Morris tribune., 1891-03-11

Measures Become Laws-Thc Total APP
preparations Made Foot Up Nearly a
Billion of Dollars.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Extraordin-
ary conditions governing the compost
ton of the Fifty-first congress, drew to
its 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
ernment, 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 a
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 a
Republican in his place, while the house
was proceeding under general parlia-
mentary law, and the more otter oppo-
sition to the adoption of new code
making radical changes in the rules
which had heretofore governed the house
in the lower body, had the effect of
8I,o oJo ;-a%o ~ I,o
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 81 the second session of the
congress. agitation on the silver ques-
tion was resumed. A bill introduced
by Senator Sherman, providing for GER
tain changes In the national banking
committee and reported back to the
senate in the shape Of general financial
measure.
A long debate resulted in the adoption
of a 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 il the house.
The Elections Bill.
The vacillating career of the federal
elections bill, giving the control of cleo
tions Of members Of the house of repre-
sentat1ves 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 elec-
tions bill should be pushed to final
vote during the second session. But the
discussion of the measure was never
completed, an agreement by which the
Republicans were to give up the elee=
-tioqs Ell # 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 fo1
the number of other important measures
that became lnws. Wyoming and Idaho
number of states forty-four. A general
land grant forfeiture bill, providing for
the forfeiture to the government of all
unearned lands opened new lands to set
tlement. 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 export. 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 gen.
orally interesting laws enacted were the
following:
Less Important Laws.
Providing for an additional assistant
rnfo of hn md or mt
secretary of war; increasing to S72 q |
month the pensions of those perman-
emily disabled: directing the superin-
tendent of the census to collect statistics |
of farm and mortgage Indebtedness;
granting certificates of discharge to
those who 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 in original packages;
to apply portion of the proceeds of the
sale of public lands to the endowment |
and support of agricultural colleges;
transferring the weather bureau from
the signal corps to the agricultural de-
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;
for the settlement Of the In
Iian depredations claims by the court of
claims; creating court for the Judicial
Investigation and settlement of private
land claims; repeating the timber cul-
ture law; providing for the inspection
IF live cattle, hogs and the carcasses and
products thereof which are the subjects
If interstate commerce; authorizing the
payment Of drawback or rebate on to-
o1eeo and snuff in certain cases.
A Summary Of BILLS.
In the Fifty-frst congress IA, ,033 bills
we're introduced in the house and 8, 5,129
n the senate. In the Fiftieth congress
q. .554 bills were introduced in the house
nd 4 geo in the senate. In the Fifty
irst congress 207 joint resolutions, or
;wenty-eight more than the number m
roduced in the Fiftieth, were intro
uced in the house. In the seuate 169
pint resolutions, twenty-four more
nan in the Fiftieth, were introduced.
n-xsa - ~. = 4 -