Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-10-04
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Bills Passed and Some That Are
Still Pending.
Hntcreating Summary Of What Congress
Has Done Increase OF Appropriations
-Bills That Have Not Become
LAWS.


business OF the first session OF the Fifty mrs
Congress 10 an important one. In the Sen
ate debate on the Tariff bi was brought e
an end only by an agreement on the part o.
the members of the majority that the Fed
eral Elections bill would not be called NJ
atthls session. The bill, therefore, goes over
The actual work accomplished Is OF es
peclal interest because Il Is the, first Con
gress In many years In which ono OF the two
great political parties had control OF both
the legislative and executive branches o.
'~"s Government A change In rates Of Gus
as duties has practically beon brought
--Jout, a number OF very important changes
In tho existing law having been agreed Il
In conference and approved by the House
They need now only the approval OF the
Senate and the President
The feature OF the new Tariff law which
has attracted wide attention and which bore
greater sign ificance from the fact that II
threatened for time to crents a division In
che Republican party was the provision FOL
the establishment OF reciprocal relations
between the United Stats and the Latin
American countries. This idea, which mad
been suggested In past years by Senator
Aldrch and other Statesman, was brought
very prominently to the notice Of Congress
and the country by letter OF the Secretary
OF State, transmitted to Congress by the
President, urging the necessity OF requiring
some concessions from Latin. American
countries for the free admission to the
United States Of sugar and other OF their
products. The recommended on was ipnore1
by the House Of Representatives, but was
later adopted In u modified form by the SEN
ate and agreed to In conference between the
two houses.
Next in importance to the new Tariff law
% che silver legislation enacted by Congress.
Ju, " II, 1890, a new law went into effect pro
VidlnR for the Issue of coin certificates based
on gold or silver bullion, with requirement
that the Secretary of the Treasury should
purchase 450o,00I ounces OF silver bullion
each month. The bill ~ It passed the Sen.
ate was practical free coinage bill, but the
conferrees on the part OF the two houses
agreed upon a compromise, the general I'M
preston being that while the majority in
both houses favored free coinage, the COM
promise was rendered necessary by the fear
OF an executive vote. The effect OF the new
silver law was an immediate advance In the
price OF silver, eliminating at figure higher
than any known in history.
The promise OF the Republican party made
In the last campaign that more liberal pen
zion legislation would he enacted was par
tally fulfilled In the passage of the Dis
ability Pension act under which pension
OF Sl2 mont Is Civ n to any soldier who Is
now disabled from whatever cause The
applications received since Its enactment so
increased the work of the Pension Office
that It was necessary for Congress to vote
an additional appropriation for the employ.
ment of nearly 500 clerks In that Lfiice and
In the war records division OF the Depart
ment OF War.
The addition of four new stars to the flag
made by thelast Congress has been supple
mented at this session by the admission In
to the Union OF the States OF Wyoming and
idaho.
Early In the session law In restraint OF
trusts and combinations was enacted. No
opportunity TO enforce IL has yet occurred
and, as 1t was generally regarded as but a
tentative measure, its value can not be esti'
mated at this time.
A General Land Grant Forfeiture act. the
result OF many years discussion in the two
houses OF Congress, has been passed. 1t In
brief provides for the forfeiture Of oil un-
earned lands granted to aid In the construc-
ttion Of railroads opposite portions OF the
road uncompleted at the time Of the pas
sage OF the law.
The question OF lotteries having b en-
brought to public attention by. the Louisl-
ana Lottery Company to obtain charter In
North Dakota and later to obtain renewal
on lite charter In L iulsiana, the President
made the matter a subject OF a special mes
,sagc to Congress In which he transmitted a
bill prepared by the Postmaster C. neral to
prohibit the transmission through the malls
OF letters and CIRCULARS relating to lotteries
and OF newspapers containing lottery ad'
wertlsements. This bill was passed prompt
ny by both houses without modification and
without material opposition. and was signed
by the President.
Nv-rNy nv -
zion of selecting q site. in which the cities OF
Now York, Chicago, St. Louis and Washing.
ton were concerned. Congress passed law
creating a National Commission and estab-
Ilshed the Fair ut Chicago.
As result principally OF the prohibition
which shuts American meat out Of certain
mmI kets abroad, q law was enacted to pro-
vide for the inspection, under the direction
of the Secretary Of Agriculture OF m eats In.
aended for export, prohib ting the exporta-
ton of adulterated articles OF food and
drink and enabling the President to prevent
the Importation of adulterated articles OF
food.
An important feature Of the present ses-
sion was the defeat of the Blair Educational
I'LL In the Senate. It had passed that body
tin several other Con crosses and Its rejection
was quite unexpected.
Among the less important laws enacted
BY this Congress- are the ioHoWlnB: lncreas-
ing the pension OF those totally and perma'
neatly helpless to S72 per month; providing
for one AssIstan Secretary Of War and one
. Of the Navy; authorizing the President to
cause the promulg CATION Of regulations nee
essary to prevent the spread OF contagious
diseases from Cne State to another; grant.
Eng certificates Of discharge to persons who
enlisted under assumed names in the war OF
the rebeliinn: TO prevent assertions from
che army by retaining temporarily part OF
rthe soldiers pay, and providing for the ex'
portatIon Of fermented liquor In bond with
out payment Of Internal revenue tax.
A number Of important measures are
Hanging fire, which may 60 to the President
before adjournment, although the chances
are greatly In favor Of their postponement
until the next session
Nearly 2o0o bills and resolutions that were
urepoFted to the House from committees dur
ling this session OF Congress. failed OF pas
saaoa and romnin on the House calendar.