The Mineral argus., 1884-07-17
wozx OF
List Of the Most Important Measures
Passed By CoaErsss-Bills Not Passed.

rs.4 80 the Most Important Measures
Passed by Congrsss-Bills Not Passed.
The first session of the Forty-eighth con
gross closed on Monday last 1t has extended
ever n period of seven months and four days,
oltboreb the actual working time will not ex-
oaod ne dsvs. In that time there have been
introduced in the senate 2,5OI bills and "a
Joint resolutions, and in the house 1907 bills
and os4 resolutions. OF these, GO senate bills
ond 10 senate resolutions have passed both
honses and become laws by executive APP
nrova1 and 62 house bills and ~ house resO-
iutions became laws in the sam manner.
Three house bills also became laws without
the action of the president, and one was re-
turned to the house with his veto. OF meas
ures introduced in the senate, 36S bills and II
Joint resolutions were indefinitely postponed,
and 6 bills laid upon the table. In the house
IA bills and 3 Joint resolutions were indefinitely
postponed. A majority of the measures in
Produced in both houses related to matters not
of general importance, such as bills for pri-
yate relief and pensions, for the erection of
public buildings, the bridging Of rivers, and
other improvements only OF local importance.
BECAME LAWS.
The following measures passed both houses
and were signed by the president, in addition
to the gegular annual appropriation bills and
river and harbor bills:
The bill to reduce the rate of postage on news
papers and periodical publications o fthe second
class when sent by others than publisher of
news agent to one cent for four ounces; to pro-
vide a civil government to Alaska; to extend
the duration of court commissioners Alabama
claims until December, 1885; to prevent and
punish counterfeiting in the United States of
bonds or other securities of foreign govern
ments; to grant fifteen days leave of absence
with pay IN each year 10 letter carriers; to
authorize the secretary of war to offer u reward
of So, 600 for the rescue of the Greedy Arctic
exploration party; to establish a bureau of la
Dor statistics; to make all public roads and
highways post roads; to authorize legislatures
of the states of Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana,
and Tennessee to sell or lease certain lands APP
propriated for school purposes; to remove GER
tain burdens from the American merchant ma
rlne, commonly known as the Dingley ship
ping bill to establish a bureau of animal in-
dustry, prevent the expectation of diseased
cattle, and provide for the suppression and ex-
tirpation of pleuro-pneumonia and other con-
tagious diseases among domestic animels; to
make it felony for any person to personate any
officer or employe of the United States, or any
department thereof; to repeal the test oath act
of 1862; TO authorize the fitting out of
an expedition for the relief of Lieut..
Greedy and party in the Arctic seas; to
limit the time in which prosecutions may be
begun against persons for violation of internal
revenue laws to three years; to relieve from
charge of desertion certain soldiers of the late
war, who having served faithfully until the
close of the war, left their commands without
leave; to provide for the location in a state
west of the Mississippi river of a branch home
for volunteer soldiers of the late war, and for
soldiers of the Mexican war and tile war of
whose disabilities were not incurred in
service against the United States; to provide
for the disposal of abandoned and useless mill
tary reservations; to reOrganize the corps of
judge advocates of the army; to establish a
bureau OF navigation in the treasury depart
ment.
The following measures have been incorpor-
ated in the regular appropriation bill and be-
laws:
To appoint a commission to visit several
countries of Central and South America to col
information as to the best mode of secur-
ing more intimate international aud CONNER
relations between these countries and the
United States; to provide that hereafter all es-
Inmates of appropriations and estimates OF de-
in appropriations extended for the
consideration Of congress shall be transmitted
10 congress through the secretary of the treas
1ry, and in no other manner, to provide that
the number of deputy collectors of in
ternal revenue, gaugers, storekeepers, and
clerks employed in the internal revenue
service shall not been increased; to create a
board of pension appeals, to be appointed by
the secretary of the interior; to provide for
The appointment of a scientific commission
which may, In the name of the United States
conduct a national conference or
electricians in Philadelphia, in the autumn of
1884; to authorize the president in case if
threatened, or actual epidemic, to use the I'M
expended balance of the appropriation. not to
exceed 100000, in aid of state andlocal boards
Or otherwise in his discretion, in preventing
md suppressing the spread of the same and
maintaining quarantine at points of danger; to
the admission to government hospitals
or the insane of inmates of the soldiers home
who are now or may hereafter become insane;
% provide it shall not be lawful for the head of
IN executive department or any bureau or
branch or officers of the government to cause
o be printednor for the public printer to print
my documen or matter of any character what
except that which is authorized by law
nd necessary to administer public business,
Tor for any bureau officer to embrace in his
Innual or other report to be printed any mat
er not directly pertaining to duties of his of
Ice as presented by law to provide for the
appointment of a Missouri river commissioner
Nth powers and duties similar to those of the
mississippi river commission; to appropriate
75O,OO to pay the rebate tax on tobacco.
THE AWFTTT. CrnTTRnn