Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-07
FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE.
MIR. Pearre Tries to Have Appropria-
ton Increased.

| ZION increased
| In the House Saturday afternoon Mr..
| Pearre of Maryland made an effort to have
passed an amendment to the sundry civil
| appropriation bill, increasing the appropria-
! ton for the Office Of attorney of the United
States for the District of Columbia, by
SC, 100.
This is a great public necessity said
Mr. Pearre. Il am informed by Gen. An
| derson, the United States district attorney,
| pr ointment and distinguished lawyer from
| the state of Ohio, that he is entirely with
out the necessary legal assistance properly
| to conduct the office of the United States
district attorney. This deficiency in legal
| assistance arises from the fact that the
United States district attorneys office in the
District of Columbi;s. according 10 the re-
ports of the attorneys general for the last
ten years, does 20 per cent of all the bust
| hess done in the seventy-six judicial Cir
cults in the United States.
The district attorney has asked for this
| increase. 1t is only an increase of 81, 700
over the present appropriation or over the
| appropriation for the current year. 1t will
| be observed that this office turns in to the
| government of the United States annually,
| iii fees. $4,000 and even with this increased
| appropriation Of $500 there would still be
| Il balance in favor of the United States
| government amounting to fifteen or sixteen
| thousand dollars. as surplus out of the
! revenues arising from the office of the dis
! tr.ct attorney over and above all expenses,
| including his salary and the salary of his
| assistants.
Now sir, this office docs more business
| than the office of the district attorney for
| the southern district of New York: and
Yet the office Of the district attorney for
the southern district Of New York PAYS
$4,000 10 its assistants, against 10000 %
the assistants in the office Of the district
attorney for the District of Columbia The
| office in the southern district of New York
! Is allowed $4,000 for clerks, against s6.ul0
Eere. IL has an allowance of $1,000. while
the District of Columbia gets but 81. Stw.
his, II seems to me, Mr.. Chairman. ought
to be sufficient to induce the gentleman
from Illinois NIr. Cannon to withdraw his
point of order
There is another view to take of this
matter; that Is the varied character of the
legal business which is performed by the
district attorneys office in the District OF
Columbia.
ut has il its charge all criminal prosecu
tons for violation of the general statutes of
the United States, such as offenses against
the postal, pension and internal revenue
iiLWs' etc; a large variety of criminal
prosecutions for violations of the laws
OF the United States relating TO the
District of Columbia; civil cases against the
officials of the United States located in tb,
District OF Columbia when sued individually
IN matters growing out of their official ac-
ton Chese cases include injunction. manda-
mus and other actions brought to coerce
or prevent official proccedings}: also civil
2uI-9 W ouSht pS lhe United states on bonds
given by its officials, and the Investigation
ana examination of questions relating to
property owned or claimed by the United
states in the District of Columbia
This office does a greater variety of
business and a greater amount of business
imam any other district attorneys office In
the United States-as L have stated. 20 per
cent of all that is done in all the circuits
OF the United States. 1 urge upon the gem
tieman from Illinois, on account of the
necessity OF the matter that he Withdraw
his point Of order and permit this appro-
priation to be made. which is absolutely
necessary for the public service"
Mr. Cannon insisted upon the point Of
order and the amendment was ruled ont
The House then passed the sundry civil
Dill 1t carries a little over Sol 500 900
ABOUT SloOO.0OO more than any previous
sundry civil bill. The general 5eficiencY
and military academy appropriation bills
are now the only general supply bills unacr
ed upon by the House