Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-07

The Work of Congress-.
REVIEW OF THE BUSINESS OF THE PRESENT SESSION.
The first session OF the 47th Congress, about to
terminate by adjournment, has been in session
over eight months Its record is made up, and it
can be said OF it that it has been an Industrious
Congress II not successful one. 1t has passed
more pension claims than any Congress which has
preceded 1t, and probably fewer private claims
AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT BILLS
OF public nature which have been passed are
the bill to extend for an additional twenty years
the corporate existence of national banks and the
bill to fund the 81 per cen: bonds into per cents
This latter bill was passed as an amendment to
the bank bill, and under its operations the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury is now negotiating the
change. The antiChinese bill is also to be credi-
ted one Of the bills of Importance passed 1t is
to be credited to this Congress- too that it has taken
the initiative to suppress polygamy and appointed
the Gentiles have fair show at the next election.
1t has also provided for the tariff commission,
wntfh Is now IN session at Long Branch collecting
Deen revived The bill under which the states
have their new Congressional arportionment was
also passed at this session. The erection OF over
thirty public buildings has been provided for at
cost OF over eight million dollars. Among the
other important bills passed are the following
An act granting the franking privilege To Lucretia
r. Garfield. This measure, approved December
20, 1881, was the first Dill passed by both Houses of
ize the preparation and publication of classiied,
analytical, and descriptive catalogue of all gov
ernnenC publ1cat10nSfrOn July 4, 1710, to March 4,
1881. Authorizing the Postmaster General
TO adjust claims OF postmaSter5 for loss
by burglary, fire. or other unavoidable casualty
Dutoh or seedsiunder the hedirection of the COmmiS-
SlOher OF Agrculture) to people in ioC,uilies uye-
flowed by the Mississippi river Joint Resolution
apprOpratng $3.50 0g0 for the sufferers by the Mis-
ssSppi floods. An act directing the Secretary OF
War to pay over to the Society OF the Army OF the
Cumberland $500, to aid I'm the erection OF a
statue or monument TO Gen. James A. Garfield.
An act to regulate the carriage Of passengers upon
ocean steamships.
IN THE MATTER OF REVENUE LEGISLATION,
nothing has been accomplished except the passage
OF the knit goods bill and the act creating the
tariff commission. The House passed bill reiuc-
ing certain internal revenue taxes, which IS now
with the Senate. The republicans or the Senate
favor the passage OF the House bill, but the demo-
Gratis will prevent this unless it is amended and
made q general revenue measure.
In the matter OF contested elections the House,
during the session, has been quite active, unseat
Ing five southern democrats and declaring one
seat vacant
During the session about to close 7.1S2 bills and
joint resolutions have been introduced in the
House, so3 OF which were reported favorably, s45
un'avorably and 6,134 remain in the hands OF the
various committees. Three hundred and three bills
become laws, and Al await the Presidents APP
prOval
In the Senate 1888 bills and joint resolutions
have Geen introduced, 4G6 OF which have been
pa ,sed by that body, and about ITO have become
laws.