Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1891-03-13
REVIEW OF CONGRESS.
SUMMARY OF WORK DONE Br
THE FiFTY-FlRST.

a Remarkable Number Of t1npoftAat
. Measures Become Laws-Ths Total Ap-
Drspriaticns Made Teot Up Nearly .
billion Of Dollars.
WASHINGTON, March 5.--Extraordin-
ary conditions governing the compost
ton Of the Fifty first congress, drew to
fs 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 tho federal gov
ssnment, but 50 small was the majority
in the house Of representatives that it
was obvious that tho success Of party
measures would be greatly imperiled
unless radical methods were adopted.
Realizing this, the Republican leaders
IN tho house made every preparation to
place their party in that body on .
stronger footing, and hardly had tho
congress convened when it became evi-
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-
Denta<y law, and the more utter oppo.
1ition to tho adoption Of . new code
making radical changes in tho rules
which had heretofore governed the house
In the lower body, had tho effect OF
keeping on the alert the interest in tho
legislative proceedings, which, prior to
these occurrences, had been deemed by
many prosy and uninteresting.
Three 0reat Measures
considered by the congress just enAsd
will take prominent place in the his
tory of legislation. These are the tariff
oct 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 prae-
tical opportunity Of testing the theories
of the advocates Of commercial reei-
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 cer-
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.
A long debate resulted in the adoption
2 free coinage amendment to the bill,
and when the senate finally passed on
the measure, Senator Vest, after OK
pressing his dissatisfaction with the
bill, offered IS q substitute the free
coinage hill-pure and simple-that had
been passed by the senate during the
first session of the congress- The sub
stitute was adopted. It was sent to ths
house, and after hearing many delega-
tions. the house committee on coinage,
weights and measures, ten days previous
70 the end of the congress, agreed to re-
port it adversely. It was never called
Up in the house.
The Elections Bill.
The vacillating career of the federal
elections bill, giving tho control Of elec-
6ons 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. It was called up in the
senate but the seemingly endless debate
oaused by the opposition Of the Demo-
Gratis, brought about the caucus agree
ment by which the elections bill wes
laid aside, and the tariff bill taken up
with the understanding that the cleo
eions 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
IN I'M n71
tions 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
that became lnws. Wyoming and Idaho
were admitted to statehood, making the
number Of states forty-four. A general
land grant forfeiture bill, providing for
the forfeiture to the government Of all
uneazned lands opened new lands to set
: tlement. The prohibition Of American
brought about, the passage ef 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 OF adulterated articles Of food
and drink are worthy of special mention,
while among the less important but ron
orally interesting laws enacted were the
following:
Less Important Laws.
Providing for an additional assistant
secretary Of the navy and an assistant
secretary of war; increasing to. 172 q
month the pensions Of those perman.