Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-29
MEASURES OF MOMENT PASSED

years in which one of the two great polit-
ical parties has had control of both the
legislative and executive branches of the
government.
The Change in Customs Duties.
First in importan ce among the bills
| which the congress has completed is, of
course the tariff bill, which makes num-
erous changes in existing law, and only
requires the senate's approval (Which
| there is hardly the shadow of doubt it
will promptly obtain, and that of the
president. A feature of the law, which
has attracted wide attention, was the
provision for the esta blishment of reci-
procal relations between the United
States and the Latin American countries
The idea has been generally credited to
| Mr. Blaine, but though the fact that he
brought 1t forward this year, and urged
its eXpedeDcy with great vigor, undoubt-
| eddy influenced its adoption in the modi-
! fed form in which it is provided for in the
bill, it was advocated in past years by
Senator Aldrich and other statesmen. In
spite of Blaine's advocacy, however the
house at first ignored it.
| Legislation Regarding Silver.
Next in Importance to the tariff law is
! the silver legislation enacted by congress
| On the 14th of July, 1899 a new law
| went into effect providing for the issue of
coin certificates based on gold or silver
| bullion, with "a requirement that the sec
rotary of the treasury should purchase
4, 100000 ounces of silver bullion each
month. The bill as it passed the senate
was practically a free coinage bill, but the
conferrees on the part of the two houses
| agreed upon a compromise, the general
| impression being that while the majority
| in Doth houses favored free coinage the
| compromise was rendered necessary by
| the fear of an executive veto. The effect
of the new silver law was an immediate
advance in the price of silver culminati ng
at a figure higher than any known for
years. dropping later to about S1.15, and
then gradually rising to about 81 10, at
which figures the latest purchase was
made.
| The Provision for Pensions.
| The promise of the Republican party
/ made in the last campaign that more lib
| eral pension legislation would be enacted
| was fulfilled in the passage of the dsa-
| bility pension act, und er which pension
| of $l2 a month is given to any soldier who
| is now disabled, from whatever cause. The
| applications received under this law since
| its enactment so increased the work of the
| pension office that il was necessary for
| congress TO vote an additional apprOpria-
| ton for the employment of nearly $40
clerks in that Office and in the war records
| division of the department of war
| New States. Trusts, and Land Forfeiture.
| The addition of four new stars to the
| flag, made by the last congress, has been
supplemented ut this session by the adj
| mission into the Union of the states of
| Wyoming and Idaho. Early in the ses-
| sion of congress law in restraint of
/ trusts and combinations was enacted. No
| opportunity to inforce it has yet occurred
and, as it was generally regarded as but
| tentative measure, its value can not be
estimated at this time. A general land
| grant forfeiture act, the result of many
| years discussion in the two houses of
| congress, has passed congress and went to
| the president for signature to-day. 1t is
very comprehensive and in brief provides
| for the forfeiture of all unearned lands
| granted to aid in the construction of rail
roads opposite portions of the road I'M
completed at the time of the passage of
the law.
Other Legislation.
Bills were also passed by both houses
shutting the lotteries out of the mails;
| providing for worlds fair; requiring
/ the inspection of meats for export; pro-
hibiting the expectation or importation of
| adulterated articles of food; increasing
the pensions of the totally helpless to s72
per month: to prevent the spread of con-
| tagious diseases; granting certificates of
| discharge for those enlisting under as
| sumed names in the war of the rebellion,
| and to prevent assertions from the army
by retaining portion of each private's
| pay. The Blair educational bill, after
| passing the senate in other congresses, was
finally defeated.
| Bills That Have n Poor Show.
| Anumber of important measures are
| hanging fire which may go to the pres-
dent before adjournment, although the
| chances are greatly in favor of their post
| ponement until the next session. One of
these is the bill TO relieve the supreme
court of the United States by the estab-
Iishment of an intermediate court, which
is now in conference between the two
| houses The bill TO amend the law to
prohibit the Immigration of contract labor
| has passed the house and it was thought
| would pass the senate, but Blair has given
| I,otce that he will not call it up again.
Left on the Senate Calendar.
A great deal of important work will be
| left unfinished on the adj jOurnment of this
| session of congress. Among these bills are
bills to transfer the revenue cutter service
from the treasury to the navy depart
ment; the copyright bill; to place tele
graph companies under the operation of
the inter state commerce law; to amend
the Interstate commerce act; resolutions
for constitutional amendments relating to
prohibition aud woman suffrage: bills to
prevent the adulteration of food and
drugs; to establish "A limited postal tele-
graph; the bankruptcy bill
Unfinished in the House.
Nearly Q O00 bills and resolutions that
were reported to the house.fr commit
tees during this session of congress failed
of passage and remain on the house cal
endar. Among the important measures
are the bills to create court of patent
appeals; several bills granting pensions
to female hospital nurses of the rebellion;
to increase the salaries of United States
Judges; the service pension bill; to provide
"A commission on the alcoholic liquor traf-
tic; the Butterworth anticipation and anti
future bill: granting the right of suffrage
to women; for the retirement of national
bank circulation: for the removal of Gen.
Grants remains from New York to Wash.
ington City; the copyright bill.
Comparative Summary of Work.
The number of laws passed in the first
session of the Fiftieth congress-
was: Public laws, $40; private.
S91; public resolutions, 81; pri-
vate, g. The number enacted thus
far in the first session of the Fifty-hrst
congress is: Public laws. 26l; private,
647; public resolutions. AZ; private, g.
These.igures will be sweIled considerably
by the action of the president on a
large number of bills now in his hands.
Prospective Fight in the Senate.
Whether the senate will get through