The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-20
FIFTIETH CONGRESS-
A Synopsis Of the Work DOne In
Its Two Sessions.
The Record Broken as to Bills In
troduced, Vetoed and Passed.

The Fiftieth Congress has broken the rec.
ord as to the number Of bills introduced, the
number passed and the number vetoed. The
number Of bills and joint resolutions
introduced has been in round numbers
17,0OO nearly 25 per cent. greater than in
any other Congress. The number OF bills
introduced in the House was 12,650, and In
the Senate 1000. Or this number about half
Of the House bills have been acted upon by
committees, the number Of committee re-
ports upon bills being 4l40, though in many
cases several bills of a similar nature are
covered by single report
The number OF Senate reports is s6o0.
Joint resolutions Of Senate and House, which
have the same bearing Oh bills, number 400.
The number Of bills and joint resolutions
which have become laws during the Ffft0th
Congress is about 1400, or little less than
10 Der cent. of the entire number intro
duced; Of these nearly third were public
acts, the remainder being private pension
bills, etc. -.
Congress $50 bills, auG allowed over 200 to
become laws without his signature. His total
number Of yetoes during his term are about
300.
The number Of days of actual session OF
this Congress is 3l6, which Is in excess Of any
other Congress, and its long session exceeded
in length that OF any Congress which pre-
ceeded it.
Among the important measures which
have been presented but failed to become
laws are the Tariff bill, the Tobacco Tax Re,
peal bill, Coast Defense bill, Postal
Telegraph bill, Interstate -, ieie-
nendent Pensions bill, Educational bill, bill
to forfeit railroad land grants, Freemens 8
Bank bill, International Copyright bill, and
the resolution to tax compound lard ana
other aduterated food products.
Two important treaties which were re-
iectsd were the Canadian Fisheries and the
British Extradition conventions.
Congress also passed bills to pension Mrs.
Sheridan, Mrs. Logan, Mrs. Frank A. Blair
and to retire General Rosecrans.
Some of the more important House
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 tho hours OF
labor of letter-carriers; creating Depart
ment of Agriculture; to establish a Depart,
ment Of Labor; to create Boards
Of Arbitration for settling strikes
Tor the increase VI tuo tisAAtAoi
amount of international money orders from
$50 to 500; providing for an appraisers
warehouse in New York and providing FOR
deposits of the savings OF seamen IN the
Unite States Navy.
By far the most important Of the Senate
bills enacted into law has bsen the Omni
bus Territorial Admission bill, BY which
North and South Dakota, Washing
ton and Montana Territories may
acquire Statehood. Other Senate blil'
placed on the statute books are as follows
To incorporate tho Nicaragua Canal Com
pany; to provide aid to State Homes for tht
support Of disabled soldiers to prohibit tn
States: to change the time Of meeting OF ths
Electoral College; to enable the Preslden,
to protect the interests Of the United state
at Panama IA similar measure with reference
to Samoa was included in the Naval ApPro
priation BILLY; to protect the Alaska seal anc
salmon fisheries, and directing the Secretary
of the Interior to investigate the practlca
bility Of constructing water-storage reser
Yoirs in the arid region.