Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-19
IT HAS DONE ITS DUTY,
This Will Be the Judgment Of His
tory on the Fifty-First Con-
greSS.
Resume Of the Many and Import
ant Matters ON Which Def
mite Action Was Taken.
Tariff, Pension, Subsidy, Copy
right, Judiciary, Timber Gut
ters and Other Measures
Disposed Of.

Spekaer Reed In his remarks at the dis
solution of the house, March 4, "can never
be justly viewed from q near stand point "
The record made by the congress which
has just closed its account is more than
usually political, but both bodies being of
the same party, and in agreement with the
president. Such harmony between the
wings of the capitol and the two ends of
Pennsylvania avenue brings with it the
fullest 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 to the republican party. 1t is
equally true that none of the credit belongs
to the democracy, the whole of it Justly
claimed by the republicans.
The appropriations for this congress,
both sessions, will amount to the
but the question is now how much
the aggregate is. On the contrary, any
appropriation notin itself justifable would
be open to censure. rhe mere size of the
grand total will cut ne figure with the in
telligent public. The increase was due,
first, to the general growth of the country;
second, to a more liberal pension policy;
third, to the refund Of the direct tax, in
accordance with the findings of the court
of claims; fourth, to the settlement of the
old French spoilation claims, so long an
impeachment of our national honor, and,
fifth, to the large number of government
buildings under way. If there is a single
appropriation bill not defensibIe upon its
merits it has not yet been brought to
light.
The defeat of the 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 ''blg
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
futile struggle over the federals election
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
clamorlng 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 order of its achievements is the
bill for the relief of the supreme court
This is well worth an entire session Of
congress. 1t promises to give us justice
instead of I'M Justice, 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
its 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 international copyright bill is to be
hailed with national rejoicing.
The repeal of the timber culture and
preemptiOn laws stands In the same cate
were enacted has passed away. They have
been, of late years, scarcely more than the
vehicle of fraud and the opportunity of
SPECTATORS Our domain has been so
lessened that we should husband carefully
the remains OF it for the settler Govern
ment land can be procured hearafter only
by actual residence under the terms of the
homestead law. Pending contests are
closed up in great measure, and the admin
istration of our land laws can be no more
cause of scandal and abuse. In the sane
line OF work is the general land grant for
fixture bill, which will prevent contested
grants from hanging forever In the courts,
ann settle up the questions connected with
one policy of granting lands in aid of rail.
road construction. The amendment to the
interstate commerce bill and the law re-
lating to immigration are not as far-reach-
ing as they should have been, but mark
progress in the right direction The
country has been reapportioned for the
election of the congress to be chosen next
year. Agreements with the Indian tribes
have been ratified, and money appropriate
ed which will clear away a host of old
debts. We have an act giving fair COM
penSation for the carriage of ocean mails,
which will put our commercial marine on
a footing of greater equality with that of
Great Britain and other nations, which
adopted this policy long ago.
1t is long since any congress adjourned
of which on independent an impartial
critic vas not compelled to say that it fell
far short of its opportunities. and neglect
ed all the more important items Of public
service for the sake of making party
capital. Thut record has been broken and
set aside by the tifty-frst. 1t has done its
duty; moag thoroughly, fearlessly md
conscientiously than any predecessor of
recent times. The republican party steps
down from control of the lower housa af-
ter having accomplished, through tur-
MOL and unprecedentedIy bitter opposi-
ton, the work that the country demand
ed and the demoerach was unable or I'M
willingly tie do. AS the resdlts of its la
bors are realized practically in our CON-
mon life, this congress will become more
and more oustly famous one in our legisla-
tive history.
No fair minded man will deny that the
5lst congress as done more actual ousi-
ness, that it has cleared up more errors of
work, that it has relieved the business
community and Strengthened out aged
abuses more effectively tran any of its |
predecessors since the war 1t has work |
ed. 1t has accomplished results. And the |
session which obstructive democrats had
announced their intention to make barren
of results, is the fruitful. the most salts
factory, the most benefcent to the public
in all the later history of the country and
the republican party. Deprived of con
troll of congress as that party now is, it
will be able to point to Legislative rec
Il IL