The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-06-27
CONGRESS

| IH6 btbSlOu bulno BOOu huN J"uAN'NN"
things were done, and of course, as usu-
al, many were left undone that should
have been attended to. 1t may be said
in honor of this Congress, that the great
jobs which sought its sanction, that the
U. s. Treasury might be depleted, utterly
failed. The lobby did not control this
session. ...
At this session very liberal ideas pre-
vailed as to the appropriation of public
moneys for improvement purposes, and
the aggregate amount will probably very
nearly reach that appropriated by the
last Republican Congress. This was
done under the mistaken idea that it
would "set in motion the wheels Of in
dustry." That is, that collecting taxes
with one hand and paying them out
with another, for purposes of general
utility or Importance, would benefit the
people at large. We can't see it in this
light, and the "wheels of industry" in
this section will not be accelerated by
what Congress has done in this line.
While the Democratic House has gone to
the outer verge of liberality in its appro-
priations, it has shown a keener sense of
economy than the Senate, which is the
stronghold of the jobbers, All the appro-
prialion bills were largely increased by
theSenate, and in conference committees,
in the usual course of splitting the diff
ferences, the appropriations were regu'
larly increased over the original House
figures,
The financial legislation of the session
was important. First came the Silver
bill, passed over the Presidents veto
The Act of May 3lst prohibited the can
collation. and retirement after that date
of legal tenders, and provided for the re.
issue of notes redeemed or received into
the Treasury under law. An act approx.
ed May I'd prohibited the further coin.
age of the twenty cent silver piece.
The repeal of the resumption law fail.
ed in the Senate, and the bill making
greenbacks receivable for custom duties
after October 1st, after it had passed the
House, and been approved in another
form by the Senate, 1t will probably go
through at the next session.
The Thurman Pacific Railroad legisla-
ton was important, as evidencing a pur-
pose to exact from the railway corpora
tions, which were omnipotent with the
Republicans when in control of both
branches, rigid compliance with their
contracts with the Government. Under
the Thurman bill the Pacific Railroads
are required to pay to the United States
annually a sum sufficient to liquidate
their indebtedness NOW nearly 100000.
000) when it becomes due twenty years
hence. Penalties are provided in case of
failure, and the Government reserves
the right to alter or repeal the law at any
time. The railroad attorney, Jim Blaine
fought against all this. This one law
will redeem the session from much odi-
um.
The bankrupt law was repealed by the
act of June 9TH, the repeal taking effect
Sept. 1st, cases instituted and pending in
any court prior to which date not being
affected, In respect Of all pains, penal.
ties and forieitures incurred under exist.
ing acts before Sept, lst, or thereafter,
under any provisions of acts kept in force
&C., the acts repealed continue in full
force and effect ill the cases are fully dis
posed of.
The appropriations for the Indian SER
vice reach about $5OOO0OO, but the SEN
ate refused to concur in the House prop
osition to transfer the control of the bu.
reau to the War Department.
The Army Appropriation bill leaves
tie strength unchanged, but reduces the
allowance for quarters, and abolishes all
extra allowances, as for fuel and forage.
No promotions are allowed during the
year on the staff, nor on the line above
he grade of captain. The force on the
Texas border remains, and the posse com
tatu8 section is added, declaring that it
shall not be lawful to employ the army
ls posse to execute the laws, except
employment is expressly au-
.horized by the Constitution or act of
Congress and the money appropriated
shall not be used to pay the expenses of
.roops so employed. This legislation
iustains the position of the Democrats in
he FOrty.fourth Congress, when the
army bill failed, because the Senate re.
used to acceptthe section prohibiting the
lse of the army in controlling the cleo
ions in the Southern States,
The Naval appropriations are very
arge, reaching in the aggregate some
what over nine millions, a large portion
If which is to meet deficiencies caused by
Robeson's Wasteful and corrupt manage
nent of the department under Grant.
The Halifax award, on the Canadian
fishery claims, of $55OOOOO, after being
,nce defeated in the House, was passed
,y, being attached to one of the appro.
riation'bills. The Roach subsidy was
defeated, as also all the other subsidies
ind loans of credit asked by railroad and
jteamship lines.
This Congress has but three months
more of active official life. The next
Congress, we believe, will be Democratic
n both branches-in the Senate certain
y and the House prObably-and then
We can look for harmonious action be-
ween the two branches, and a definite
md determined Democratic policy in
public affairs, with the legislative power
o carry it out.