The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-03-12
REVIEW OF CONGRESS.
sk,aaMARY OF WORK DONE BY
THE FiFrY-FlRST.

THE FFTY-FlRST.
A Remarkable Number of Important
Measures Become Laws-Ths Total APP
Billion of Dollars.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Extraordin-
airy conditions governing the compost
ton of the Fifty-irst congress, drew to
it's legislation the attention Of the whole
country The Republican party had, on
the day congress convened, once more
obtained control of the executive and
legislative branches of the federal gov
eminent, but so small was the majority
in the house of representatives that it
was obvious that the success of party
measures would be greatly imperiled
unless radical methods were adopted.
Realizing this, the Republican leaders
in the house made every preparation to
place their party in that body on q
stronger footing, and hardly had the
congress convened when it became evil
dent that vigorous and unprecedented
policy was to be pursued.
The long struggle Of the Democrats in
the house to prevent the unseating Of
one of their number and the seating Of
Republican in his place, while the house
was proceeding under general parlia-
mentary law, :" and the more Otter oppo-
sition to the adoption of q new code
making radical changes in the rules
which had heretofore governed the house
in the lower body, had the effect of
keeping on the alert the interest in the
legislative proceedings, which, prior to
these occurrences, had been deemed by
many prosy and uninteresting. .
Three Great Measures
considered by the congress just ended
will take prominent place in the his
tory of legislation. These are the tariff
act of 1890, the federal elections bill and
the silver bill. By the tariff act i'm
portant changes in the customs laws
were brought about, and the first prac-
tical opportunity of testing the theories
of the advocates of commercial reci-
procity were made certain.
Early in the second session of the
congress, agitation on the silver ques-
ton was resumed. A bill introduced
by Senator Sherman, providing for GER
tain changes in the national banking
system was agreed to in the finance
committee and reported back to the
senate in the shape of general financial
measure. t>-. ..--.r
A long debate resulted in the adoption
of free coinage amendment to the bill,
and when the senate finally passed on
the measure, Senator Vest, after ex-
pressing his dissatisfaction with the
bill, offered as substitute the free
coinage bill-pure and simple-that had
been passed by the senate during the
first session of the congress. The sub
stitute was adopted. 1t was sent to the
house, and after hearing many delega-
tions. the house committee on coinage,
weights and measures, ten days previous
to the end of the congress, agreed to re-
port it adversely. 1t was never called
up in the house.
The Elections Bill.
The vacillating career of the federal
elections bill, giving the control of cleo
lions of members of the house of repre-
sentatlves to the government, was
watched with intense interest through
out the country and particularly in the
South. After limited but bitter de-
bate, the house passed the measure in
first session. 1t was called up in the
senate but the seemingly endless debate
caused by the opposition of the Demo-
Gratis, brought about the caucus agree
ment by which the elections bill was
laid aside, and the tariff bill taken up
with the understanding that the cleo.
lions bill should be pushed to final
r,ofo l,,,-;,,or fbn caoo,,I oa.,:a,, d. ~ .
discussion of the measure was never
Republicans were to give up the cleo.
hons bill if the Democrats would not
oppose other legislation having been
arranged, the senate devoted the re-
mainder of the session to pushing
through measures Of Importance.
Notable for Important Measures. !.
The first or long session is notable for
the number of other important measures
chat became lnws. Wyoming and Idaho
Were admitted to statehood, making the
number of states fortyfour A general
land grant forfeiture bill, providing for
the forfeiture to the government Of all
unearned lands opened new lands to set
Element. The prohibition Of American
meat from certain foreign markets
brought about the passage of the law to
provide for the inspection of meats in
tended for expert, The bills to prohibit
the expectation Of adulterated ARTICLES
Of food and drink, and TO enable the
president to prevent the importation Of
impure or adulterated articles of food
and drink are worthy Of special mention,
while among the less important but gem
orally interesting laws enacted were the
following.
Less Importaat Laws,
Providing for an additional assistant
secretary of the navy and an assistant
secretary Of war; increasing to $72 q
month the pensions of those pefman-
emily disabled; directing the superin.
tendent of the census to collect statistics
of farm and mortgage indebtedness;
granting certificates of discharge to
those whe enlisted under assumed
names in the war OF the rebellion; to
prevent the importation from one state
into another of goods prohibited by the
latter state except III original packages;
to apply portion of the proceeds OF ttha
sale of public lands to the endowment
and support Of agricultural colleges;
transferring the weather bureau from
the signal corps to the agricultural dc.
partment;. providing for naval arma-
ment experiments with nickel and ore
and matte; authorizing the post
master general to test the free
delivery system in small towns;
providing for the settlement Of the In
dian depredations claims by the court of
claims; creating a court for the judicial
investigation and settlement of private
land claims; repeating the timber cul.
t11re law; providing for the inspection
of live cattle, hogs and the carcasses and
products thereof which are the subjects
of interstate commerce.; authorizing the
payment of drawback or rebate on to-
bacco and snuff in certain cases.
A Summary Of Bills.
In the Fifty-first congress IA, 033 bills
were introduced in the house and d, 129
in the senate. In the Fiftieth congress
1854 bills were introduced in the house
and 1000 in the senate. In the Fifty
first congress 2a7 joint resolutions, or
twenty eight more than the number in
troduced in the Fiftieth, were intro
duced in the house. In the seuate 1863