'
1.-THE Federal Government has no con-
stitutional right to supervise, direct or
interfere with the transaction of or
binary business by the people OF the
several States, unless such business re-
y,af mo a
Interstate commerce, and such has been
Ethe decision of the Supreme Court OF
sthe United States
The Attorney General discusses this
subject at some length, quoting freely
from the decisions of the courts sus-
tanning his position, and in conclusion
says:
In all cases where the facts pre-
scented to the Attorney General capable
of legal proof have established sausIac-
torily such an agreement or comoina-
ton in restraint of interstate commerce
as is contemplated by the Sherman Act.
legal proceedings have been taken IN
the name Of the United States. either
to dissolve the combination or to pun
ash the offenders by Indictment"
( On the subject of judicial salaries,
the Attorney General says:
ut is not an uncommon thing to f1nd
q lawyer appearing before the United
States courts in a case where his rec
for one argument exceeds the annual
salary of the Judge. The Justices OF
the United States Supreme Court ano
the Judges of the Circuit and District
Courts are inadequately compensated
The same is true of those of the Court
of Claims.
1.-THE courts Of the United States are
everywhere in the civilized world helc
in the very highest repute, yet their
Judges are paid smaller salaries than
are allowed by the States to state
Judges in very many Jurisdictions.
believe that an increase of the salary
of the Chief Justice and Associate JUS
tees of the Supreme Court to S2O,OOO
year of the Circuit Court Judges to
$4,000. and the District Judges TO
ST 800 a year would be a simple meas
ure of justice, and approved by every
just-minded citizen" s
On the subject of Alaska, the Attor-
ney General says:
THE administration of analrs N
Alaska. and especially the admlnlstrd-
ton of justice through the courts ana
court officers, is not satisfactory. inc
criminal business of Alaska has doubled
within the year, and the civil business
has multiplied four times over. Com
plants of the inadequacy OF the pro
vision established for maintaining law
and order and enforcing the criminal
statutes are universal. At present there
is only one United States Judge, one
Marshal and one District Attorney Tor
this whole vast extent of territory, who
are not able to dispose of one-tenth OF
the business presented"
He urges upon Congress the necessity
of providing for the appointment OF an
additional District Judge, an aooilioiia !,
limited States District Attorney ana
Marshal and that the Territory be d.
yided into two districts. He recon-
mends that the salary Of the Distric :,
Attorney or the District Attorneys VS. Il L
two are provided, be fixed at so'ooo