The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-08-07
THE FUNERAL.
Adjournment of Congress.

The first session of the forty ninth Congress
adjourned on Thursday afternoon, after a
sitting covering exactly eight months.
Of this time the Senate was in session l64
DAYS and the House 1856 days. During that
time there were introduced in the two houses
10, POP measures, of which 10, Ola were House
bills and PA House joint resolutions, and 2, S91
bills and SO joint resolutions of the Senate.
The measures proposed for enactment into
laws exceeded in number by 2, $40 those intro
duced at the first session of the Forty eighth
Congress, which sat for seven months and four
days, or l65 days of actual working time.
The total number of measures that passed
both houses was 1,101, being 241 Senate bills
and $50 bills which originated in the House;
1,O95 of these were received by the President,
and of that number 814 were approved, 157
became laws without the Presidents sigma
ture, lis were vetoed. and 8 failed for want
of signature at time of adjournment, ten days
not having expired since they reached the
President The number of measures vetoed
during the session was four more than have
been vetoed from the foundation of the gov
eminent to the beginning of the session just
closed. While nearly all of the vetoed bills
of the Senate were reported back from COM
mittees with the recommendation that they
pass, notwithstanding the Presidents objec-
ton, and while similar action was taken on
some of the House bills, only one Chat grant.
ing pension to Joseph Romiser) was passed
by the two houses over the veto. The con-
sideration 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 ses-
sion in addition to the regular appropriation
bills are as follows: The presidential success
sion bill, providing for the succession to the
office of President of the members of the cab
met, in case of the removal 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 mar
cotics; to legalize the incorporation of national
trades unions; the oleomargarine bill tit pro-
Yides for tax of two cents pound on imita-
ton butter, aud requires that the packages
containing it shall be branded and stamped);
the bill for the increase of the navy lit pro-
vides for the construction of two seagoing
double-bottomed armored vessels of about six
thousand tons displacement, one protected
double bottomed cruiser of from 5000 to 5000
tons displacement, one first-class torpedo
boat, and for the completion of the four
double-turreted monitors now being con-
structed. 1t appropriates 81, SOC, 900 for the
construction of these vessels and 81 ,000, 900
for armament); to reduce the fees on domestic
money orders for sums not exceeding five
dollars from eight cents to five cents; for the
relief of Fitz- John Porter; to forfeit the lands
granted to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Company, and restore the same to settlement;
to increase to SD month the pensions of
widows and dependent relatives of deceased
soldiers and sailors; to direct the commits
sioner of labor to make an investigation as to
convict labor
In addition TO the foregoing, the subject
matter of various special bills has been
enacted into law in the several appropriation
bills as follows: In the agricultural appropri-
alton bill, directing the commissioner of agri-
culture to purchase and destroy diseased ami
mails whenever in his judgment it is essential
tn-F-ouost- the spread OF FSlonra- pnenmnnia
from one state to another. In the legislative
appropriation bill, creating the office of as
sistant commissioner of Indian affairs In the
sundry civil appropriation bill, authorizing
the Secretary of the Treasury to Issue silver
certificates in denominations of one, two and
five dollars; also appropriating $40, 600 for the
establishment of an industrial home in Utah
for women who renounce polygamy, and for
their children.
Among the important measures which,
after debate, were defeated in the house in
which they originated, are the following =
The Senate bill to increase the efficiency of
the army; the House (Band) bill for the free
coinage Of silver; Senator Ya9ce's bill to re-
peal the civil-seryice act.