d's progress in all matters pertaining to the art of war.

The report of the Attorney-General contains the usual summary of the
affairs and proceedings of the Department of Justice for the past year,
together with certain recommendations as to needed legislation on
various subjects. I can not too heartily indorse the proposition that
the fee system as applicable to the compensation of United States
attorneys, marshals, clerks of Federal courts, and United States
commissioners should be abolished with as little delay as possible. It
is clearly in the interest of the community that the business of the
courts, both civil and criminal, shall be as small and as inexpensively
transacted as the ends of justice will allow.

The system is therefore thoroughly vicious which makes the compensation
of court officials depend upon the volume of such business, and thus
creates a conflict between a proper execution of the law and private
gain, which can not fail to be dangerous to the rights and freedom of
the citizen and an irresistible temptation to the unjustifiable
expenditure of public funds. If in addition to this reform another was
inaugurated which would give to United States commissioners the final
disposition of petty offenses within the grade of misdemeanors,
especially those coming under the internal-revenue laws, a great advance
would be made toward a more decent administration of the criminal law.

In my first message to Congress, dated December 8, 1885,[3] I strongly
recommended these changes and referred somewhat at length to the evils
of the present system. Since that time the criminal business of the
Federal courts and the expense attending it have enormously increased.
The number of criminal prosecutions pending in the circuit and district
courts of the United States on the 1st day of July, 1885, was 3,808, of
which 1,884 were for violations of the internal-revenue laws, while the
number of such prosecutions pending on the 1st day of July, 1893, was
9,500, of which 4,200 were for violations of the internal-revenue laws.
The expense of the United States courts, exclusive of judges' salaries,
for the year ending July 1, 1885, was $2,874,733.11 and for the year
ending July 1, 1893, $4,528,676.87.

It is therefore apparent that the reasons given in 1885 for a change in
the manner of enforcing the Federal criminal law have gained cogency and
strength by lapse of time.

I also heartily join the Attorney-General in reco