The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-12-07


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
woeful disadvantage in legal con.
test with 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 its
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 as yet made no re.
port.
| am strongly convinced that the
best method of improving judicial pro.
cedure at law is to empower the su.
preme court to do it through the me.
dium 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 Il court of first
instance and one review by 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 aw-the con.
stitution-as to furnish precedents for
| the inferior courts in future litigation
and for the executive officers in the
construction of statutes and the per.
formance 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 its
higher function, which makes 1t so I'M
portant part of the framework of
our government. The supreme court is
now carrying an unnecessary burden
of appeals Of this kind and | 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 Sill
800 and the associate justices $1,000,
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
deficit in the operations of the post
Office department which has been met
by appropriation from the treasury.
Tho nnnrnnpint tn1 g., I,,A
year from the treasury over and above
the receipts of the department was
$1I,5O0,O00. | am glad to record the
fact that of that $17, 100000 estimated
for $l1 100000 were saved and return.
ed to the treasury. 1t is gratifying
to report that the reduction in the
deficit has been accomplished without
any curtailment Of postal facilities.
Upon the recommendation of the
postmaster general | have included in
the classified service all assistant post !
masters, and | believe that this giving |
secure tenure to those who are the |
most important subordlnates of post
masters will add much to the efficiency |
ministration.
The Franking Privilege.
The unrestricted manner 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.
Parcels Post
With respect TO the p1rcels post, | |
respectfully recommend Its adoption |
on all rural delivery routes and that |
eleven pounds, the international limit, |
be made the limit of carriage in such |
post. The postofllce department has n
great plant and Il great organization. |
reaching into the most remote hamlet |
of the United States. and with this
machinery 1t is able to do great |
many things economically that If
new organization were necessary II
would be impossible to do without eX-
travagant expenditure. That is the
reason why the postal savings bank
can be carried on at small additional |
cost and why it is possible to incOr-
pOrate at n very inconsiderable ex-
pense a parcels post in the rural de- |
livery system.
Peary.
unite with the secretary in the rec
ommendatlon that an appropriation
be made to construct n suitable crypt |
at Annapolis for the custody of the |
remains of John Paul Jones.