Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-04
A Retrospective Glance at One of the
Most Notable sessions Yet Held.

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Most Notable sessions Yet Held.
WASHINGTON, March 3d-Undoubtedly the
most noteworthy legislative act of the Fiftieth
Congress, which closes at noon tomorrow, has
been the passage OF the Act by which there will
be an addition of four new stars to the national
colors- The fist session was made unusually
| interesting by the fact that national election
was near at hand, and that the lines of both
parties were closely drawn, with the leaders
watchiDg eagerly for every opportunity that
might give them an advantage, however slight,
| In the approaching contest. Although the
measure which caused the prolongation of the
INST session to time beyond all precedent
| failed of enactment, and resulted in nothing
save mighty torrent of debate, Congress never
theless achieved considerable amount of work.
More bills have been introduced and more en-
acted into laws than during any other Congress.
THE VETO RECORD BROKEN.
In the matter of vetoes, the heretofore unsur-
passed record of the Forty ninth Congress has
been beaten. President Cleveland disapproying
OF more bills during the last two years of his
administration than during the firsttwo. He
has vetoed directly 27S bills-l57 more than ALI
his predecessors combined, from Washington
down, While number of the measures that
have been objected to were pocket" vetoes.
During the two sessions there were introduced
in the House 1869 bills, or 400 more than in
the preceding Congress, and 267 Joint resolu-
tlons, or 1--WE more than in the torty-ninth Con-
gress. committee reports have been made to
th number of 4.154.
IN THE SENATE
Three thorsand nine hundred and ninetv.e;obt
bills and IA joint resolutions have been intro.
duced, against 8 35i ills and lis resolutions
during the Forty-ninth Congress, which broke
all previous records in this respect. There were
2 s06 written reports made. or over 700 in excess
OF the preceding Congress. Of all these hills
and JOINT resolutions 1,7S9 became laws. of
which number 100 originated in the House and
COL in the Senate.
The President also sent veto messages of 90
House and AZ Senate bills, or IA more than were
made during the previous Congress
BILLS APPROVED OR VETOED.
OF the House bills which became laws. $50
were private bills and 35S measures of public
character. Allof the SO House bills vetoed ex-
cept eight, were either private pension or relief
bills. The eight public bills are as follows:
For 4nletlng Titles OF settlers on the Des
Moines river lands. in Iowa.
For the sale of Indian lands in Kansas
For the disposal of the Fort Willis military
reservation in Kansas
Authorizing the improvement of Castle
Island, in Boston harbor.
For the certification of lands to the State of
Kansas Tor the benefit of agriculture and the
mechanical arts
For the erection of public buildings at Co
lumbus, Ga, Allentown, Pa, Council Bluffs.
Ia, and Bar Harbor, Maine
Some OF The more important House bills
which have become laws are
For conference of the South and Central
American nations in Washington in May next
10 divide the great Sioux reservation in Da-
The Chinese Exclusion Act.
For the protection of United States officials in
Indian Territory.
To authorize the condemnation of land for
sites OF public buildings.
Creating Department of Agriculture. the
head of the department to be Cabinet officer
To establish Department of Labor
10 create boards OF Arbitration or Commits
s1ons Tor settling controversies of differences be-
interstate common carriers and their employees
THE FATE OF SENATE Bills
Bills originating in the Senate became laws to
the number of COL. of which 400 were of a pri-
vate character. Forty seven Senate bills were
rejected, the most important being those for the
erection of public buildings at Youngstown. o
and Sioux City, Ia, and the direct tax bill.
By far the most important of Senate bills en-
acted into laws have been:
The omnibus Territorial admission bill Nv
which North and South Dakota Washington
and Montana Territories may acquire State
hood.
Among other Senate bills place on the statute
books are
To provide for wsrehousing fruit brandy.
To increase the pension for the loss of 10th
hands, and also for Deafness
To incorporate the Nicaragua Canal Com
psny.
To provide aid to State Homes for the SUD-
port of disabled soldiers.
To prohibit the coming of Chinese Iaborers
into tbs United States.
To allow any honorably discharged soldier or
sailor who has abandoned or relinquished his
homestead entry tn make another.
To change the time of the meeting of the
Electoral College
Ratifylng the Creek Indian a ayreement
To enable the Pres dent to protect the inter
es's of the United States in Panama
There are number of bills in the Presidents
hands awaiting signature. Quite a number of
these are subject to the rocket Veto There are
also pending a number of measures which may
yet be passed, but the work of Congress is prac-
ticaly completed.
Three hundred and thirty-three bills which
passed the House failed in the Senate in confer
ence. The most notable of these is the Mills
tariff bill and the Oklahoma bill