The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-13

| tions.
The first or long session is notable for
the number of important measures that
became laws. Wyoming and Idaho were
admitted to Statehood, making the num-
Der Of States forty-four general
LAND GRANT FORFEITURE BILL,
providing for the forfeiture to the Govern
ment of all uncarned lands granted to aid
in the construction of railroads opposite
portions Of roads uncompeted at the time
OF the passage of the law, opened new
lands to settlement The prohibition of
American meat from certain foreign mar
kcts brought about the passage of the
law TO provide for the inspection of meats
intended for export.
Political prophets were somewhat sur
prised by the nature of the bill
ArroRTIoNMENT THE REPR RESERVATION
in the several States according to their
population under the federal census of
1890. Notwithstanding predictions TO the
contrary, the bill reported in the House
Census Committee simply increased the
representation of the States in Congress
from 1872 to 1856 (making no decrease in
the numbers from any State,) and al
though provision to increase the rcpresen-
tatlon of particular States were pressed
the law without amendment.
RELIEF OF SHIPPING.
The passage of bill granting subsidies
to United States mail vessels built in
America and owned and differed by Amer
lean citizens was the result Of efforts to
enact general subsidy shipping bill A
bill authorizing the refusal Of clearance
papers to vessels on which cattle for ex-
port had not proper accommodations, etc,
was also enacted
The direct tax bill was among the
measure that excited the most violent
opposition but it was passed and became
a law. By it the money collected from
various States rs direct texes during the
first year Of the war to be refunded.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
Among other measures enacted by the
Congress were those providing for the
settlement of the Indian depredations
claims by the Court Of Claims, creating
court for the judicial investigation and
settlement for private land claims; pro-
viding that the reciprocity clause of the
tariff act Of 1880 shall not be construed
as affecting the treaty between the United
States and the Hawaiian Islands; repeal
ing the timber-culture law; providing for
the inspection Of live cattle, hogs and the
carcasses and products thereof which are
subjects of interstate commerce; provid
ing for the payment Of judgements of the
Court of Claims for army supplies under
the Bowman act; authorizing the pay
ment of drawback or rebate on tobacco
and snuff in certain cases; allowing the
President to fill for thirty days vacancies
caused by the death or resignation of
head of a department, and for tunnel
under New York bay.
The bills to prohibit the expectation Of
adulterated article of food and drink and
to enable the President to prevent the
importation of impure or adultcratcd ar
ticles Of food and drink are worthy of
special mention, while among the less i'm
portant but generally interesting laws
enacted were the following:
Providing for an additional Assistant
Secretary of the Navy and Assistant Sec
rotary of War; providing the expectation
of fermentcd liquor in bond without pay
ment of internal revenue tax; extending
the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts to
the great lakes increasing TO $72 month
the pension Of those permanently dis
abled; authorizing the construction of a
railroad bridge over the North River at
New York; directing the superintendent
of the Census to collect statistics Of farms
mitigation BY the President of regulations
to prevent the spread Of contiguous dis
eases from one State to another; granting
certificates Of discharge to those who en-
listed under assumed names in the war of
the rebellion; to prevent importation from
one State into another of goods prohibi
ted by the latter State, except in original
packages; to prevent collisions at sea-
CONTEST AND MoRTrAEY STATISTICS.
in the House were made by eighteen Re-
puhlcans. The Electors committee de-
cided seventeen of thesc-cleyen in favor
Of Republicans, and six in favor of Demo-
Gratis. The House seated eight Republi
cans in place Of sitting Democrats, and
declared the scat of one Democrat vacant.
The House adopted the report of the COM
mttce IN every case presented.
Three Senators and twelve Representa-
died in office during the ffty-frst Con-
gross. In the Forty ighth Congress, how
ever, the percentage of deaths was larger,
the membership being smaller,
The regular and miscellaneous appro-
priations made by the Fifticth Congress
amounted to $Sl7, 9G5,SS9, while the APP
preparations Of the Congress just ended
aggregated between $900,00O,OO0 and
81 600 100000