The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-03-08
A GENERAL REVIEW
OF the Work Accomplished By the
Fiftieth Congress.


OF the Work accomplished By the
Fiftieth Congress.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE Nftieth
congress ended to-day at noon. At that
hour 1t expired by limitation. The house
dissolved, but the senate, continuing In ex-
istence, meets In extra session to form new
organization and to confirm or reject such
nominations as the president may submit for
action. The Fiftieth congress win be noted
In history for four things:
First, the admission into the Union Of
four new states-North Dakota, South
Dakota, Montana and Washington.
Second. for the tariff discussion which
consumed 80 much time In both house and
senate.
Third, for thu creation of new executive
department.
Fourth, for the amount of filibustering
that took place in the house.
Undoubtedly the most important piece of
business congress disposed Of was the admis.
sion Of four new states to the Union. This
action would have been almost an impossi-
bility before the election which settled the
question of the presidency. 1t was an action
OF great Importance to the Union, adding to
the strength Of the general government and
relieving it Of great deal Of responsibility.
It is Of Importance to the Republican party
also, assuring it good working majority in
the next congress.
There were introduced in the senate in the
Fiftieth congress 5000 bill and 143 joint reso-
lutions, and 271O reports were made from
committees.
In the house there were 1869 bills, 267
joint resolutions and 4154 reports. In the
Forty-ninth congress there were introduced
1858 senate bills, II 200 house bills, l1S senate
joint resolutions, 266 house joint resolutions,
and there were received from senate COM
mittees 1890 and from the house committees
41S1 reports.
The number of presidential vetoes received
by congress has been very large. The greater
portion of these measures have been private
pension bills, although the president has re-
fused his consent to some legislation Of q
general AMI very important character. In
the first session of the Fiftieth congress, the
president returned without his approval 1898
bills. OF these 103 were pension bills 12 were
claims and 6 were for public buildings. In
the second session. 81 veto messages were re-
ceived from the president. OF these 81 were
pension vetoes, of the vetoed measures were
relief bills and the other bills disapproved by
the president were the direct tax bill and the
bill to quit title of settlers on the Des Moines
river lands
The following senate bills and resolutions
have been reported from the senate commit
tees and are still on the senate calendar: To
provide for inquest under national authority;
to retire judges of the circuit and district
courts who are disabled to establish United
States land court; to establish postal tele-
graph system; to establish bureau Of
harbors and water ways; to establish a
bureau of animal industry; to incorporate
the Atlantic and Pacific Ship railway; to
repeal the presumption and timber culture
act; proposing an amendment to the constitu-
tion prohibiting the manufacture, etc.. Of
alcoholic liquors; the Pacific railroad fund
ing bill; to declare unlawful, trusts and COM
binations in restraint Of trade and produc-
ton; to extend the right of suffrage to
women: to establish national board of
health, and to provide for the formation and
admission Of the states of Idaho and Wyo-
ming.