Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-04
FIFTIETa CONGRESS.
Resume of tho Work Done During the
Session to Close To-day.


lied by some sharp and acrimonious de
bates, and on several occasions PERSONAL
ties have been exchanged of a character
more bitter and exasperating than polite.
The first session was made unusually in.
teresting by the fact that a national cleo
ton was near at hand, and that the lines
of both parties were close drawn with the
leaders watching eagerly for every OppOI-
tunity that might give them an advantage,
however slight, in the approaching contest.
Although the measure which caused the
prolongation Of the first session we'll into
the autumn, and to a time beyond all pre-
cedent, failed of enactment and resulted in
nothing save a mighty torrent Of debate,
the Congress has nevertheless achieved a
considerable amount of work
More bills have been introduced and
more enacted into laws than during any
other Congress In the matter OF vetoss,
the heretofore unsurpassed record of the
Forty-ninth Congress has been beaten
President Cleveland disappearing more
bills during the last two years OF mis- sd.
ministration than during the first two. He
has vetoed directly 25S bills, III more than
sll his predecessors combined from Wash
iDgtOn down, while a number of measures
have been subjected to what is called the
pocket veto, that is they failed to become
laws, because the President did not sign
them, and because the sessions Of Congress
expired before the constitutional limita-
on Of ten days was 10 within which the
President is required to express his disap-
1oI -
laws in this manner at the close of the first
sessi-n Of the present Congress.
Beginning on the first Monday in De-
cember, 1887, the Fifiieth Congress con-
tinued, practically uninterruptedly, in se5-
sion until October 90, 1883, when it adj
iou-ned to meet for the second session in
December, snd 20 continue until March 4,
1889, az required by law. During the two
sessions there have been introduced in the
House Il, $50 bills, or l, 400 more than in
the preceding Congress, and 26S joint resO-
lutiOns, or more than in the Forty-ninth
Congress. Committee reports have been
made to the number of 4, l54. In the SEN
ate 1898 bills and IA joint resolutions
have been introduced, sgainst 8, 357 bill;
and 11S resolutions during the Forty-ninth
Congress, which broke all previous records
in this respect. There were ,, zoo written
reports made, OF over 700 in excess of the
preceding Congress. OF all these bills and
Joint resolutions 1871 became Laws, O.
which number /, 1870 originated in The
House and 6O1 in the Senate. The Presi
dent also sent veto messages in the case o.
80 House and AZ Senate bills, or IA more
yetoes than were made during the previous
Congress.
Ofthe House bills which became laws
S32 were private bills, and 35S measures OF
public character. All of the SO House
bills vetoed, EXCEPT eight, were either
private pension bills OF relief bills. The
eight public bills are SIS follows; To quit
title Of settlers on the Des Moiues river
lands in Iowa; for the sale OF Indian lands
in Kansas; for the disposal of the Fort
Wallace military reservation IN Kansas
authorizing the improvement of Castle
Island, in Boston harbor; for the certitica-
ton of lands to the State of Kansas fol
the benefit of agricultural and mechanic
arts; for the erection Of public buildings al
Columbus, Ga, Allentown, Pa; Council
Bluffs. Iowa; Bar Harbor, Me.
Some Of the more important House bills
which have become laws are as follows:
For 8 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 18th
cspsGs; to limit the hours of letter Car
riers: to authorize the condemnation Of
land for sites of public buildings; creating 8
department of agriculture, the head Of the
department to be a Cabinet officer; to es-
ta6lish a department of labor; to create
boards of arbitration or commissions
for settling controversies or differences
between inter state carriers and
their employer; to enable the executive
departments to participate in the Ohio ex-
position; providing for deposits OF seamen
in the U. s. Navy, for the erection, eX'
tension OF repair Of public buildings, OF
marine hospitals st Indianapolis, Ind
Portsmouth, Ohio, Lancaster, Pa, Charles
ton. W Va, and many others Bills
originating in the Senate became laws
to the number of COL, Of which 400 were
of 8 private character, FOrty-seven bills
Senate we're vetoed, the most important
being those for the erection OF public
buildings at Youngstown, Ohio, and Sioux
CITY. Ia, and the direct tax bill.
Bv far the most important of the Senate
hills enacted into law has been the Omnl
bus Territorial Admission bill, when
North and South Dakota, Washington anc
Montana Territories may acquire State
hood. O. her Senate bills placed IN thu
ststut. books are as follows: To provide
for warehousing fruit brandy; TO fix the
psssport fee at 81; to incorporate the Mica
raugus Canal Co.; to provide for marine
| conference; to provide aid to state homes
far support of disabled soldier; t.
| nsrfect the quarantine service; to prohibit
| The coming of Chinese laborers into the
limited States; 10 allow any honOrably dis
charged soldier or sailor who has abandon
ed them, or relinquished his homestead
entry. to make another entry; to change
the time of meeting of the Electoral Col
Ieoe. TO enable the President to protect TIT
;nferssts of the United States at Panam'
"a eimilsr measure with reference t
Samoa was included in the naval apprO'
n~iation bill;1 apprOpriating f2O0,0OO to
s1Drress infection in the interstate com
rerce of the United States; in aid of suf
gsrers from yellow fever, and Congress als'
nassed bills TO pension Mre. Sheridan, Mrs
Logan. Mrs. Frank A. Blair, and to retir,
General Rosecrsns.
There mas been included in this statemen
Of hills which have become laws those IL
the Presidents hands awaiting signature
On;te numb of these are subject to
1ocket veto, and the Presidents action il
Teoard to them may, of course, modify
MS statement to some extent. There ar
5 Iso pending before Congress number o
measures which may yet be passed, bui
the work of Congress is practically com
plete. ,.-., III,
which psssed the House, failed in the Sen
ate in conference. By far the most nOta
HE of these is the Mills tariff bill, anC
with the fight over this measure the public
Is familiar. Another very important Hous
hin which failed, is the Oklahoma bill.
Farmer Umberger's Murderer.
SOMERSET, PA, March 3.-The excite
ment over the robbery and murder o
farmer Umberger at jamestown Is una
hated. Searching parties are still out, bu