Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-03-07


election was near ct hand. and thai The
lines Of both parties were closely drawn
with the leaders watching eagerly for
every opportunity that might give them
an advantage. however slight, in tho ap-
More bills have been introduced and
more enacted into laws than during any
congress.
In the matter of vetoes, the before un-
surpassed record of the FOrty-ninth con-
gress has been beaten, President Cleve-
land disappearing more bills during the
last two years of his administration than
during the first two. He has vetoed di-
rectly 276 bills-157 more than all his pre-
decessors combined from Washington
down, while number of measures have
been subjected to what is called the pOck-
ct vetO-that is they failed to become
laws because the president did not sign
them and because the sessions Of con-
gress expired before the constitutional
| Limitation of ten days was up within
which the president Is required to express
his disapproval. Fourteen bills failed to
become laws in this manner at the close
of the first session of the present con-
gress. In the last session the president
sent veto messages in the cases of nine
ty-nine house and forty four senate bills,
or fourteen more vetOes than were made
during the previous congress. OF the
house bills. all except eight were either
private pension or relief bills.
Beginning on the first Monday in De-
cember, 1887, the Fiftieth congress con-
tinucd practically uninterruptedly In ses-
sion until October 10. 1883, when it adj
jOurned to meet for the second session in
December, and to continue until March
| 4, as required by law. During the two
sessions there has been introduced in the
house IL, $50 bills. or l., 400 more than in
the preceding congress. and 261 joint res
Olutions, or more than in the Forty
ninth congress. Committee reports have
been made to the number of 4,154. In
the senate, 1898 bills and IA joint reso-
lutiOns have been introduced, against
s. 357 bills and 118 resolutions during the
Forty ninth congress. which broke all
previous records in this respect, There
were 2,7O6 written reports made, or over
700 in excess of the preceding congress.
OF all these bills and Joint resolutions.
l, 791 became laws. of which lumber l, 1870
originated in the house, and COL in the
senate.
Some of the more important house bills
which have become laws are as
follows: For a conference of South and
central American nations in Washington
in May next; to divide the great Sioux
reservation in Dakota; the Scott Chinese
exclusion act; providing for the taking
of the eleventh census; to limit the hours
of letter carriers; to provide building
for the chief signal officer in Washing
ton; for the protection of United States
officials in the Indian territory; to auth
OriZe the condemnation of land for sites
of public buildings: to require United
States circuit and district judges to in
struct juries in writing in certain cases;
creating department of agriculture, the
head of the department to be cabinet
officer: to protect lands belonging to In
dians from unlawful grazing; to estab-
lish department of labor; to, create
boards of arbitration or commissions for
settling controversies or differences be-
tween interstate common carriers and
their employees; to increase the maximum
amount of international money orders
burglary in the Indian territory; accept
ing an invitation to participate in the
Paris exposition, and for the erection.
extension or repair of public buildings or
marine hospitals ut numerous places.
Bills originating in the senate became
laws to the number of COL, of which 4O5
were of a private character. Forty-seven
bills we're vetoed. the most important be-
ing those for the erection of public bull
dings at Youngstown, Ohio, and Sioux
City, Iowa, and the direct tax bill. By
far the most important of the senate bills
enacted into law has been the omnibus
territorial admission bill. substituted for
the original senate bill in the house by
Mr.. Springer by which North and South |!
Dakota, Washington and Montana terri |
tories may acquire statehood. Other |
senate bills placed on the statute books |
are as followe: To provide for warehous- !!
ing fruit brandy; to authorize juries in |
United States courts to be interchangea- |
BILE; to increase the pension for loss of |
both hands and also for deafness; to fix |
the passport fee at 81; to incorporate the |
Nicaragua canal company: to provide for
a maritime conference; to provide aid to !
state homes for the support of disabled
soldiers; to perfect the quarantine SER
vice; to prohibit the coming of Chinese
laborers into the United States: to allow
any hOnOrably discharged soldier or SAIL
or who has abandoned or relinquished
his homestead entry to make another en-
try; to change the time of meeting of the
college; to provide for writs of
error or appeals to the supreme court in
all cases involving the question of the
jurisdiction of the lower courts; ratifying
the Greek Indian agreement; to enable
the president to protect the interests of
the United States at Panama "a similar
measure with reference to Samoa was in
Guided in the navy appropriation billy; to
protect the Alaska fur, seal and salmon
directing the secretary of the
interior to investigate the practicability
Of constructing water storage reservoirs
in the arid regions; apprOpriating $780,
300 to suppress infection in the interstate
commerce of the United States; in aid of
sufferers from yellow fever; and for the
erection of new public buildings, or the