The record-union., 1891-03-05
FIFTY-FlRsT CONGRESS.
MEASURES THAT WERE DISCUSSED
IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
Over Two Thousand Bills Enacted
Into Laws During the
Two Sessions.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-0f the work
of the Fifty-first Congress, three meas
ures, any of which in intrinsic import
ance and popular interest would be suf-
ficient for national issue, stand forth
prominent among all others. First, the
Mckinley tariff bill, which became a law;
second, the silver bill, on which a first
session compromise was effected based on
the monthly purchase of 4,500,0 ounces
of silver, which, in turn, was followed
by more radical measures that failed of
passage, and, third, the Federal elections
bill, which, after a protacted struggle
failed in the Senate to reach decisive
vote. The radical innovation in the rules
of the House added interest to its pro-
ceedings, and the determined but fruit
less efforts to adopt the most vital of
these innovations formed part of the
latter part Of the sessions of the Senate.
Even in its mortuary record Congress
was remarkable, the call of death having
summoned no fewer than twelve of its
Representatives and three of it's Senator'S
The total appropriations for this Con-
gress will probably reach a billion of
dollars.
During the Fiftieth Congress, 161 bills
were vetoed and during the F'ifty-f first
Congress, Ia. Among the bills which be-
came laws are these: The copyright bill,
private land court bill, postal subsidy
bill, Indian depredations claim bill, tim
Der and pre-emption law repeal bill, Gus
toms administrative bill, general land
forfeiture bill, bill to relieve the Supreme
Court by the establishment of an inter-
mediate Court of Appeal, United States
Judges salaries bill, Worlds Fair
bill, Wyoming and Idaho admis-
hill L
bills, reapportionment bill, immigration
bill, bill to ratify agreements with
various Indian tribes and to pay
friendly Sioux S500,0O0, bill to reduce
the fees of the pension agents.. bill to pay
the French spoliation claims, meat in
spection bill; bill to prevent the importa-
ton of adulterated food and drink; live
cattle and hog inspection bill; bill appro-
priating 81 100000 for the Improvement of
the Mississippi river; bill to permit
sorghum sugar manufacturers to use
alcohol without the payment of tax;
bill to limit to 60 per cent. of the rates
charged private parties the rate land
grant railroads shall charge for the trans
portatlon OF Government troops and sup
plies; bill for the relief of settlers on the
Northern Pacific Railroad indemnity
lands; bill to permit the export Of fer
mented liquors to a foreign country with
out the payment of tax; bill to apply
the proceeds of public lands and receipts
from certain land grant railroads TO the
support OF agricultural and industrial
colleges; bill TO extend the time of pay
ment for public lands in cases of failure
of crops; bill to set aside the Big Tree
tract in California as public park; bill
for the inspection of cattle steamers, to
secure more humane treatment of cattle
The Blair educational bill, the bill for
the appointment of an alcoholic liquor
Commission and the S-hour claims bill
were defeated on test votes, while among
those which, after passing one House
failed of action in the other, are the bank
ruptcy bill, Conger lard bill, and army
reorganization bill.
The Paddock pure food bill, Nicaragua
Canal bill, Pacific Railroad funding Bill,
and interstate commerce bill to permit
limited pooling are among the measures
which failed to reach vote in either
House.
The following are some of the Senate
bills which failed to pass the House: To
provide for the free coinage of silver; en-
larging the rights of homesteaders and
pre-emptors on public lands, reviving
the grade of Lieutenant-General of the
army, and for the exploration and survey
of the interior of Alaska
The following House bills failed to pass
the Senate: To transfer the revenue ma
rine service to the navy, and for the relief
IL
Among the measures on which neither
House acted Except in some cases by
committees) were the sub-treaSury and
farm mortgages bills, the service pension
bill, Canadian reciprocity resolution, bill
to encourage the construction of an inter-
continental railway, postal savings bank
and postal telegraph bill, Butler bill to
aid negroes to emigrate to Africa, woman
suffrage and prohibition constitutional
amendments, income tax bill and vari-
GUS other radical financial and political
measures.
In the Fifty-first Congress 1908 bills
We're introduced in the House and 5, 129 in
the Senate. In the F'iftieth Congress r.
654 were introduced in the House and
4,0G0 in the Senate,
In the Fifty-frst Congress 297 joint
resolutions tor % more than in the Fif-
tiethl were introduced in the House. In
the Senate l69 joint resolutions (24 more
than in the Fiffieth) were introduced.
The bills that became laws during the
Congress just ended numbered 2, 1856. In
the Fiftieth Congress l,s24 bills were en-
acted.