River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-08-12
Resume of a Congressional session.

camps and outfits, one hundred cords Of
wood and two hundred Thousand feet Of
| logs were destroyed.
Resume OF Congressional Session.
The first session of the Forty-ninth
congress, which ended Aug. 9TH,
covered a period of 241 days, exclusive
of Sundays. OF this time the senate
was in session lG4 days, and the house
lS5 lays. During that time there
were introduced in the two houses 49,
POP measures, of which 1904 were
house bills, and 214 house joint resolU-
/ tions. and 1881 bills and SO Joint reso-
/ proposed for enactment into laws eX-
ceeded in number By 2949 those in
/ trOduced at the first session Of the
Forty-eight congress, which sat for l6j
days of actual working time. They
covered all sorts of subjects, from the
payment of a laborer at the capitol Tor
/ extra services to the complex questions
of tariff legislation and legislation with
respect 10 national finances. Of the
entire numner comparatively few were
/ OF what may be termed of national inn
portance. A very small percentage Of
! the whole number Of bills introduced,
\ of either a general or private nature,
/ became laws. The total number of
measures that passed both houses was
/ 1.10f, being PAL senate bills and $50
bills which originated in the house. OF
4 this total, S06 became laws with the
/ presidents approval, and lSl became
laws by limitation. One hundred and
thirteen were vetoed. and one
failed by reason of adjournment
without action by the prcsi-
dent OF the new laws, 746 were house
/ The laws that became such by limita-
ton were, with two exceptions, private
pension and relief bills. Twenty-eight
of the senate bills vetoed were private
pension bills, and three were for the
erection of public buildings. OF the
house bills disapproved by the presi-
dent. seyenty-four were private pension
( bills, and three were for the erection of
/ public buildings. The number Of meas
I ures vetoed during the session was four
more than have been vetoed from tho
\ foundation of the government TO the
\ beginning of the session Just closed.
/ While nearly all of the vetoed bills of
/ the senate were reported back from
/ the committees with the recommends
/ ton that they pass Notwithstanding
the presidents objection, and while
| similar action was taken on some of
I the house bills, only one was passed by
/ the two houses over the veto. The
measures of general Importance that
have been enacted into laws during
/ the session, in addition to the regular
appropriation bills, are as follows:
/ The presidential succession bill: 30 pro
! vide for the study of the nature and effect
I Of alcoholic liquors and narcotics; TO re
move tie charge OF desertion against sol
( Z crs y Eo Re enlisted without having re-
ceiycd a discharge frl m the regiments in
I ahich they had previously served; 70
! legaliE9 ere Incorporation OF national
trades unions; 10 give the receiver or a
( Hatioua! hank tho power TO bay ia any
property of the bank sold under foreclosure
/ when necessary TO protect lis trust;
accepting the Grant medals and trophies;
( To- Eruyi jc that surveyed lands granted to
railroads coterutiuus witt the completed
portions Ot such roads and in organized
counties, shah not lie exempt from lOca
Taxation On account of tue lien Of the
U1itnd States upon them for the costs OF
surveying, selecting or conveying them.
/ "a. a 50 luatvs provision for selling such
/ Iauds on tive refusal OF neglect OF tie com
pauies "a pay costs of suIN2y); the
u!eumaj gsriae D.il; the bill for the increase
If tte NAYS; 10 provide that home
Stead settlers Wl.hlu the railroad
limits, restricted 10 less than 100 ceres
Snail be eatitied to have their
ad lj,i3nGI en- res patented without any
further c3-6 or proof of settlement aud
cultivation; . reduce the fees on domestic
Cion~v orders for sums not exceeding 50
ircdl ei4hr cents TO i've cents; for the re
lief 0f Si.z John Porter; TO prov de for the
sol, az tie GaeroEoe reservation; to eur
I atie national banking associations 10 IN
crease their capital stock and - change
then .glgss Cr jUo2Eonsi authorizing the
construct. 0v cf 81 buiiding for the accom-
mGd4ticri ef tEe congressional library; to
forfeit the lands granted TO the Atlantic q
Pacific Rairold company, and restore the
samA 90 Sett,sm N; 10 Increase TO Sl4
month ths pensions of widows ami depend
ent relatives of deceased soldiers and sail
Ors deCla ing forfeited certain land grants
made to the States of Mississippi, Alabama
and Louisiana; to increase the pensions of
the soldiers who have lost ar arm or a leg.
In addition to the foregoing. the sub
iect matter of various special bills has
been enacted into law in the several
appropriation bills as follows:
Directing the commissioner OF sgricul-
ture to purchase and destroy diseased ami
mails whenever in his Judgment it is essen
tial to prevent the spread Of pieUro-pneu
mOnia from one state into another; Great
ing the office of assistant commits si0ner of
Indian affairs; authorizing the secretary
c the treasury to issue silver certificates
in denominations Of 81, 81 and g. also APP
propriating $4,000 for the establishment Of
an Industrial home in Utah for women " no
renounce pOlygamy, and for their chill
dren.
The important measures which, after
debate, were defeated in the house in
which they originated, are as follows:
The senate bill to increase the efficiency
of the army the house Bland bill for the
free coinage of silver. aud Senator Nance's
bill to repeal the civil service act.
Among the bills upon which further
action BY congress is necessary before
they can become laws are the follow Z
ing;
The Cullom interstate commerce bill. the Z
Mexican pension bill, the bilktO repeal the I
timber culture, presumption aud desert land /
laws: the Morrison and Randall tariff bills Z
the house bill to prevent aliens from acquir- I
ing or owning Il lin any Of the territories |
the bankruptcy bill: the house bill TO term I
mate the Hawaiian treaty the anti-poiy- (
gamy bills and the Chinese indemnity bill I
Our Progress.