Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-12-06
HE EXPLAINS LIMITATIONsOFS SHER-
MAN LAW OF 1890.
WANTS MORE PAY FOR JUDGES
JUDICIAL SALARIES OFTEN SMALLER
THAN LAWYERS FEES.
Attorney General Also Recommends
Establishment of Courts to Dis
pose of Public Land Claims
in New Acquired
Territory.

WASHINTON, Dec. 5.-Attorney General
Griggs, in his annual report to congress,
reviews the work of the department of
justice during the year. and then says that
application is occasionally made to the de-
partment to have legal proceedings brought
in the name of the United States against
corporations or combinations of COM
panies that are alleged to be engaged in
forming or maintaining monopolies or
agreements in restraint of trade or COM
petition.
such actions ahe attorney general says. can be
maintained only when the ofiense comes within the
scope of the federal statute The only federal Law
against combinations In restraint of trade Is con-
tanned in the so-called Sherman act OF July lsso
1T will be observed that this statute Is directed
only against combinations monopoes in restraint
OF trade the several states or with
foreign nations. 1t does not pretend to go into other
way to interfere with those transactions which are
carried exclusively within the confines Of a state
which do no: amount to what. under the decisions
Of the United States court. Is understood by
the term interstate commerce
1.-The federal government has no constitutional
right supervise direct interfere with the trans
action ordinary business by the people of the sew
eraI states such business relates directly ana
not incidentally. to interstate commerce. and such
has been the decision OF the supreme court OF the
United States
The attorney general discusses this sub
ject at some length, quoting freely from
the decisions of the courts sustaining his
position, and in conclusion says:
In all cases where the facts presented to the at
torney general capable legal proof. have estab-
Iished satisfactorily such agreement combina-
in restrain. Of interstate commerce as is con-
tempated by the Sherman act. legal proceedings
have been taken by him in the name OF the United
States. either to dissolve the combination or to
punish the offenders by indictment.
The attorney general also refers to the
many important questions which have
arisen in the administration of the gov
ernment and affairs of our new insular pos
dc of rpn
dered by him on the same.
Referring to the work OF the court OF
private land claims, the attorney general
says:
It will doubtless be necessary for congress to pro-
vide for tribunal similar to this court to hear
and dispose Of. upon such principles as congress
public lands In the recently acquired territory Of the
United States In Porto Rico and the Philippine ISL
for the determination Of questions of this kind
ought be made and legislation ought to be passed
to provide methods and restrictions under which
rights in public lands and waters in that island
can be acquired The rivers and streams. as well
as the water front the seaboard. in Porto Rico.
formerly vested in the OF Spain. and the
ownership Of them has now passed to the United
States and only be disposed of in accordance with
the will of congress. No structure or Improvement
for the benefit Of the towns cities which requires
tho use Of the waters Of the streams the shores
of the island can now be made. there is at pres
ent law which authorizes any person to grant
the necessary license permission for the
temporary diversion Of the waters whether naygabe
not.
On the subject of judicial salaries. the at
torney general says:
1t In not uncommon thing to hnd a lawyer ap-
pearing before the United States courts in case
where his fee for one argument exceeds the annual
salary of the Judge
The judges of the United States supreme court and
the circuit and district courts nadequately COM
pensated. The Is true Of those OF the Of
claims.
The courts of the United States are everywhere in
the civilized world held in the very highest repute;
yet their Judges paid smaller salaries than are
allowed by the states to state judges in many
jurisdictions believe that increase Of the SAL
ary OF the Justice and associate Justices the
supreme to 1000 year. Of the circuit court
Judges to SO 00O and the district judges to ST. 500
year would be a simple measure Of Justice and ap-
proved by every Just minded citizen.
On the subject of Alaska. the attorney
general says:
The administration Of Affairs In Alaska. and espe-
cially the administration OF justice through the
courts and court officers, Is not satisfactory The
criminal business Of Alaska has doubled within the
year and the civil business has multiplied four
times over. Complaints Of the inadequacy of the
provisions established for maintaining law and or
der and enforcing the criminal statutes universal
At present there is only United States judge one
marshal and one district attorney for this whole
vast extent Of territory who not able to dis
pose of one-tenth Of the business presented.
He urges upon congress the necessity of
providing for the appointment Of an addi-
tional district judge, an additional United
States district attorney and marshal and
the territory divided into two districts. He