The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-03-14
CONGRESS- LABORS.
Summary of the Doings of tho
Fifty-First Congress.

Important Legislation Enacted-Attention
Drawn to the Work of the Body
by the Extraordinary Condi-
tions Surrounding 1t.
WAsHINGTOS, March 5.-ExrTa"rdinary
conditions governing the composition of
the fifty first congress drew to its legislation
the attention Of the whole country. The re-
publican party had, on the day the 70 ngress
convened. once more obtained control of
! tl'c legislative branches of the federal gov
"rnrn'nt. but 80 small was the majority in
the house Of representatives that il was OBJ
VIou> the success Of party measures would
De greatly i;upCrilcl ullc-- rad cIl methods
"'r" adopted. Realizing this ia" republican
managers in tn" house made every prcpara-
ton t" place their party in that body on
II stronger footing, and hardly had
the congress convened when it be-
cam" evident that a vigorous and un-
prcc"icntci policy WAS to h. pursued The
long struggle OF the democrats in til" house
TO prevent tn" unScatinS of one of their
number AMI til" seating of Il republican con
t"~trc III his place. while the house. was pro-
coed ny under general parliamentary law"
and IL" more bitter opposition t" the adop-
tt"n al Il new code making radical changes
IN ia" ru!cS which had h"rrtnfor" governed
TIA" house. had the effect nf keeping on the
alert the interest in leg >lat.y We proceedings.
WHICH. prior to thc-r recurrence had been
deemed. u: many. pr"Sy and embarrassing.
Three great measures considered by the
congress just ended VIII take u prominent
place IN tn" history Of it, legislation. These
arr tn" tariff nc; OF l~'p. the federal circtiun-
bill ami Ia" silver bill. Is the tariff act i'm
l'"Itint changes III the customs laws we're
brought about. and the iir-t practical nppor-
iUIiiy of i"stlnG the theories of the aivu.
cafes Of commercial reciprocity wer" made
certain. The rec. pro"ity matter was
brought {" the attention of congress
by secretary Blaine. II did not find
enthusiastic advocacy in TIA" house: hut.
senator Aldr.ch (whO had previously
"Np"usrd it, d"ctrin"l succeeded. with the
assistance at several of his colleagues. in
r"r~uidin" the senate to att Il Il clause to
the tariff bill providing for a commercial
trid" agreement by which the Unltr,. states
could ~""ur" tl!" FIRE" admission To- this
country from til" Latin american countries
al sugar and other products. \ mod fled
form "i III" reciprocity amendment wt- in
serted in TIA" bill Will" it wI- in conference.
aud i practical opportunity Of TESTING its
benefits mas leon afforded by the r-rrn;
agreement With Brazil.
On J.iy Il. iS''. after a pr"iracf"d struggle
b'i"'cI TIN advocates "i free silver IIi the
conservative on The silver quest on. Il bill
VIZ 'nI"i"i providing tor In" issue nf cniu
cert irI;'- hE-'i "n gold ar silver bullion.
via "a Tr"yI~p that tn" secretary OF the
tr"a~rify -h"Hid purchase 4.5.0p1 "uuc"~ ct
silver bullion each month. THIS bill u - the
r"~'lt Of a compromise. "a conference. be
tween the two hpu-r-hr senate having
passed a free coinage. Li!l.
EIrly Iu tn. -rc.,u session of the con
=rr~-. agitation uu tile silver question WIS
resumed. bin introduced hy senator ~hrr-
man. PROV ding f"r certain changes in tn.
