Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-31
Work Of the Present Congress.

WHAT Is SHOWN BN TIE SECoR!tS.
Mr.. John q. Doren, Of OAio. the index clerk
Of the House. has Completed the index to the
House journal Of the last session; also the
indexes TO the reports of committees and TO
the executive and miscellaneous documents.
Tie index to the House Journal makes nearly
$40 pages of nOnparel matter royal octave
size. There were l,ol7 different reports from
committees during the last session, making
five volumes The series of executive docn-
GeptS embrace 103 different subjects, aud
make % volumes The series of miscellaneous
documents embrace 90 different subjects, and
make volumes. The indexes to the latter
are separate from and In addition TO the ild-x
Of the House journal, which runs the gran
total OF the indeX king accomplished by Mr..
DoreE since the first of January (when he
was appointed) up to six or seven hundred
pages: The number of pages of matter or
text fndpXed amounts 10 ab ut 2S,o1|. Only
the House journal, however, containing about
$50 pages OF text, is indeXed through and
through by pages, every different subject and
name appearing on each page. leaving each
reference in the index The volumes of re
ports OF commi't tees, eXecu i've documents and
miscellaneous documents are indeXed only by
the titles OF subject matters of the documents
or reports cSnstitQting the series wi sub
made TO them by their appropriate Nos -
volumes and "palt>."
STEADY INCREASE OF CONGRESSIONAL WORK
A glance at the index of the III puSe JoIFnIl
shows that 5,22I different bills and 2D Joint
resolutions have been introduced into the pre-
sent House of Representatives and received
more or less confederation. besides several
hundred Senate bills. OF this number l77J
We're introduced at the extra session, The
IGn Der of bills introduced into the House
during the Whole Of any preceding Congr-ss
Las rarely, II ever. exceeded SIX thousand.
his shows that The present House has more
or less considered, II 1t has net disposed of. a
lar gei an ount Of business IN he tiISt half -
It's term THAN anI of its predecessors Ia the
entire team. From the foundation OF The gov
eminent, The aIGouht OF buSiless tar1su upon
IoLsleSN I'D, Shown steady Increase. OF
later Se,-rS IL Ia, been very rapid ald a0 icea
he For this reason IL lS Clatiintd 10y persons
iainiiiaf with the administration Of he busl-
less incident to legislation that the democrats
made a mistake in their rage for economy
when they cut down tie NUN Der Of clerks and
empoyeS i'll the House at the close of the Il
Congress, While the Senate acted more wl ,eiy
III insisting on their refusal TO do ST..
GENEhAL AND PRIVATE LEGISLATION.
~ far the greater part OF tne increase of
business arises from What Is known as per
ssonai legislation, in the shape of claims arising
from the late war, Tor pensions and for property
DESTROYED Claimed t. have been owned Dy
loyal citizens. 0 her causes for the increase
alt ioui iu the rapid settlement in and devei
opment of the territories, in the progress of
tie railroad and mining Interests, ana tue ma.
Gtai Increase OF trade and Commerce a. of
which involve increased government expend,-
tults on public buildings, rivers aud harbors,
and attention 10 customs, Internal revenue,
public lands, etc.
AL analyst, of the 5,227 bills and 2)l Joint
resolutions Introduced So far into the present
House, as shown by the Index, In iicafeS that
they d!e reduclble To less than SO subjects OF
general legislation, even II many that refer TO
states and territories alone be counted as gene
raj. The remaining t,721 bills we're in the in
tfreSt of individual, Societies or corporations.
They may, therefore be classified as what il
knpwn as private legislation. The amount
OF private legislation as compared with
''grne,al' Is, il will be seen, astonishing
aklng. however, the condition Of the cOun-
Try into consideration, this would seem una
scidable.
The index l. regarded At the Government
Printing ONCE WhtIe they have the opporru.
Hify of large observation and much experience
III lhe matter OF indexes, as very full ant per.
1tft. 1he whole matter of indeXipg tue journ-
ais ana documents published by Con sress has
been SD much neglected for the lack of a proper
con cepflon ot is Importance. that it mas ne
come serious inconvenience, and large
amount OF valuable m.tter contained in The
documents is thu p actcally buried