Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1886-08-13
Official Paper of Griggs County
VALE CONGRESS.

We arc moved by spirit of charity
to remark that the congress whose first
session adjourned yesterday might have
done worse. 1t could hardly have made
itself more ridiculous. But it might
easily done more active mischief. 1t
could hardly have enacted less useful
and important legislation, but it might
passed more had bills. This is some
thing TO be thankful for. The only bill
OF large national Importance which has
become law is that to regulate the
presidential succession. The death of
Vice President Hendricks. just before
the assembling of congress. made the
necessity tor this act so lumnously APP
parent that the most egregiouslv do
nothing congress could not neglect it,
The Fitz John Porter bill was an act of
justice SO tardily and gr,l,lgingly done
as to deprive the act of any notable mer-
it. The oleomargarine bill is Il whole
some piece of special legislation to COR
rect peculiar evil. 1t was passed and
signed in obedience to a public senti
ment too strong to resist. The pension
bill strains the principle CT liberal treat
lnent Of disabled soldiers and war Wild
ows to the last degree. The bill of most
local interest to the Northwest is t.a1
dt claring that railroad lands shall not
be exempt from taxation on account of
the government lien for the surveys.
1t is perhaps a merit that the regular
appropriation bills were all passed by
session so intent upon doing as little as
possible. They have not only been
passed, but, thanks to the novel super
vision exercised by the president oyer
legislation, have been passed in well
digested form. and SO far as heard from,
without any mischievous general legis-
lation buried in them. The river and
harbor bill, has been carefully prrlned
and is more free from Objectionable
features than any similar measure for
many years. The only appropriation
bill lost is the fortification bill. This
carries viii: it. unfortunately, the usual
annual appropriations for the repair of
existing fortresses. 1t is a little strange
that the democratic house should have
insisted upon the defeat of this bill.
after passing the bill for the increase of
the navy. The two bills had the same
general purpose. but the latter has the
potency OF more fat contracts in it.
This about exhausted the productive
work Of the session. The strongest
claim Of congress upon the gratitude of
the country is revealed in the list of bills
it has not passed. Nearly all of these
are mischievous. The only conspicuous
exception IS the bankruptcy bill. for
whose passage the country has been
anxiously waiting, for several sessions
The lle emrtion repeal bill is a whole
some measure, and ought to pass. but
the demand for 1t is less urgent. The
evil measures defeated include Blair's
educational abominatiOn. the Bland bill
for the free coinage of silver. the Rea-
gan interstate commerce bill. the Mexi-
can pension bill. and Mornson's sur
plus bill and the two doubtful and ill.,
digested tariff bills. There are other
measures Of minor Importance and
greater merit, most of which go over
to another session. Probably the sing
ular and unprecedented conditions UNI
der which congress has worked lave
contributed to minimize miscilievous
legislation. Not for generations has a
president thought it necessary to watch
so closely over the work of congress as
Mr.. Cleveland. lie has lectured. check.
ed. guided and controlled the houses
like an autocratic minister. Indeed.
there is q touch Of Bismarck in his atti-
tnde. lie has vetoed more bills than all
his predecessors put together. and has
apparently signed none without close
and rigid examination. His policy in
this respect made the closing hours Of
Tie session much more decorous, and
less flaught with mlschievous leglsla-
ton than they had been in previous
years. The democratic party has more
reason to be proud of its president than