Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-03-14
r,,is Will Be the Judgment of His
tory on the Fifty First Con
gress
Besume Of the Many and Import
ant Matters on Which Def
mite Action Was Taken.
Tariff. Pension Subsidy, Copy
right Judiciary, Timber Out
ters and Other Measures
Disposed Of

.5ntjor of the house, March a. "can never
ts iusrIv viewed from a near stand point
The record made by the congress which
ta. lust closed its account is more than
n.p5Ily political, but both bodies being of
ths same party and in agreement with the
rrs,ident. Such harmony between the
wines of the capitol and the two ends of
Pennsylvania avenue brings with it the
hIlest possible political responsibility The
democracy can not be cenSured for what
this late congress either did or left I'M
done. The entire weight of responsibility
belongs 10 the republican party Ii IS
equally true that none of the credit belongs
f6the democracy, the whole of it justly
claimed 10y the republicans.
The appropriations for this congress,
both sessions, will amount to the
large sum of billion dollars,
Init the question is now how much
the aggregate is. On the contrary, any
appropriation not in itself UNSUITABLE would
he open to censure. The mere size of the
grand total will cut ne figure with the in
teligent public. The increase was due,
first to the general growth of the country;
second, to more liberal pension roncy;
third. to the refund of the direct tax, in
accordance with the findings of the court
of claims; fourth, to the settlement Of the
od French spoilation claims, so long an
impeachment Of our national honor. and,
9th, to the large number of government
bindings under way. IF there is a single
appropriation bill not defensibe upon its
merits it has not yet been brought TO
light.
The defeat of tn. election bill and the
Blair educational bill are final so far as
concerns the present presidential term, but
the bankruptcy bill and the measure for
the reorganization of the army are not at
all political IN character and may be pass
ed next year. These constitute the big
four of the congressional morgue The
first should have been passed, and failure
to pass it is the especial dishonor Of the ses-
sion, and considering the means employed
for It's defeat the one scandal of the fifty
first congress.
The most important bill Of the fifty first
congress was passed at the first session.
The final Judgment of history will rest
upon the practical working of that tariff
legislation,
The last session, although limited to
three months and largely consumed by the
bill, is remarkable. 1t has crystalized
into positive law reforms that have waited
in vain for Years 1t has done In these
three months, what the people have been
cam0rlng for during the last decade Ex-
cept TO pass the bankruptcy bill and to
provide more fully for the restriction of
immigration, there is scarcely anything
OF the first Importance which 1T neglect
ed
First in Or n of its achievements is the
bill for the relief of the supreme court
This is well worth an entire session of
congress. it promises to give us justice
instead of injustice, to free our greatest
tribunal from the unbearable pressure of
business, and to make the progress of
justice swift and certain.
Second TO this is International copyright.
At last the moral sense of the people has
become sufficiently awakened to secure
from congress the same protection to prop
erty In ideas that is given to property in
It, material forms. Tie regime of book
printing Is at an end Authors on both
sides OF the water will be secured in their
rights, and the standing shame and dis
grace OF the nation is at last removed.
The il ternational copyright bill is to be
hailed With national rejoicing
The repeal Of the timber culture and
preemption laws stands in the same cate
CORY. The occasion for which these laws
were enacted has passed away. They have
been, of late years, scarcely more than the
vehicle of fraud and the opportunity of
speauiators. Our domain has been so
iesseusd that we should husband carefully
tha remains OF it for the settler. Govern
ment land can be procured hearafter only
10y actual residence under the terms of the
homestead law. Pending contests are
closed mp in great measure. and the admin
Eral0n of our land laws can be no more |
z epse of scandal and abuse. Ia the same
-G" 9F work is the general land grant for !
talure bill, which viii prevent contested !
grants from hanging forever In the courts, |
."H -ette up the questions connected with |
one polcy of granting lands in aid Of rail |
f7al construction The amendment to the |
interstate commerce bill and the law re- |
.a'IaZ % Immigration are n0tas fdr-reach !
Ing s they should have been, but mark |
PROGRESS IN the right direction. The /
country has been reapportioned for the |
erection ot the congress to I've chosen next |
year. Agreements with the Indian tribes /
nave been ratified, and money appropriate |
gu winch will clear away a host of old !
at'.s We have an act giving fair com
Fa mon for the carriage of ocean mails. |
N-a wall put our commercial marine on /
q ting Of greater equality with that of |
'.-It britain and other nations, which |
..ad this policy long ago.
Is long since any congress adjourned |
N "7i1a on independent an impartial 1
vas not compelled to say that 1t fell /
.-. ot ITS opportunities, and neglect !
~" Jl5 more important items OF public /
for the sake Of making party
Ihut record has been broken and F.
ASIDE by the ffty-hrst. Il has done its I
- m9ag thoroughly, fearlessy md
eltIousIy than any predecessor Of I
times. The republican party steps
IE3m control Of the lower honsa az
-AEing accomplished through tur-
taA unprecedentelly bitter opposi-
ne work that the country demaul-
Ii fl4 dam9crlch was unable Or IN
te do. A the resd'ts Of its Ia
PRE- realized practically in our com
...7 THIS congress will become more
- olst'y famous one in our legisla-
history
rmjndsl man will deny that the
t-eess as done more actual onsi
II nas cleared up more errors Of
Il q