The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-06
LARGER SALARIES.
For U. s. Judges Urged by Attorney
General Griggs.

Washington, Dec. 6.-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
department to have legal proceedings 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 action" the attorney general
says, can be maintained only when the
onense comes within the scope of the fed
eral statute The only federal law against
combinations in restraint of trade is con
tanned in the so-caled Sherman act of
1t VIII be observed that this statute
IS directed only against combinations or
merce among the several states or with
go INTO other branches of business or com
merce or attempt in any way to interfere
RED on exclusively within the confines
of state or which do not amount to
States supreme court is understood by
, the term Interstate commerce.
stitutiOnal right to supervise, direct or
interfere with the transaction of ordi-
states until such business relates directly
and not incidentally, to interstate com
the supreme court of the United States. 3"
The attorney general discusses this sit
the decision of the court Sustaining his
position and in conclusion. says:
In all cases where the facts presented
pToof bsI, esfSbsed fo 81 tegs 35
an agreement or combination in restraint
ed nv the SSherT1a1 act IeeaI nToceal11i -
have been taken by him in the name of
the United States either to dissolve the
combination or to punish the Offenders
on the subject of judicial salaries the
attorney general says:
a uncommon thing q a
lawyer appearing before the United States
courts in a case where his fee for one
argument exceeds the annual salary of
the judge.
The judges of the United States su-
preme and circuit and district courts are
inadequately compensated. The same is
The courts of the United states are
everywhere in the civilized world held in
the very highest repute; these judges are
paid smaller salaries than are allowed
by the states to state judges in very many
Jurisdictions I believe that an increase
of the salary of the chief justice and as
sociate justices of the supreme court to
$4,000 a year of the circuit judges to So
would be a simple measure of justice and
approved by every Just minded citizen
On the subject of Alaska, the attorney
general says
The administration of affairs in Alaska
and especially the administration of JUS
tice through the courts and court officers
Of Alaska has doubled within the year
and the civil business has multiplied four
times over. Complaints of the inadeuuacv
of the provisions esta blished for maintain
ing law ana order ana enforcing the Grim
inal statutes are universal At present
there is only one United States judge
one marshal and one district attorney for
this whole vast extent of territory. who
are not able TO dispose of one-tenth of
the business presented
He urges upon congress the necessitv of
providing for the appointment of an ad-
ditiOnal judge. an additional United States
district attorney and marshal and that
the territory be divided into two districts
He recommends that the salary Of the
district attorney. or the district attor-
neys if two are provided, be fixed at S. 900
q year.