Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-05
BILLS NOT PASSED.
District Measures Left on the Con-
gressional Calendars.
PIGEON -HOLED DOCUMENTS.
Much Work That May Have to Re Done Over
again The Lack Of Permanent Piles in the
Co.nmittee--whyS som. Bills faiied-Th~
Two Committees.

ard senate ard hundreds of others which never
emerged from the committee rooms. All these
bills are dead, bu: NAV be revived under
other numbers at the next Congress. and Just
here follows one Of the greatest faults of the
present plan Of organization OF the District
committees, especially Of the House District
committee. Congress has been called the legis-
lature Of the District. bat If the District has a
legislature il consists of the two District COM
rnittees, as by them is mainly determined what
shall be done and what shall not be done for
the District. such measures as are decided upOn
are altered and perfected in the committee
rooms. Some few other committees sometimes
take hand in District legislation by reporting
and Easing bills. notably IN the last Congress,
the city post Office bill, reported by and passed
through the efforts OF the committee on public
buildings and grounds and the Police Court
bill and Court of Appeals bill reported from
the committee Judiciary. The House and
Senate themselves also occasionally take a hand
IN the affair and oyerturn amend the plans
of the committees However. II may be set
down as a general rule that District legislation
Is made BY the two District committees The
House District committee has received in bills
and petitions introduced and Senate bills re-
TERED over 400 documents during the last Con-
gress. Some bills were passed. Fifty
rye District bills remain the House
calendar The others have never emerged
from the committee ROOM OF the four hum
bred bills probably one hundred have been
referred to the Commissioners and an opinion
them IN writing received Now. the ques-
zion Is what happens TO ali the documents and
reports on these various measures. Nine-teuths
Of the bills which failed To be enacted this Con-
gress will be reintrOduced next Congress and
referred again to the District committee. viii
the new committee md n practicable file of pa
pers and documents relating to these measures
80 that the history and records can be looked
up? Not bv anv means. and the last committee
found nothing Of the kind when il took possess
sion OF the committee room. Next session the
committee will have to take each one of those
bills and study II out again from the first Ii
will get of the benefits of the
researches Of the last committee, ex-
cept far as individual memories
go. The bills will have TO be sent again 10 the
Commissioners and reported upon. All this
follows from the fact that no files are kept In
large drawer in one of the desks in the House
committee room Is q mass Of documents and
papers relating 10 the District matters of the
Iiftieth Congress- In clearing up yesterday at
tire committee room another large compart-
ment was filled with the documents concerning
the past Congress. This mass of paper will be
as much of a mystery to the next clerk OF the
District committee the first drawer was to
Mr.. JeffOrds when he entered upon his duties.
Everybody at the Capitol any way connected
with the committee recognizes the fact tn II the
committee should be organized so that DR. ,per
records can be kept. 1t is not the fault of the
clerks to the commit. .e. They come and go at
are naturally unable to Keep any systematic
arrangement of affairs. The Senate committee
shows TO some extent the advantage derived
from the practical permanence of the clerks.
Some District bills have passed either one
or the other of the houses and have been re-
ported in the other. These bills will be found
among those on the calendar. Others have
passed one house. but have not been reported
In the other Many bids have been reported
and are on the calendars without action having
been taken them. Many more bills never
succeeded in getting outside the committee
rooms.
The bill which had the narrowest escape from
being enacted into law the bill for the Nor
folk and Western railway. This bill passed the
Senate with an amendment adding to the bill
the Washington and Cumberland railroads
proposals. The Housa struck the latter road
from the bill. An effort to have the Senate
accept the House amendment failed in the last
hours Of the Congress through all objection
from Mr.. Edmunds.
HELD Up N THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.
Senate bills which we're held up in the House
District committee were:
For the prevention of the unlawful use of
the property of others
For the better protection Of hotel keepers.
For the regulation of the sale of liquor
Toprovide for the purchase of certain lots.
To restrict the sale and use of opium
POcKETED BY The SENATE COMMITTEE
Senate committee were:
Requiring the street railway companies of the
District of Columbia to make annual reports
Providing for the assessment and collection
Of water-main taxes
To regulate steam engineering in the District
OF Columbia
To regulate the sale of tickets on street rail-
roads in the District of Columbia.
To incorporate the District of Columbia Rail
way Company.
To compel the attendance of witnesses on
TRIALS OF members of the police force. fire de-
parrment. or any other department of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. and for other purposes
House JOINT resolution extending the ..act fix
ms the rate of interest to be- charged on arrear-
ages OF general and special taxes now due the
District OF Columbia. If paid within time
specified. TO October 81, 1880.
REMAINING ON THE SENATE CALENDAR.
On the Senate calendar there are the follow
ing bills relating to the District:
Joint resolution proposing an amendment of
the Constitution to confer representation to
the District of Columbia in the two houses of
Congress and in the electoral college.
Directing the committee on the District of
Columbia 10 inquire whether adequate provi-
sion Is made IN the District of Columbia for
the care. &c. of colored foundlings and other
eolored infants.
To define the route OF the baltimore and
Ohio railroad
To incorporate the Washington and High
lands Street Railway COMPANY
10 encourage cooperation and to provide
Tor the forms.IOn of associations in the Dis
trict OF SOlumbia for the purpose OF conducting
dIlr lawful business and dividing the profits
among the members thereof
10 amend the charter of the Prospect Hill
cemetery.
For the preservation of the public peace and
the protection of property.
To prevent cruelty to children.
To provide for the purchase Of a site on
which to erect a building for the use of the
Pest Once Department and the United States
post Office at Washington. ID. G.
10 regulate the practice of medicine.
For the regulation of the practice Of den
tistry and for the protection of the people
rom empiricism in relation thereto.
Providing for library for the government
printing office.
To incorporate the trustees of the National
Industrial Institute IN Washington. ID. c.
Constituting eight hours a days work for all
lAborers, workmen and mechanics employed
BY or on behalf of the government OF the
Cnited States, or by or on behalf OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia, or by contractors doing
Work for the government of the United States
OF the District Of Columbia, and providing
penalties for violation OF the provisions
hereof.
10 amend IAN act TO prohibit the importa-
non and migration OF foreigners and aliens I'M
Ger contract or agreement to perform labor in
tne United states, Its territories and the Dis
trict of Columbia
To authorize the Washington and Cumber-
land Railroad Company to extend its road into
-srrfs fs.l.