The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-10


started was noteworthy event of In.
terest alike to our citizens and the
naval author of the world. The
marked succcs, of the ships in steam.
ing around the world In all weathers
on schedule time has increased respect
for our navy and has added to our ma.
tional prestige.
1t Is regrettable fact that the
higher officers are old for the respon.
siblllties of the modern navy, and the
admirals do not arrive at flag rank
young enough to obtain adequate train.
ing in their duties us dag officers.
Owing to the necessity for economy
In expenditures. | have directed the
curtailment of recommendation for
naval appropriations so that they are
thirty-eight millions less than the cor
responding estimates of last year. and
the request for new naval construction
is limited to two first class batteships
and one repair vessel.
The secretary of the navy has inau
gurated n tentative plan involving ce,
tain changes In the organization of tn I,
navy department., including the navy
yards, all OF which have been found
by the attorney general to be in ac.
cordance with law. ] have approved
the execution of the plan proposed be-
cause OF the greater efficiency and
economy it promises.
Department of Justice--Expedition In
Legal Procedure.
The deplorable delays In the admin
istratiOn of civil and criminal law have
received the attention of committees of
the American Bar association and of
many state bar associations as well as
the considered thought of judges and
jurists. In my judgment change in
public procedure, with n view to re-
ducing its expense to private litigants
in civil cases and facilitating the dis.
patch Of business and final decision in
both civil and criminal cases, consti.
tutes the greatest need in our Ameri.
can institutions. | do not doubt for
one moment that much Of the lawless
violence and cruelty exhibited in lynch.
ings are directly due to the uncertain.
ties and injustice growing out of the
delays in trials, judgments and the exc
cutions thereof by our courts.
| therefore recommend legislation
providing for the appointment by the
president of commission with author
ity to examine the law and equity
procedure of the federal courts of first
instance, the law of appeals from
those courts to the courts OF appeals
and to the supreme court and the costs
imposed in such procedure upon the
private litigants and upon the public
with view to simplifying and ex-
pediting the procedure as far as pos.
sibe and making it as inexpensive as
may be to the litigant Of little means.
The platform Of the successful party
in the last election contained the fol
lowing:
lnjunctions Without Notice.
"WeIelieve that the rules of proce-
dure III the federal courts with respect
to the issuance of the writ Of injunc-
tion should be more accurately defined
by statute and that no injunction or
issued without notice, except where
irreparable injury would result from
delay, in which case speedy hearing
thereafter should be granted"
! recommend that in compliance with
the promise thus made appropriate leg
islation be adopted Moreover, every
such injunction or restraining order
issued without previous notice and op.
portunity by the defendant to be heard
should by force of the statute expire
and be of no effect after seven days
from the issuance thereof or within
any time less than that period which
the court may fix unless within such
seven days or such less period the in
junction or order Is extended or re
newed after previous notice and op-
portunity to be heard
Antitrust and Interstate Commerce
Laws.
The Jurisdiction Of the general gov
ernment over interstate commerce has
led to the passage of the so called
Sherman antitrust law" and the ''in'
terstate commerce law" and its
amendments ne ueVelOpnenlS III the
operation of those laws call for dis.
cussion and some suggestions as to
amendments These 7 prefer to em.
body In a special message
Postoffce Department - Second Class
Mail Matter,
The deficit every year In the post
office department is largely caused by
he low rate Of postage of l cent a
found charged on second class mail
matter, which includes not only news
papers, but magazines and miscella-
neous periodicals. The actual loss grow
ing out of the transmission of this
second class mail matter ut / cent a
pound amounts to about $63, 100000 a
year. The average cost of the trans
portation of this matter is more than
cents pound. The statistics of 1907
show that second class mail matter
constituted 1891 per cent Of the
weight of all the mail and yielded
only 519 per cent Of the revenue.
The figures given are startling and
show the payment by the government
Of an enormous subsidy to the news
papers, magazines and periodicals. A