Connecticut western news., 1891-03-11


 party measures would be greatly imperiled unless radical methods were adopted. Realizing this, the Republican managers made every preparation to place thelr par ty in that body on a strong footing, and hardly had the congress convened when it became evident that Q vigorous policy was to be pursued. The long struggle of the Democrats in the house to prevent the un- seating of one of their number and the seating of Republican contestant in his place while the house was proceeding un- der general parliamentary law," and the more bitter opposition to the adoption of a new code making radical changes in the rules had the effect of keeping on the alert the interest in legislative proceedings. Three Great Measures.
 Three great measures considered by the congress just ended will take proml- nent place in the history of legislation. These are the tariff act of 1890, the federal elections bill and the silver bill. By the tariff bill important changes in the GUS toms laws were brought about, and the first practical opportunity of testing the | theories of the advocates of commercial reciprocity were made certain. The reef procity matter was brought to the atten. tion of congress by Secretary Blaine It | did not find enthusiastic advocacy in the house, but Senator Aldrich succeeded, with the assistance of several Of his col. | leagues, in persuading the senate to at tach a clause to the tariff bill providing for a commercial trade agreement by which the United States could secure the | free admission to this country from tue | Latin American nations of sugar and othel products. A practical opportunity of test | ing it's benefits has been afforded by the | recent agreement with Brazil
 The Fight for Free Coinage. On July l4, 1890, after protracted struggle between the advocates of free silver and the conservatives on the silver question, a bill was enacted providing for | the issue of coin certificates based on gold or silver bullion, with a proviso that the secretary of the treasury should purchase 4,5OO, 900 ounces of silver bullion each month. This bill was the result of com. | promise, in conference, between the two | houses-the senate having passed free | coinage bin Early in the second session | agitation on the silver question was re. sumed A bill introduced by Senator | Sherman, providing for certain changes in | the national ban king system, was amended | in the finance committee and reported back to the senate in the shape of a general financial measure. A long debate resulted | in the adoption of free coinage amend | ment to the bill, and late one night, when | the senate had completed and finally passed on the measure, Senator Vest, after expressing his dissatisfaction with the bill, offered as substitute the free coinage bill fl si, \, hnf hnl by the senate during the first session ui the congress The substitute was adopted 1t was sent to the house, but was never | called up,
 The Federal Elections Hill. The vacillating career of the federal cleo. tions bill was watched with Intense inter est throughout the country, and particu larly in the south. After limited, but | bitter debate, the house passed the meas | ure ill the first session. It was called up in the senate, but the seemingly endless de bate caused by the opposition of the Dem | ocrats brought about the caucus agree ment by which the elections bill was laid ;lside and the tariff bill taken up, with the understanding that the elections bill should be pushed to final vote during the second session. But the discussion of | the measure was never completed. It was taken up according to the agreement in the second session, and laid aside for tf. hnancial bill, prevlously referred to. by d | yea and nay vote, most of the Republican, ire. silver men and several other Republic ans voting with the Democrats It came up agaln and the Republicans endeavoreti to limit debate by passing the closure bill | but the opponents of the bll tincIutlIng a | number of Republicans) succeeding m sidetracklng the rule for the apportiol- ment bill. This killed the measure
 The Pension Question.
 | In pursuance of it's promise in the cam | paign of lSSS that more liberal leglslatlOu would be enacted the Republican, party's representatives in congress secured tn. passage oi a disability pension act giving disabled soldiers $l2 d month IreslurnL
 HarriSon's opposition to lotteries brought abont the enactment of law prohibiting the sending through the mail, of letters and circulars relating to luLterles, and oI newspapers containing lottery advertise
 ments. Somewhat similar to thls Ieglsla
 ton was the passage ot d Dill to re>train trusts and combinations The retirement
 oI MT Blair from the seIIitte probably
 marks the end oi legislative proceedings
 on his famous educational bull. Previous
 to the Fifty -rlrst congress the bill had twice
 p;isSeti the senate, but in the first session
 of the congress Just ended It was defeated
 in that body
 Tho Worlds Fair Fight. International interest was aroused dur
 ing Lii~ first session by the contention be
 tween the cities of New York, Chicago, St } Louis and Washington to secure the
 Worlds Columbian exposition. After an
 exciting struggle national commission
 was appointed anu Chicago Was selected As the slLe
 The first or long session is notable fo,
 the number ot other important measures ; that b.t:aIne laws. Wyoming and Idaho
 were admitted to statehood, making the
 humber of states forty tour. A genera
 land grant forfeiture bill, providing for the forfeiture to the government of all uu , earned lands granted to aid Tn the con struction ot railroads opposite portions o
 roads uncompleted at the time of the pas sage of the law, opened new lands to set
 clement. The prohibition of American f meat from certain foreign markets brought about the passage of the law to provide Tor the inspection of meats intended fol s export. The bills to prohibit the eAporta F tion of adulterated articles of food anC
 drink, and to enable the president to pre-
 vent the importation of impure or adul
 terated articles of food and drink arr I worthy of special mention.
 Cleveland, 161; Harrison, II. In the Fifty-first congress l4,033 bill ! were introduced in the house and 5,l29 il t the senate In the Fiftieth congress l2, ,65 | were introduced in the house and 4,OOO il
 the senate.
 e In the Fiftieth congress President Cleve
 land vetoed 161 bills and joint resolutions
 while in the Fifty-fr President Harriso1
 vetoed only II. The bills that became law
 during the congress just ended numbere
 2.1S6 In the Fiftieth congress 1894 wer
 enacted. Contests for seats held by Demo - | crats in the house were made by Is Re