The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-12-14
Continued from Page Six.
of the government in Cal
e that statute.

Judicial Procedure.
One great crying need in the United
States is cheapening the cost of litiga-
ton by simplifying judicial procedure
and expediting final judgment. Under
present conditions the poor man is at
a woeful disadvantage in a legal con-
test with a corporation or a rich op-
ponent. The necessity for the reform
exists both in United States courts
and in all state courts. In order to
bring it about, however, it naturally
falls to the general government by it's
example to furnish a model to all
states. A legislative commission ap.
pointed by joint resolution of congress
to revise the procedure in the United
States courts has es yet made no re-
port.
l am strongly convinced that the
best method of improving judicial pro.
cedure at law is to empower the SUI
preme court to do it through the me.
dunn of the rules of the court, as in
equity. This is the way in which it
has been done in England.
Relief Of Supreme Court From Un.
necessary Appeals.
No man ought to have as a matter
of right a review of his case by the su.
preme court. He should be satisfied
by one hearing before a court of first
instance and n review by a court of
appeals. The proper and chief useful.
ness of the supreme court, and espe-
cially the supreme court of the United
States, is in the cases which come be.
fore it so to expound the law and espe-
cially the fundamental law-the con.
stitution-as to furnish precedents for
the inferior courts in future litigation
and for the executive officers in the
construction of statues and the per.
Torrance of their legal duties. There
fore any provisions for review of cases
by the supreme court that cast upon
that court the duty of passing on ques-
tions of evidence and the construction
of particular forms of instruments, like
indictments or wills or contracts, de-
cisions not of general application or
Importance, merely clog and burden
the court and render more difficult it's
higher function, which makes it so i'm.
portant a part of the framework of
our government. The supreme court is
now carrying an unnecessary burden
of appeals of this kind, and l earnestly
urge that it be removed.
Judicial Salaries.
l further recommend to congress the
passage of the bill now pending for
the increase in the salaries Of the fed.
eral judges, by which the chief justice
of the supreme court shall receive ST..
500 and the associate justices ST., 900,
the circuit judges constituting the Cir
cult court of appeals shall receive $10,.
600 and the district judges $4,000. The
positions they occupy ought to be filled
by men who have shown the greatest
ability in their professional work at
the bar, and it is the poorest economy
possible for the government to pay
salaries so low for judicial service as
not to be able to command the best
talent of the legal profession in every
part of the country.
Wiping Out Of Postal Deficit.
For many years there has been a
deficit in the operations of the post
Office department which has been met
by appropriation from the treasury.
The appropriation estimated for last
year from the treasury owe and above
the receipts of the department was
81, 500, 900. am glad to record the
fact that of that SIT, 500, 900 estimated
for $11,500,00 were saved and return.
ed to the treasury. 1t is gratifying to
report that the reduction in the de-.
felt has been accomplished without
any curtailment of postal facilities.
Upon the recommendation of the
postmaster general 1 have included in
the classified service all assistant post.
masters, and l believe that this giving
a secure tenure to those who are the
most important subordinates of post
masters will add much to the efficiency
of their offices and an economical ad-
ministration.
The unrestricted in which
the franking privilege is now being
used by the several federal services
and by congress has laid it open to Sc.
rious abuses.
With respect to the parcels post, l
respectfully recommend it's adoption
or all rural delivery routes and that
eleven pounds, the international limit,
be made the limit of carriage in such
post. The p%ostofice department has a
great plant and a great organization.
reaching into the most remote hamlet
of the United States, and with this
machinery it is able to do a great
many things economically that if a
new organization were necessary it
would be impossible to do without ex.
travagant expenditure. That is the
eason why the postal savings bank
a be carried on at a small additional
cost and why 1t is possible to incor.
porate at a very inconsiderable ex-
pense a parcels post in the rural de.
livery system.