The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1888-10-25
THE NATIONAL OAPITAIs;
WHAT CONGRESS HAS DONE
DURING THE SESSION.
Important Measures That Have Become
LawS-The Rejected List-General i.
Washington Matters.


Laws-Tho Rejected List-General i.
Washington Matters.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20.-The first session
i Of the fiftieth Congress, which ended at /
o'clock Saturday, was notable only for it's
nordinate length--having lasted three
weeks longer than any session in the his
tory of the country-and for its volumin-
BUS tariff debates, which also exceed greatly
any previous debate on the tariff OF the
so-called public acts a very large proper
lion are local or private in their character
There is a long list of acts permitting rail-
road companies to bridge navigable streams
and extend their lines through Indian reser-
vations, and creating corporations in the
District Of Columbia, and permitting vari-
Dus things to be done in various places and
authorizing terms Of court to be held
where they are not held now The follow
Ing list comprises about all the general acts
of much Importance passed during the SEES
sion of nearly eleven months.
The Chinese exclusion bill and a bill
specifically forbidding the re-entrance
into the country of Chinese laborers now
here
Authorizing the President to arrange a
conference between the nations of Central
and South America and the West Indies for
the establishment of international arbitra-
lion and the promotion Of commerce.
Reviving the grade Of General for the
benefit of Gen. Sheridan.
! Enabling certain volunteer soldiers who,
under treasury ruling, were denied the
S10O bounty under the act of 1872 to re-
ceive the benefits of that act.
Increasing the rate Of pension for total
deafness from $13 to $50.
Making Decoration Day holiday in the
District of Columbia.
Paying State and Territorial homes for
old soldiers $500 year for each inmate.
| Appropriating money for the erection of
q gun factory and the purchase of steel forg-
ings to be made into heavy ordnance.
Providing in the naval appropriation bill
for several new ships of war.
Establishing a statute Of limitations for
the benefit of the bondsmen Of disbursing
/ officers.
| Rendering judgments and DEGREES in fed
eral courts liens on property throughout the
State in which the court is held.
Breaking up the executive contracts Of
the Western Union Telegraph company with
the Pacific railroads.
| Limiting the hours Of work for letter-car-
riers to eight per day.
| For the division of the Sioux reservation
according to plan and on conditions which
the Indians have just rejected
| Amending the act excluding offensive
matter from the mails.
Amending the act authorizing the Post
master General to adjust the claims of post
masters for losses by fire, burglary, etc.
Establishing beacon lights on the Illiuois
river
Providing for an international conference
to secure greater safety for life and
property at sea.
Making changes in the navigation laws
| relating mainly to consular fees
For the protection Of Federal officials in
Indian Territory.
Authorizing marshals to arrest offenders
and fugitives from justice in Indian Ter
ritory.
Furnishing robbery, burglary and lar
ceny in Indian Territory
Authorizing the condemnation of land
for sites, for public buildings.
Amending the law to punish timber
depredations.
Of private bills about 500 have become
laws at this session, and of these 638 were
private pension bills, $50 of which became
laws by the Presidents signature and SO
became laws without it. The total number
of private pension bills that became laws in
the years 1SS5-'89, or since Mr. Cleveland
became President, is 1, SOL and the number
that became laws in the sixteen years from
To 1 IL.
vate pension bills of this session are two
granting pensions Of So, 900 year each to the
widows of Gems. Logan and Blair. The bill
to give Mrs. Sheridan So, 500 has not passed
the House on account Of the failure to get
unanimous consent at a time when a
quorum was present. Several Generals
widows have had their special pensions
doubled at this session. Nancy Rains. the
Oldest revolutionary pensioner, has had her
pension raised to $50 month. John W
January, the Illinois soldier who amputated
both of his own feet at Andersonville, has
had pension of 800 month given him,
and several disabled soldiers have had their
pensions raised to $72 month.
This Congress has the distinction Of voting
more money for rivers and harbors and for
public buildings than any previous session.
Inc aggregate appropriations for public
buildings amount to 1920, 10, but more
than a million of this is contingent and may
not be required. Congress provided for
twenty seven new public buildings besides
appropriating money to continue large
number now in progress of erection and to
repair and enlarge another considerable
number. Chicago gets 100000 in addi-
ton to $3.50, 900 on hand for the appraisers
warehouse.
Among the joint resolutions Of the session
were that directing the geological survey to
investigate the practicability Of construct
ing reservoirs for the storage Of water in
the arid regions; appropriating $1,000 to
prevent the introduction of yellow fever
into the United States or it's transmission
from one State to another; making appro-
priations for the representation Of the
United States at the expositions to be held
in Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, and Mel
bourne.
The bill to create a bureau of labor be-
came law at this session, but it merely
changes the organization of the existing
bureau.
MEASURES THAT FAILED