National Republican., 1885-03-04
THE EXPIRING coNenEss.


Measures Of chief Importance
wh,rh Have Become and Arc Likely
TO Become Laws.
To-day at noon tho life of tho forty
eighth congress will close. Its sessions
have extended over period Of ten
months and seven days, although its
actual working time has been but 234
days, of which 165 days represent the
timo Of tho first session, and 65 days that
Of tho second session. Practically the
work Of the congress is now at an end. rs
there remains but to finish up the appro-
priation bills and dispose of few odds
and ends Of legislation so far advanced as
to need but little to complete them.
During tho two sessions there have
been introduced in the house S,2S6 bills
and 345 Joint resolutions, and in the Sen-
ate 2.6G6 bills and 134 joint resolutions.
House bills, about 800, have up TO the
present writing become laws with tho np-
proval Of tho executive, Ave became laws
without his approval, twenty-four have
been defeated by vote Of the house, either
by being laid on the table, rejected out
right or their consideration indefinitely
postponed. and nine have been defeated
by adverse reports from committee. One
bill WAS defeated by the veto OF tho
President, aud almost six hundred, which
were passed by tho honse, in addition to
those already enumerated. failed OF
final action in the senate. The majority
of the remaining bills were not acted
upon by the committees TO which they
were referred. OF the house joint resolu-
tions As became laws with ths approval of
the President, and 16 Others which passed
the house failed of action In the senate.
OF the legislation introduced in the senate,
about 450 bills aud 35 joint resolutions
have, up TO this writing, passed that body;
aud of these ia bills and II joint resoln-
tious were acted upon finally by the house
and became laws with the approval of the
President, ana 2 bills which passed both
houses became laws without the Presi-
dents signature. The senate acted ad-
versely upon 52l Of the bills and 1S Of the
Joint resolutions introduced in that body,
either by indefinite postponement or by
laying oil the table.
The great majority of bills introduced
In both houses related to matters not of
general Importance, such as private re-
lief and pension bills; bills embodying
claims of citizens, corporations, and states
against the government; bills for the
erection of public buildings, and bills
relating to tho conduct Of individual ma
tional banks, and large proportion of
tho bills finally enacted into laws were
private bills Of this character.
In addition to the regular annual APP
preparation bills of both sessions, and o
river and harbor bill passed at tho first
session, the following named measures
of general Importance have been enacted
| into laws:
Bills to establish bureau of labor: to
establish q bureau of animal industry.
prevent the expectation of diseased
cattle, and provide for the sup
preston and extirpation of pleuro-
pneumonia and other contagious diseases
among domestic animals; to repeal tho
test oath act of 1862; to limit to three
years the time In which prosecutions may
| be begun against persons for violation Of
the internal revenue laws; to establish q
bureau OF navigation In the treasury de-
partment; to grant letter carriers at FREQ
delivery offices fifteen days leave Of alb
sence, with pay, in each year; to provi dc
a retired list for soldiers and marin cs
who have served continuously for thirty
years or upward; to reduce the ratio of
postage on newspaper and other periodi-
calls of the second class, when sent by
others than the publisher or news agent,
TO cent for each four ounces; to remove
certain burdens from the American mer-
chant marine (tho Dingley shipping billy;
to equalize the rank of graduates Of the
naval academy upon their appoint.
ment tn tho various corps; to provide d
civil government for Alaska; to prevent
aud punish the counterfeiting In the
United States of bonds or other securities
Of foreign governments; to extend the
duration of tho court Of commissioners oi
Alabama claims; TO make all public roads
and highways post roads; to make 1t a
felony for any person to falsely personate
an officer or employo Of the United States
acting under tho authority OF the United
States. or any department thereof; Il
authorize the national academy ofscience.
to receive and hold trust funds for tn,
promotion of science and for other pur
poses; to relieve from the charge Of deser
ton certain soldiers of the late war, who
after having served faithfully until thu
close Of the war, left their commando
without leave; to provide for the location
of branch home for disabled voluntee
soldiers of tho Mexican war and war o
1872, whose disabilities were not inourre'
in service against the United States; d
reorganize the corps Of fjudge-ad vocatcs o
tho army; 70 declare forfeited certain
lands granted to aid in the construction
of railroad and telegraph line from
: Portland 10 Astoria, Greg; to reorganiz
the inspectors general department Of tn,
army; TO provide for tho ascertainment O
, claims Of American citizens for spolia
Z tions committed by the French prior I
|, July 81, 1901, by referring them to tn
court Of claims.
, Tho following measures, among other
. have boen incorporated in regular appro
priation bills, and become laws wit
, them A provision to prohibit officers O
: the government from accepting volun
I tary service for the government aud fror
q employing personal service in excess c
that authorized by law, except in cases 9
a sudden emergency involving the loss {
human life or tho destruction Of proport
incorporated in tho urgent deiicienc
bill); to appoint commission to visit th
l several countries Of Central and Sout
America to collect information as to tn
bost mode Of securing moro intimate In
ternational aud commercial relation
: between these countries aud the Unite
o States incorporated in the consular an
r diplomatic bill; to provide that hereafte
!, all estimates of appropriations aud est
. mates OF deficiencies in appropriation
0 Intended for the consideration Of congre
o shall bo transmitted to congress throug
o tho secretary of the treasury, and in Il
q other manner incorporated in the def
o cheney bils).
The following important bills have bee
sent to the President for his approva
and will doubtless be signed by him b
s fore the adjournment of congress to-da
Il hence may be considered as enacted; Bill
n to prohibit the importation and MGR
IS tion of foreigners and aliens under col
/. tract or agreement to perform labor
J, this country; to declare the forfeiture
a lands granted to aid in the construotio
y of the Texas Pacific railroad; to provit
>. for the erection of building to contai
l. the records, library, and museum of Il
medical department of the army; to pr
want tha nnioxvful naaunatinn of nuhl