national bInktn. system. Wa- amended in
IN" intilc" committee aud reported back
To- th" senate ia tn" shape OF u general iinan
rtal rn"a~Ir'. i long I"lrtr resulted in the
adoption Of "a ire" coinage amendment to
tn" h!l. and lat "n" night when Tia" ~cnat" |
completed and iuiily pI-~ri on the meas
ur". senator Vet. after expressing his di-
satisfaction wIt.I tn bin. offered - Il sub |
-tuit" tn" free c"ina<" hill-pur" and sim
pl'-tHIt had ben pt--"I by the senate dur |
IA. III" first Session q! the congress. The
substitute W-t- adopted. II WIS ~"nt To- TIA" |
h"I>r, rEI after hearing many I"!"@at "n-
III" hons. COMMITTEE "n coinage. weight |
AMI measures. tn Day prev r"u- tn the. "ni
81 To. c"u-rr-~- I%T"'"' - report II al !
v"r-"iy- II Ms E'V"rciI.r! up ~ TIA" house
tn. vac IIitIr= carer ni fh- federal -Ie-
t'''i~ hin. ewing III" control -: elections
81 u"iuI"r~ of the h"U~" ct repre-
~ ~ wv EaHAf illii'GN. VIZ 4
watched with intense interest through
ont ~" r"HHtry and part -Iitriy in
til" ~Dnth. After Il LIMITED lat bitter debate
ia" hons" lri--"i ti'. MEASURE ia tn" first
-'~-."a- II 49, 'li.'aI al, Iu tn" senate. but
thu seemingly endless debate caused 10y the
81 POSITION al In" democrats. brought about
The caucus agreement hy which the cicc-
t!"u- hiI MA lad a-i'I" and TIA" tariff ban
taken up with the unI"r-tandjn. that ia"
elect pu~ bill should be- pushed to final
Noi" during tn" second session I;ut the
discuss 'n OF the measure" WIS never
completed. II WA taken up. according
T." the agreement, ~ the second session,
md laid a-il" for tn" financial bin. prcvi-
'u~ly referred To-. ly = yea and nay vote.
most 81 TIA" republican free silver men and
- rrrIl other r. puhli"an~ voting with the
democrats. AGAIN it Wa taken up. but the
republican managers. IrIllZ5ug that they
could not pi-- Il under tn" "N'-tin= rode. "i
procedure brought in = rul' To- clo-, debate
\ v"ry determined BATH" "n-ur'l. and the
opponents 81 the election hill tn"ludiu.a
uHu.hrr "f r. pIhIictn-. -uccr'.l,sl in ~Id.-
track ug the raj" for the IppuTtHpuuru
hili. This Killed til" measure. IN a.T."
mrnt Icy which tine republicans wrr" {" give
tie elect "u- hgII 4 fb" democrats would
not "rr"s" other leg Station W. arranged.
'u'i the -cnit'. devoted tia" remainder ofthc
session To pushing through measures q: IN
In pursuance "f it. prom s-. in the cam
IiIi.H "i I-S~. that NOR. lib"rli pension
.'"i~ :ti"r would h' enacted. tn" republican
party representa- w. in ""n"r'>- secured
The ph~-I-" uf Il disability pension act Civ
u'g disabled soldiers Il. q month.
President Harri-"n'- opposition t" lot.
t'ri'- wHich y" mad" the subject of Il In"~-
7a@" to congress- brought about Tn, enact
men; al - law prohibiting the ~"ndin" 4,
THROUGH the mails of letters aud ttr.TtlIr-
I" lotteries and mf newspapers con
iaiu5ug lottery advertisements. ~0tncwh hat
SIMILAR I" Thu legislation was the passage OF
a bill to restrain trusts and combinations.
Til" retirement Of Mr. Blair from tn" sen
tie probably marks the end "f Icgi-lItiv.
froc''d Es- on HI famous educational bill. J
i%Icyi"U- to th" fifty first congress the bII !
~ ic" ui--ni ia" senate. but ia the first
.r--I"u 81 tI'. curGT"-- Just ended Il was tie
in that body. ,
lnf"rnItj"na interest," Wa aroused during
Ia" fir-: session of tia" c"uErr-- 10y the con
b,;Wr"n the cit" S ri New York. Chi
age. -. Lnli- and Washington to secure !
lac N"T!d- Columbian exposition. and after q
N exciting struggle" 4 national commission .
W. appointed and Chicago was selected as p,
lie site.
Til" first or long session - notable for til" u
number 81 important measures that he q
.amr Laws. Wyoming and Idaho were al -:
IIIttri To- statehood. max ing the number of :
ttt"- forty four. \ general land grant for :
bIIl providing Tor the FORFEITURE" to r
Lc government Of all unrarnci lands "
{" AID in thc construction Of rail
opposite" portions of roads uncom
al til" time of thc pa~-ag" ri the law,
'p,n II new Lands To settlement. The pro-
IibitiOn al American meat from certain for. a
ign markets brought about the passage Of e
he Law L. provide for the inspection of =,
meats intended for export. The bills to :.
'r"hIhit the cNpOrtHtIon Of HIultrrlird ar 1
iClcs of food and drink. and to II
the president tn prevent the C
Of impure or adult"ratci :
1T cl'- Of food and drink are worthy of =
pcciIl mention. while among the less i'm :
'"rlant hut generally interesting laws en- a
ci"d were ii" following Providing for an y
nd an assistant secretary of war; proyid-
NJ for the cNPUriatiOn of frrmcntr,i liquor
bond " ithnut payment oil internal revenue
extending the criminal Jurisdiction of II
he federal courts 10 the great lakr-. in h
rra-inG To- 80 a month the pensions 81 those n
rTmIn'niiy disabled. authorizing the Con- a,
t%rucii"n of Il railroad criminal bridge over u
hc North river at New York: directing h
he superintendent of the census Ia G
Object statistics of farms aud farm mort N
age indebtedness; for the pruInuiga-
ion 10y the president of regulations to pre- L
eht the spread Of contagious q -cascs from Il
ne state {" another: granting certificates Ii
4 Il -chargr to those who enlisted under as