Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-07-14
A FUTILE SESSION.


first and long session almost in vain.
1t has hardly settled a single ques-
ton which was awaiting settlement
when it met last December. We
can scarcely recall a more fruitless
and barren session. 1t has not, how
ever, like the democratic congress in
Mr.. Hayes administration, sought
quarrel with the executive upon de-
funct and barren issues. 1t has not
''made fool of itself" to the degree
which republicans hoped it might,
but it has done little to redeem the
democratic record of incapacity for
constructive and positive legislation.
1t leaves the country substantially as
it found it.
The tariff measure of Mr.. Morris
son was the bugbear and grand fail
ure of the session. All legislation
was postponed in Difference to the
pendency of this measure, which was
defeated by the coalition of the Ran
dali protectionist democrats with the
republicans. 1t was not an ideal
measure, but came as near right as
the average tariff revision. 1t was a
horizontal reduction, varied with each
schedule, which affords probably
quite as good chance at absolute
fairness and justice, as a revision
varying with every item, entailing
infinite risks and opportunities for
jobbery. But it failed because the
republicans were bound to defeat any
democratic project of tariff reform.
The Fitz John Porter bill, which
would have well closed one tiresome
controversy, was vetoed by the pres
ident and not passed. The bill for
the extension of the bonded period
for whisky was killed for the third
time in the house, to the credit of
that body, while reckless pension
legislation was checked in the senate.
Bills were signed, extending the ex-
istence of the Alabama claims COM
mission, creating the bureaus of labor
statistics and of animal industry and
dispatching a new and layishly equip
ped feet to the relief of the Greedy
colony in the Arctic. The postage on
transient second-class matter, Chat
is, newspapers, and magazines, not
from the office of publication is re-
duced by allowing three ounces in
stead of two to 90 for one cent, thus
passing some newspapers which have
heretofore required two-cent stamp.
The Dingley shipping bill is also one
| of the measures which has become
law. The senate has passed many
| excellent measures which the house
has not acted upon. 1t has ratified
the Mexican reciprocity treaty and
passed the necessary bill to carry it
into effect. 1t passed the presiden-
tial count bill of Hoar and Edmunds !;
also the Edmunds bill for a forest
reservation in Montana, all of which
fail to be acted upon in the house.
They can, however, be acted upon In
the next session of the present con-
gress, when we trust there will be
less worry over an impending presi-
dental campaign and more attention
to business. In fact the short ses-
sions of recent congresses have been
those of the greatest and best service
to the public. In the second session,
members have no worriment and tim
idity about reelection; they are al
ready reelected or defeated the an
tagonisms consequent upon the or
ganization of the house cease to ran
kle, and the members go to theil
work from the SOLDERING results of 6
political campaign.
Probably four-fifths of the bills
signed by President Arthur this SEES
sion have been private pension bills
pensioning some person named Of
increasing his or her pension. These
are usually passed on the recommend
alton of committee, but sometime!
without; this sort of personal ant
private legislation is reaching threat
ening magnitude. -Republican.