The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-12
THE WORK. OF CONGRESS
Review OF the Measures Passed blythe
First Session Of the Forty
ninth.
Over Thirteen Thousand Measures Iuro-
duced, of Which Only Eleven
Hundred Passed.

Now that the Forty ninth Congress. has
adjourned, review of its work will prove
interesting. The first session began Mon
day, Dec. Z, 1885, and covered period of
seven months and twenty eight days, or 24l
days, exclusive of Sundays. OF this time
the Senate was in session l64 days, and
the House ls5 days. During thet time
there were introduced in the two houses
ID, 202 measures, of which 10,014 were
House bills and 2l4 House joint resou-
tons, and 1881 bills and 50 Joint resolu-
tons of the Senate. The measures pro-
posed for enactment into laws exceeded in
number by 2,949 those introduced at the
last session of the Forty eighth Con-
gress, which sat for seven months and four
days, or Lea days of actual working time.
OF the entire number comparatively few
were of what may be termed national
importance. The greater number were
measures of private nature on of merely
local Importance. The total number of
measures that passed both houses was
l,l0l, being 241 Senate bills and $50 bills
which originated in the House. Of this
total SOC became laws with the Presidents
approval, 1S1 became laws by limitation
(the President failing either 10 approve or
disapprove them within ten days after their
presentation TO him, 113 were vetoed, and
one failed by reason of adjournment with
Oat action by the President. OF the new
laws 746 were House measures and PAL
Senate measures.
OF the measures vetoed by the President
thirty-six were Senate bills and seventy
seven bills of the House. Twenty eight of
the Senate bills vetoed were private PEN
CT hills thraa for tba creation Of
public buildings, one to grant to railroads
the right of way through the Indian reser-
yation in Northern Montana, and one to
quiet title to settlers on the Des Moines river
lands. OF the House bills dIsapproved by
the President seventy-four were private
pension bills and three for the erection of
public buildings.
The number of measures vetoed during
the session was four more than have been
vetoed from the foundation of the Govern
ment to the beginning of the session just
| closed, and while nearly all the vetoed Sen
ate bills were reported back with the recon-
incubation that they pass over the veto,
| and similar action was taken on a number
of the House bills, only one-that grant
! ing pension to Jacob Romiser-was so
! passed.
The Des Moines River bill passed the
Senate over the veto, but failed to receive
/ the requisite two thirds vote in the House.
! Motions to pass the bills to grant pensions
! to Mary Anderson and Andrew j. Wilson
over the Presidents veto were defeated in
the House. The consideration of the other
veto messages has been postponed until
| the next session.
Among the measures of general impor-
lance that have been enacted into laws
during the session, in addition to the regu-
lar appropriation bills, are as follows:
The Presidential succession bill to provide
| for the study of the nature and effect of alco-
! holic drinks and narcotics to remove the charge
! of desertior against soldiers who re-enlsted
without having received discharge from the
regiments in which they had previously served
20 legalize the Incorporation of national trades
unions accepting the Grant medals and tro-
| phies to provide that surveyed lands granted
! TO railroads shall not be exempt from local tax
alton on account of the lien of the United
Stat upon them for the cost of sur
veying, selecting, or conveying them; the
oleomargarine bill; the bill for the increase
of the navy to provide that homestead set
tiers within the railroad limits restricted 70
less than 100 acres shall be entitled to have
their additional entries patented without any
! further cost or proof OF settlement and cutiva-
| ton; to reduce the fees on domestic money or
! ders FOR sums not exceeding 50 from cents 70 )
! cents; 70 allow stenn towing vessels 70 carry,
in addition 70 their crews, as many persons as
the supervising inspector may authorize for
the relief of titz-John Porter TO enable nation
| nj banking associations to increase their capital
| stock and to change their names or locations
! providing that after July l. 1856, no fees shall
be charged to American vessels for meas
| uremeut of tonnage, issuing of licenses,
| granting certificate of registry, etc, and
| amending the laws relative TO the ship
! ping and dscharging of crews the liza
| bility Of owners, the licensing of vessels, etc.
TO forfeit the lands granted 20 the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad Company TO increase TO SD a
month the pensions Of widows and dependent
relatives of deceased soldiers and sailors; 70
! amend the Revised Statutes TO require
| brewers commencing business to give II bond
in n sum equal 20 three times the amount OF
| the tax which they will be liable TO pay during
| any one month, and 70 execute a bond
| whenever required to direct the Commissioner
| of Labor TO make an investigation as to convict
| labor providing that manufactured tobacco
| snuff and cigars may be removed for export
| without payment of tax, and repeating the law
| moulding for insnectors OF tobacco.