The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-03-23
Work of the Fiftieth Congress.

The first session of the congress that has
lust closed was the longest in our history.
1t began the first Monday in December,
1887, and was in session continuously till
Oct. 90, 1888. 1t adjourned then, pend
ing the presidential election. The sec
ond, or short session, began the first
Monday in Decem Der, 1888, and expired
by limitation Ma CHI 4, 1889.
Much time was spent during both ses-
sions over the tariff. First the house
passed the Mills bill reducing the revenues
about SAC, 000, 900. The bill then went to
the senate. In the senate all of it was
stricken out after the enacting clause
and another bill substituted.
The second bill also reduced the tariff,
but some millions less than that of the
house had done. The bill was then re-
turned to the house for further action.
The house raised the point that by strik-
ing out all the Mills bill after the enact
ing clause, and substituting another, the
senate had trespassed that article of the
United States constitution which de-
clares that bills for revenue must origi-
nate in the house of representatives
The senate bill was therefore claimed
by the Democratic majority to
be unconstitutional and the house re-
fused to concur. One or two tariff bills
were introduced into the house in the
closing days Of the session, but no action
was taken. The tariff question is thus
left by the Fiftieth congress as II found it.
There were introduced into the house
during the congress just expired 1850
bills, resolutions and reports; into the
the senate 6,S52. Of all this numbef
I,IyI became laws.
Most of the acts are of local interest.
Ofthose which have general Importance
the principal ones are the law admitting
four new states to the Union and that
making the commissioner of agriculture
cabinet officer, with the title of secre-
tary. Among others are the granting of
the Nicaragua canal charter, the act au
thorizing government to condemn sites
for public buildings reducing the price
of passports from s. to 81, restricting
Chinese immigration and raising the age
Of consent in the District of Columbia
to 16 years. The Fiftieth congress also
strengthened the interstate commerce
law, appropriated half million to the
legal representatives of James b. Eads
for work on the jetties, and $3.50, 900 to
enable the president to protect the inter
ests of the United States in Panama.
An act from which important favor
able results for the United States may
flow was that authorizing the president
to arrange conference with the South
and Central American republics, with
view to closer commercial relations Out
of this authorization has grown the Three
Americas conference, which meets in
Washington in October.
a favorable concession to the live
stock interests of the country is the law
passed by this congress admitting free of
duty animals imported for breeding pur-
poses. Another law establishes gov
ernment department of labor Pensions
for utter deafness have been increased to
$50 a month. The maximum amount of
international postal orders has been in
creased from $50 to 500.
Gems. Rosecrans, A. j. Smith and w.
F. Smith have been placed on the retired
list of the army. Mrs. Sheridan, Mrs
Logan and Mrs. Frank =. Blair have been
pensioned.
The Oklahoma territorial bill failed
at last.