Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-08-04
THIS SESSION OF CONGRESS


AdA4 10 Oub VI b1AC way uC 6CS-
sion now drawing to a close has not
been remarkable for its actual accom-
plishments so far as respects large legis-
lation. Efforts more or less vigorous
have been made to pass through both
houses of congress bills dealing with
questions that occupy large share of
public attention, but these, with single
exception, have failed of Accomplishment
The sole measure of first-class import
ance, not counting the appropriation
bills, which has become a law, is the
Chinese exclusion bill.
This bill, the mman registry bill, the
Black Hawk and Seminole Indian wars
pension bills, the eight-hour bill, the bill
to enable the president to enforce re-
ciprocal canal arrangements with Can
ada, the army nurse bill, the intermeui-
ate pension bill to increase the pay of
ife-savers are about the only measures
of much general interest enacted into
law.
Free silver, the tariff, the anti-option
bill, retrenchment of appropriations and
5000, 900 loan to the worlds fair have
been the live topics of the session. The
first three subjects have been killed, at
least until after the election. The last
is still before congress, and the fourth
question. that Of appropriations, entered
largely into the makeup of the appro-
priation bills, and prevented single
public building bill from passing the
house, the session being absolutely
unique in this particular Many other
bills providing for new expenditures,
the omnibus lighthouse bill, for instance,
failed because of the retrenchment pol
icy.
The policy announced by the majority
party in the house in favor of re-
trenchment cf appropriations resulted
in an unusually close scanning of the
estimates and in the non-allowance of
appropriations for nearly all new work.
The worlds fair was closed on Sunday
by paragraph in the sundry civil bill,
not yet passed.
A provision of interest to soldiers in
one of the bills makes the action of the
second auditor on all back pay and
bounty claims final, except that an ap-
peal may lie within six months to the
controller.
Collection of statistics relating to our
expectations by railroads is provided for,
no statistics except coastwise statistics
being now obtainable, so that our ex-
ports to Canada and Mexico are matters
of guess.
In the river and harbor bin the policy
embarked on in the preceding congress
of permitting contracts to be entered
into for the completion of some of the
largest public improvements was mate
rally extended.
In the les, lslative bill a provision was
inserted which stops the gauging of liq-
uors coming out of rectifying houses.
1t is always gagged as it comes from
the distillery, and the result of this pro-
vision is expected to make an annual
saving of $150,000.
Money order reports are to be made
only monthly, instead of at least once a
week, as at present.
Some of the Bills Passed.
Among the bills originating in the
house which have become laws are the
following: To appropriate $50, 900 for tAe
preparation of site and the erection OF
pedestal for statue to the late Gen
eral Sherman; to add the secretary OF
agriculture to the list of officers entitled
to succeed to the presidency; for the
opening of part of the Colville reserva-
tion in Washington; for the investigation
of mining debris in California.
Among the bills originating in the
senate to become laws were the follow.
ing: To authorize the day of the four.
hundredth anniversary of the discovery
of America to be proclaimed general
holiday; increasing to $50 per month the
pensions of persons totally incapacitated
for labor, but not totally helpless; to re.
peal the law requiring hve-saving pro.
jectiles to be carried on steamers as far
as concerns vessels navigating the lakes,
bays or sounds exclusively.
Among the bills in conference are the
following: To promote the safety of ma.
tional banks by forbidding loans to bank
employees; to establish lineal promotions
in the army; to give claimants the right
to sue the United States to obtain land
patents and to exclude beer and malt
liquors from the Indian country.
Among the house bills other than
those previously mentioned, which are
before the senate, are these: To define
the crimes of murder in first and
second degree, federal law having nc
provision on this subject; to dispense
with proof of loyalty during the late
war as prerequisite to being restored
or admitted to the pension rolls; to pro.
tect the titles of bona fide settlers on un,
surveyed government lands in cases
where the lands subsequently prove tc
be within a railroad land grant.
Among the bills passed by the senate
but which have not yet finally got
through the house, are the following
The grain classification bill, to increase
the pension for deafness, also fol
loss Of limb; general bill for the
erection of public buildings in cities
where the postal receipts for the
three years preceding have ex
ceeded $4,000 annually; for the con
struction Of two revenue cutters fol
service on the Pacific coast and two OF
the great lakes; making a large appro
priation for the improvement of th'
Mississippi river; to declare lands con
tanning phosphates to be mineral land
and subject to entry as such.
There were also number of other i'm
portant bills, such as the Torrey baL..l
ruptcy bill, which failed of considera
ton in either branch of congress.
Thg BOY FFigh5fGny Gored.
EAST LIVERPOOL, O., Aug. Twill
passing through field on his father
farm, northwest Of this city, Archie
the ten-year-old son of Thomas Krine