Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-07

Gus and none so insidious as the corru,-
uoh OF the electorate. No one defends
10 follow that none would oppose yiror
Gus measures to eradicate it, rernm
mend the enactment of law directed
against bribery and corruption IN Fr,Irrai
ri"rtionS The details OF such a law may
ne safely left to the wise discretion OF
, a,rG no ny but II should go as far AZ
and should include severe ncnal,7a.
against him who gives or receives a hrih
intended to influence his act or opinion as
an elector. and provisions for the nubii
cation not only of the expenditures for
| nominations and elections of All c,nd;
dates but also of all contributions re-
ttlNeu ana expenditures made by r,IricaI
| committees.
Delays in Criminal Prosecutions
NO subject is better worthy the attan-
ti"h OF the Congress than that portion of
the report of the Attorney-(icnerai Gaai.
ing with the long delays and tn. preat
onsar "esi9n TO Justice experienced in thc
cases OF Beavel$, Green and Gaynor. and
heilson Were these isolated and special
cases | should not cali attention to them;
| these men who have been indicted To-,
criminal practices are not eXception,I.
they are precisely similar in kind To what
"cSufs again and again in the case OF
criminals who have sufficient means 10
enable them to take advantage Of , svs-
TEN OF procedure which has grown III,
IN IN ths Federal courts and which amounts
| IN eHect TO making the law easy of en-
| forcement against the man who has no
money. and difficult of enforcement even
TO the point of sometimes securing i'm
munity, AS regards the man who has
money. In criminal cases the writ OF the
United States should run throughout it's
borders The wheels of Justice Should no,
be clogged as they have been clocyed in
the cases above mentioned. where it has
proved absolutely impossible to bring the
Constitution for his trial. OF recent year,,
there has been grave and increasing com
plant OF the difficulty Of bringing to
Justice those criminals whose criminality
instead of being against one person in
the Repuhlir. is AGAINST all persons in
Republic itself. Under any circumstance :
and from the very nature of tn" ease il
is often exceedingly difficult TO secure
proper punishment of those who have
been guilty Of wrongloing against the
Government BY the time the offender
can be brought into court the pol.ula,
wrath against him has generally sub
sliced. and there is in most instances
dice existing in the minds OF The Jury
against him At present the interests of
che innocent man are amply saft;H rd"d;
hut the interests of the Government, tina :,
is. interests of honest Administered ton.
that is the interests of the people, are not
better warrants the attention. OF the con
cress. Indeed. no subject better warrants
the attention Of the bench and the bar
throughout the United States.
Alaska.
Alaska. like all our Teri tu:idl lcquiSi-
tons. has proved rcSoult"iGi !" N"ld the
expectations OF thos. VIII" mad IN" nun
| chase. 1t has become the hum ri many
hardy. industrious. ard thIitty American
citizens. Towns of Il prrmHise:l; "!.Ilitctcr
in minerals timber fisheries. ana agri-
culture. while great. is probably not com
pretended yet in any just m"asur, by our
people. We do knew. howerrl. th''t f:"n
| IN
: grown until Trey are 4 steady ana n1:'-
. terial contribution to the w.aitl- Of n:
Nation. Owing to thc iinmrhSiiy OF
Alaska and its location in tho far north.
il is : dificrlt matter 20 lnovid' many
things essential 10 its "rnwth and t" tho
happiness and comfort IT its pc"ir" h!
private enterprise alUIo Ii should. the"
fore. receive reasonable aid lr"til N"
Government. Tn" tiov"'rmcnt mas A.
ready done excellent work for Aia-k;'
in laying cables. and building Telegraph
lines This work has been do''' IN tn
most cconomical artt efficient WAY by tn"
Signal Corps of the Amy.
In some resp cts ii has 0utir9"wn it
present laws Will" in 9TH rs those laws
have been foun,! to BE- in;tlepua:'. IN
order to ont.tin information upon winch |
, could rely | caused al official Of n" De-
! pa rtment of Justice in whose iursTnent
, have confidence. to visit Alaska during
the past summer for tn" purpose q: as"er-
, tanning how government is adm inis;eref
there and what legislation is actually
nsdfd PrrTent 10 ~; E'tlts ct viii IN
.nrnn Observation-Disclosures and the reason.
therefor in which | strongly core n. VI
1 h. found in the annual report 90 u', ~
: tornev-GerCral In some in-'a! c''S t''
that the legislation SUgC"St'I - - 'llt
, tentatively recdeG that / am in1'-'' y, e'!:
> TO emphasize the AttorneH-'i"'ier"I pr"
Z rnder the Code of Al;skn as it nov
, stands many purely administrative row
ers and duties including by f the ne i HI
iiidg1s or upon the clerks OF the lis tric'
E court acting under the direction nl IN
q Judges while the governor. upon whGr
thnsc POWERS and duties should l"2i"Hii,
- fall has nothing specific to do "\'', .
- make annual reports, issue ThanhssisiI'i
i ! Dav procla nations. and al pom. i"nl
= policemen and notdrieS pubic ! hfhrN
. il essential to good government in Nt'sHl
and therefor recommend that me on
gross divest the district Judges ;tnd tG'
| Clorll. of III. ir courts Of tn" adrnini''tra
n tive or "xccr:iN" functions that th"y nov
9 cyrrcis.. md cast them upon the Gov !;
, mo- This would not h" an innoNa'loe, II
: world simulN conform tn" gnvtrrm"nt OF
+ NIaslla tn fundamental principles making
: the covornorship real in5t"an Or. or i a.,
: | fro 10 .iyo heir entire attention 70 theli
jidi.i-,l duties and at the sam. UNI. r.
: mnrii . them from great deal "f inc
l t,irc fb,t now embarraSscS the judicial
'' -.n commend that the salaries al
, the district Judges and district ",.o, ,.',.
i in Al.s'-a hr Increased 50 as I" En;'h'
u hon equal to those received by CORES.
n rooding officers in the nit"d Silie4 - y,
y | le,uctirE the difference IN tho cos vi
; living: that III" district attorneys Shnu,n
: he prohibited from engaging IN nr'Eau
;, pra ctice; that United States commission
"a arc he anrointod Ivy tho governor ~ IN,
:. TERRITORY instead of by the district 1nuar ,,
Il and that Il fixed salary be pr9vidan i ~,
u hem To take tn" place Of til" discr@nittT
Zee system" which should J." ahnn1 ,n ~
. in all office: that n mounted c"hstfn'hii !, ).
he created to police. tn" territory "ul Nl'' ',
- | The limits OF in"orpora ted towns M
| .l,.t1t
: ion. and that some provision he h,'u.
. | to at least lessen the Oppressive Wi"
- and costs that now attend the pfoS."u
: | ton Of arrcnls from the district court q,
. AIaslla. Tho re should he division Oh , ~.
. Visiting judicial districts. and ar inclf'"'
;, in tn" number Of jul igeS. =; IN,
~ Alaska should have 2 p"lrsa'r ia l.,s
u Congress. Where possible. the CONGRESS
: should aid in the 70 instruction % ncr ''i.e'.
wagon roads Additional lSft-n"uS'
htH,,IJ he nrovided In my Judgment. II l.
cs"ecally impoT,an t" ai ,aih,1. 'h in '" III
= ,,,.,r,rti ion of = trunk lin. of railway %
:. Connect the Gulf Of Alaska win ,n'