New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-09
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
ADJOURNMENT OF CONGRESS,
oN THE WHOLE A FRUITFUL SESSION.
SOME OF THE IMPORTANT LAWS PLACED UPON THE
srATUTE-BooK-HARD WORK OF THE COMMIT.


SOME OF THE IMPORTANT LAWS PLACED Upon THE
sTATUTE-BooK-HARD WORK OF THE COMMIT.
TEES.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUyEJ
WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-After a session lasting
2f7 days the XLVIIth Congress has come TO what
Mr. Hiscock in speech the other day, inadvert-
emily but not inaptly, styled "a day Of judgment"
This has been the longest single session Of Congress
since 1876, when the Democrats in the House
spent 254 days chiefly in partisan investigations.
The first regular session Of the XLYth Congress,
which lasted 1919 days was preceded by special
session of forty-seven days which closed
Only Two days before the beginning Of the
regular session so that virtually Congress sat as
long at that time, lacking day, as it has this
session. comparison of the amount of work done
in the first session of the XLyIIth Congress with
that in the long session of each of the three pre-
cedng Congresses results greatly to the advantage
Of the former.
The labors of the first session of the XLIVth
Congress, which lasted 254 days. represented on
the statute book by 176 public acts, i56 private
acts and "a joint resolutions-tOtal 350. The spe-
cial session and the first regular session of the
XIVth Congress lasted 246 days and they
are represented on the statute book by $50
public acts, 229 private acts and AZ
joint resolutlon--total 424. During the whole Of
the XLVIth Congress- which sat in all 3sS days.
457 laws we're placed on the statute book At the
present session, 25l public acts. 233 private acts
and S4 joint resolutions have become laws making
a total of 56S IL l more than were enacted dur
ing the whole of last Congress. OF the private
acts, 161 grant pensions to individuals named
therein, and 72 for the relief of individuals.
In the last Congress four bills vetoed, while at
this session three have met the same fate.
The session which has just closed has been un-
usually prolific in measures Of National Importance
and interest, as well as of such as are manly OF
local consequence. A bill making a reapportion-
ment of Representatives has become a law; the
Chinese question has been taken out of politics;
tribunal for the adjudication Of the remainder OF
the Alabama claims has been created; stringent
law against polygamy has been placed on the
statute book; the inability of Congress TO deal
with the tariff having been demonstrated
by tine failures of the last six
years, Tariff Commission has been created
and is now dealing with that subject provision
has been made for the continuance and security OF
the National banking system; three per cent re-
funding act has been passed; law designed for
the comfort and protection of immigrants during
the voyage to America has been enacted bill to
regulate immigration and 70 prevent the land
ing of foreign paupers and convicts has be-
come law; law to promote the efficiency
of the Life-Saving Service has been enacted;
a reform in the system of public land sur
veys has been initiated and the future cost
of such surveys reduced one-third; provision for
reorganization of the Navy and for the building of
ships of war has been made; the compulsory re-
tirement system for the Army has been adopted;
important and necessary amendments TO the law
regulating extradition of criminals have been
passed more efficient and liberal provisions for the
civilization and industrial education OF Indian
youth have been made; the Government has as
serted it's right of eminent domain in the Indian
TerritOry the lettcr-carrer and railway mail
vice have been placed on better basis
a law relating 10 the tonnage measurement of
American vessels, and placing them on the samc
footing with the vessels of other countries in for
eign ports, and several other measures looking to
the revival of American commerce have been
adopted. and joint select committee has been ap-
pointed TO inquire into and report upon the cond-
ton and wants of American shipbulldIng and ship
owning interest An error in the Revised Statutes
which threatened the destruction of the important
and growing knit goods industry has been corrected
The list might be made much longer. but it al
ready contains the titles of greater number of I'M
portant acts of general legislation than is TO be
found in the list of laws passed ~ any other
Congress during the last six years. great many
important measures. which have not become laws,
have been wholly or partially matured IN COM
mittee and many OF them have passed one or the
other House. The committees of the Honse sub,
mitted TO that body during session l,Sll
written reports. The amount OF Work
by all the leading committees was
enormous; some OF tein lelu
during a large part of the session. To take single
example, the House Committee on Elections-not
the most laborlOus committee of that body either
held thirty meetings Ill full session and eighty
two meetings of subcommittee, aud its members
were required TO examine 10000 pages OF printed
evidence and TO read 300 pages OF legal DIlels ana
cases submitted to them.
IL must be conceded that, whatever may be the
and shortcomings of this Congress idleness Is
not among them; and, while 1t has not done
all that expected of IT. much has
been accomplished, while among the laws
il has placed on the stature book is unusually
large proportion Of measures OF National impor-
tance. SAID the Hon. Edward Mcpherson TINS
spOndent:
Tins has been as clean session as have ever
seen do not think the lobby has succeeded in any
ac of affirmative legislation whatever; and. If it
has exerted any influence upon legislation, 1t mas
been of a negative sort Not single act has passed
that | consider JOB; for even the river
and harbor appropriations Will be honestly
expended for the purposes specified IN the law. On
the whole think the irst session of the XLVllth
Congress has been fruitful aud satisfactory one."