The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-08-12

the Senate, 10 wait upon the President and In
form him that Congress was ready 10 adjourn,
provided he had no further communications TO
make.
The remainder Of the time in the House was
spent in passing such bills as Members were
able 10 call up by unanir&us consent Few bad
the temerity to attempt this without FIRST
cuddling NJ. Holman. who stood al his post as
the obicctor 10 the last moment. He was as
powerful as the President himself Anything
he did not like the looks Of was promptly We
toed aud that was the end Of il. A single OBJ
lection well stuck 10 was as good rs hundred.
Whenever there WAS an opening 20 Members
were on their feet, shaking their bills in the
air and shouting " Mr.. Speaker" Happy was
lac whosecuTed recognition and, having placated
the Indiana statesman, succeeded IN getting has
/ bill through.
The actual closing was exceedingly tame II
was a sort Of peterng out. Everybody watched
the dial and nc the instant the hands indi-
Gated o'clock the Speaker with few fare
well remarks, brought down his gavel and de-
clared the first session OF the 10Th Congress as
an end.
The Senate did but little business. Several
recesses were taken just to pass away the time.
The Senators had plenty Of time 10 have gone
down and played game of base ball. The only
disturbance IN the Senate was created by Mr..
Riddleberger, of Virginia, who made a most
ridiculous and unseemly exhibition of himself.
Ii is enough TO say in explanation that he
would, probably, avoid such performances by
joining the Prohibition party and living up to
its principles. When Mr. Harris, of Tennes-
see, offered resolution complimentary TO Mr..
sherman for the ability and impartiallty with
which he had presided over the Senate Mr..
llawley being in the chair, Mr.. Riddleberger
loudly objected 10 il, voted no and then called
for a quorum. A friend led him 10 an ante
room, where he was soon asleep on a sofa.
lain -, A NJ an a,a1
made a few farewell remarks. The Chamber
was so quiet it seemed like a preacher pro-
nOnnoing the benediction. Mr.. sherman began
a little too early. His speech was not as long
ms ho thought IL was, and did not hold out to
cover the time. AT two minutes before
he declared an adjournment.
WORK OF THE SESSION.
The session began on Monday, Dec. z, 1885,
and covered period Of seven months and %
days, or 2iI days, exclusive of Sundays. OF this
Time the Senate was in session l6i days and the
House lo5 days. During that time there were
introduced i'm the House I00l4 bills and PA
joint resolutions, and in the Senate ,S9I bills
and So Joint resolutions, or a total for the two
Houses OF I3,202. The greater number were
measures of private nature, or Of local inn
portance only, sncn as relief and pension bills.
bills for the erection Of public buildings, for
bridging rivers, etc
The total number Of measures that passed
both Houses was l,10l, being 24l Senate bills
and $50 bills which originated in the House.
OF these l,095 were received by the President,
and Of That number SlA were approved l57
became laws without the Presidents signature.
lis were vetoed, and nine failed for want Of
signature at time Of adjournment 10 days not
having expired since they reached the Pres-
dent. OF the new laws 746 were House meas
ures and 2il Senate measures. The laws that
became such by Limitation were, with two
exceptions, private pension aud relief bills.
or the measures vetoed by the President &c
were Senate and 81 House bills. Twenty-eight
OF the Senate bills vetoed were private pension
bills. Three were for the erection of public
buildings at Dayton, o.; Sioux City, Iowa, and
GAINESVILLE, o.. one was TO grant TO railroads the
right Of way through the Indian reservation
in northern Montana; one TO make Springfield,
Mass. port Of delivery; one 10 provide that
the bodies Of psupers criminals, and strangers
dying within the District of Columbia un-
claimed within a speci fed time after death,
shall be turned over TO the medical colleges,
one to quiet title TO settlers on the Des
Moines River lands, and one TO provide for the
construction Of bridge over Lake Champlain.
OF the II House bills disapproved by the
President. "a were private pension bills and
three were for the erection of public buildings.
The proposed public buildings were for Ashe-
vile, n. C.; Duluth, Mimi, and Springfield,
Mo.
The number OF measures vetoed during the
session was four more than have been vetoed
from the foundation of the Government 10 the
beginning of the session Just closed. While
nearly all OF the vetoed bills of the Senate were
reported back from committees with the rec
ommendation that they pass, notwithstanding
the Presidents objection, and, while similar
action was taken on some of the House bills,
only one that granting a pension 10 Joseph
ROmiser) was passed by the two Houses over
the veto. The Dies Moines River bill passed
the Senate over the veto, but failed to receive
! the requisite tw0-thrds vote i'm the House.
| Motions TO pass the bills 10 grant pension TO
! Mary Anderson and TO 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.
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. providing
! fOr the succession TO the office of President Of
the members of the Cabinet i'm case Of the re-
moval, death, resignation, or inability of both
the President and Vice President.
To provide for the study of the nature and
effect Of alcoholic drinks and narcotics.
To remove the charge of desertion against
soldiers who re-enlisted without having first
| received discharge from the regiments in
which they had previously served
To logalize the incorporation of National
| Trades Unions
To give the receiver Of a national bank the
power 10 buy in any property Of the bank sold
under foreclosure when necessary 10 protect his
/ trust.
TO provide that surveyed lands granted to
railroads conterminous with completed portions
! Of such roads and in organized Counties shall
not be exempt from local taxation on account
| OF the lien Of the United States upon them for
the cost of surveying, selecting or conveying
them. IL also makes provision for selling such
| lands on the refusal or neglect of the companies
10 pay costs Of survey.
The 0ie0margaFine bill, providing for a tax
OF two cents pound on imitation butter and
requiring that the packages containing IL shall
be branded and stamped.
The ball for the increase Of the navy. IL nro-
Vides Tor the construction of two seagoing
double-b0ttomed armored vessels Of about 6 OO1
tons displacement; one protected doub!e-bot-
toned cruiser Of from 5000 10 5000 tons dis
placement; one frst-class torpedo boat, aud for
the completion Of the four double-turreted
monitors now being constructed. IL appropri-
atcs - ,5O00D9 for the construction of these
vessels and 81 100000 for armament.
To provide that homestead settlers within
the railway limits restricted 10 less than 100
acres Of land shall be- entitled TO have their
additional entries patented without any further
cost or further proof Of settlement and cultiya.
ton.
TO reduce the fees on domestic money orders
for sums not exceeding s., from eight cents u