The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-03-13
NOW FOR A LONG REST.
TIFTY-FIksT CONGRESS PASSES OUT
OF EXISTENCE. k

A Review Of What Has Been Accom-
plished. Showing the Fifty-first to Hav'
Been the Most Remarkable Congress
sipce the War-Will BE Long Re
membered on account Of the MsE Enitud'
Of Actual Working Time and the Va
riety and Importance Of Measure
Acted Upon-A long Mortuary List.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Both house.
usual scenes and incidents attendant upon
the rush of legislative action at the close
of congress were re.enacted.
The Fifty-frst congress is considered by
many veteran legislators the most re-
markable congress since the war. In &C
tual working time and in the variety and
importance of the measures acted upon
it surpassed all it's predecessors. Three
measures stand forth pre-eminent among
all others-the Mckinley tariff bill, which
became a law; the silver bill, on which, in
the first session, compromise was
effected, based on monthly purchases OF
4,500, 600 ounces of silver, which, in turn,
was followed by u more radical measure
that failed of passage; and the federal
election bill, which, after protracted,
bitter, hoJly fought and intensely exciting
preliminary struggle, failed in the senate
to reach a decisive vote on its merits.
Radical innovations in the rules of the
house added interest to its proceedings,
and determined but fruitless efforts to
adopt the most vital of the innovations,
formed part of the history of the latter
part Of the sessions of the senate. Even
in its mortuary record the congress was
remarkable, the call of death having sum-
moned no fewer than twelve of its repre-
sentatives and three of its senators.
The expenditures, authorized will ex-
ceed those Of any 'speace" congress since
the foundation OF the governme1E. rPhe
total appropriations made BY @iftiath
congress were, tdurings the b1lfst. sesst Al
1896, 337, ,5l6, and during she t6ee9nd s-
sion $422, ,626, 343, or an aGgr6k kate 6f 0017.-
965,S59, while the appropriations for thS
first session of the~ n(fSvhrst congreaa
4weye s46A G27, ,697, and q (e5 Of tn second
session will probably bring the total ap.
pro n,opFi"tionS of the congress to 9 900 '000'-
A Comparison Of the Work
of the congress just closed with that of its
Immediate predecessors, makes the follow
ing exhibit: Bills introduced-In The
house, in the Fifty-first congress, 14,033,
against in the Fiftieth congress 12,654, an
increase of 1879; joint resolutions 279, an
increase of 10; senate bills 5l29, against
1000, or an increase of 1899; joint resolu-
tions 1859, an increase of "a.
Bills passed-By the house, 1748, of
which 1918 became laws; by the senate,
1906 bills, of which 673 became laws, max
ing the total number of laws during the
Fifty-first congress 2lS6. as against 1924 i'll
the Fiftieth congress, an increase of 1862
The senate postponed indefinitely GIG
senate and Is house bills, this being equiv
alent to defeat. During the Fif-
tieth congress 161 bill were vetoed
and during the Fifty-first congress
IA. In addition to this work
there were 1S contested election cases. The
house seated of the Republican contest.
ants and declared the seat of one Demo-
crat, Mr.. Breckinridge of Arkansas,
Two cases, Goodrich vs. Bullock
from Florida, and McGinnis vs.. Aldeason
from West Virginia, in which the COM
mittee recommended seating the Repub-
lican contestants, were not disposed of by
The house, and the elections committee it. |
,elf never acted on the Eaton vs.. Phelan |
Tennessee case. The senate disposed of its |
sole contested .alsetim1 by seating the |
TWO Renlll sfr0m Montana.
- l1 serevious Experience
1 o0S important of the measures
khich constitute the list of legislative fail
lres found their tomb in the senate, the
house throughout the two years having
aiken the lead in legislation and passed
definitely upon every measure of general
interest on which the leaders of the ma
ority desired action.
Among the "old stagers," which are now
laws, are the copyright bill; the private
and court bill Ito settle disputes arising
'ver Mexican grants in the western
tates and terriJories); the postal subsidy
ill; the Indian depreciation claims bill;
he timber and pre-emption law repeal
ill (making general revision of the
and laws; the customs administrative
ill; general land forfeiture bill; the
ill to relieve the supreme court by the
of intermediate circuit
ourts of appeal; the United States
udges' salary bill and the direct tax re-
und hill. The educational, bill; the bill
or the appointment of an alcoholic liquor
and the "eight-hour" claims
i'll. are measures which were defeated on
est votes; while among those which,
fter passing one house failed of action in
be other and will doubtless be wrestled
With by succeeding congressman are the
ankruptcy bill, the Conger lard bill and
he army reorganization bill. The Pad
ock pure food bill. the Nicaragua canal
ill, the Pacific railroad funding bill and
he interstate commerce bill Ito permit
United pooling Of earnings by railroad
are among the measures which
Iiled to reach a vote in either house.
These are Now LAWS
Among the bills, ETC., which became
ws, in addition to those heretofore men.
oned, are the following:
For Worlds fair at Chicago; for the
of Wyoming and Idaho terri
'ries to state hood; the anti-lottery; the
,ti-trust bill Ito prevent combinations in
straint of trads); the reapportionment
ii; provisions to add three line-of-battle
Ups, one pr0teesed cruiser, one fast cruis-
Of 75OO tons, and one torpedo cruiser !
ID one torpedo boat to the new navy; the :