The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-03-11
WHAT THE FIFTY-FIRST CON-
GREsS HAS DONE.

to review the work it has accomplish
ed, and by comparison with what the
people expected OF it to form some
idea of the service it has been to the
nation. There is no doubling that
the Fifty first Congress has done a
great deal of work, but it is highly
doubtful if the bulk of the legislation
it has enacted has been beneficial to
the country.
In the matter of appropriating mon
ey the past Congress has been one Of
the most liberal in the history of the
country; in fact, it is confidently be-
lieyed that it has expended the ma
tional resources with so lavish hand
that not only has the enormous sur
plus in the treasury been spent, but
that in spite of the increased taxes
imposed by the new tariff law, the
country is threatened with deficit
during the next fiscal year.
The first session of the Fifty. first
Congress was one of the longest on
record, the adjournment not taking
place until October, thus leaving an
interval Of less than two months be-
foro the commencement Of the second
session in December last. During the
ten months of the first session, aside
from the regulnr appropriation bills
and liberal river and halbor bill,
the principal work done was the pas.
sage of the tariff and customs admin
istration bills, the increase of the pen
sion rolls and the enactment of the
notorious dependent pensions act.
At the second, or short session, aside
from the regular appropriation bills,
there was but little work done worth
commencing. The bill for the relief
Of the Supreme Court was one Of the
most important measures, while the
postal subsidy act and the emergency
appropriation of 81, 100000 for the
Mississippi river were among the sue.
cessful bills. The Fifty-frst Con,
gress has also been generous to the
new navy, hcving authorized the con.
struction of a number of new vessels
among them being three heavy battle
ships and two cruisers Of the larges.
types.
One of the measures which took up
SO large portion of the past session
of Congress, namely, the force bill,
failed to pass, the sentiment of the
country proving too strongly hostile
to it. Another important measure
which failed to pass, although the
couhtry appeared to greatly favor it,
was the free coinage bill.
BY odds the most radical enactment
of the past Congress was the McKin-
ley tariff bill, which is now in full
force with the single exception of the
free sugar clause, which takes effect
on April lst. This tariff measure the
Republicans made a party issue, and
scarcely was it in force month when
it was most emphatically repudiated
by the people at the election in No
vember last, which proved such a
Waterloo for the Republicans, even
the author of the famous tariff bill
himself being relegated to private life.
Altogether the bulk of the acts OF
the past Congress proved of seusa-
tional and partisan character and there
are grave reasons to fear that the
country has been seriously injured
rather than benefited by the new
laws enacted. The entire period of
the life of the Fifty-first Congress
proved season of uneasiness aud an
Siety to business interests, which will
rejoice at the breathing spell the final
adjournment brings. New Orleans
Picayune.