Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-01

MEASURES THAT HAVE BECOME LAWS, THAT HAVE
ABSOLUTELY FAILED AND THAT ARE NOW UPON
The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ENTERED
INTO AND Election CONTESTS DECIDED AND
YET UNFINISHED.
It. is quite apparent that the work Of this
session of Congress is at a close. except as to
the sundry civil bill. over which the House is at
q deadlock There has been a great deal Of
work done by both houses, but the great mass
OF legislation, as usual. has fallen between the
two houses. A number Of important matters
have occupied the attention OF the two houses
which have not resulted in legislation. As to
the silver question there was q negative result
and the anti-option bill, another important
matter has gone over until next session for
action by the Senate, having already been
passed by the House. The Chilean question
occupied considerable attention in both houses
early in the session. but no congressional action
necessary. the trouble settled out
side. The House passed q number of tariff
bills. each affecting some distinct item in the
TART. schedule. None Of these was passed by
the Senate or even considered. All these things
20 to make mp the work Of the two houses,
which does not come of record on the statute
books.
The total number Of bills and joint resolu-
tions introduced in the House 9 SIS and in
the Senate 3.60i- In the House 2.l06 reports
were made bills and in the Senate 1907
written reports were made, no notice being
paid 20 unwritten reports.
BILLS PASSED.
The House passed approximately AIS bills. OF
which 2S4 were passed b. the Senate and sent
TO the President. OF the bills passed by the
House 20 we're public bills. including measures
relating 20 the District Of Columbia; l5l pri-
waite pension bills. As bills 10 remove charges of
desertion and Al private bills of miscellaneous
character.
The senate passed COL bills. 113 of which sue
ceeded in running the gauntlet of the House
and reaching the President.
Two of this latter number the President
toed, viz: The bill to send the famous McGaT
rahan claim TO the Court of Claims for adjudi-
cation and a bill to amend the court Of appeals
act. Three bills the President permitted to be-
come laws without Lis signature.
IMPORTANT MEASURES IN THE HOUSE.
The most important measures considered by
the House, excepting the general appropriation
bills the silver bills. the tariff measures
reported from the ways and means committee,
the Chinese exclusion act. the intermediate and
army nurse pension bills. the bills to enforce
reciprocity commercial relations with Canada,
the bill increasing the pay OF hfe-snving crews.
to establish lineal promotion the army. for the
better control Of national banks in regard to
loaning money to directors and officers, and
to add the name Of the Secretary Of Agriculture
to the cabinet officers who NAV act President
In certain contingencies. The Bland silver bill
failed in the House. rs did also the free coinage
bill. which passed the Senate. The several
tariff bills passed BY the House failed in the
Senate. as did also the bill providing for the
admission Of New Mexico and Arizona as states.
BILLS IN THE SENATE
OF the 1892 bills introduced in the Senate
1.1O1 we're reported upon by committees and
200 Of them passed. Among the most i'm
portant measures passed by the Senate and
not acted upon by the House were the fol-
lowing:
To facilitate the settlement Of claims for
arrears Of pay and bounty; for the construction
OF revenue cutters two esch) TOR service on the
great lakes and the Pacific coast; the pure food
bill: TO increase the rate of pension for certain
cases of deafness; to fix the price of lands
entered under the desert land law; to authorize
the Secretary of War to cause a survey TO be
made for q chip canal from Philadelphia, across
New Jersey 10 New York bay. and for the better
enforcement Of the immigration laws. A large
number Of public buildings and claim bills
passed by the Senate also failed in the House.
BILLS THAT PASSED BOTH HOUSES
-Four hundred and three bills have passed
both Houses and been sent to the President for
his signature. There are twenty Of these still
under consideration BY the executive: one has
been returned TO the House BY its request with
out signing. two have been vetoed-the bill to
amend the law organizing the circuit court Of
appeals. so 10 give them Jurisdiction Of cor
tain Indian cases. and the bill referring the
McGarrahan claim to the court Of private land
claims: three have become laws without the
Presidents approval Among the most i'm
portant bills which became laws are the follow
Ing:
the - 81.
records of the volunteer armies: 70 add the
name OF the Secretary Of Agriculture to the
cabinet officers who may become President in
certain emergencies: to prohibit the coming Of
Chinese into the United States; the intermediate
and army nurse pension bills; to enfore recipro-
cal commercial relations with Canada; increas-
ing the maximum pay OF lfe-saving crews
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Bills to the number of about $50 were sent to
the ways and means committee. They included
propositions TO amend the Mckinley tariff law
(gererally proposing reduction Of duty) Great
ing an income tax and the subtreasury scheme
The committee took final action on about a
dozen measures only, the most important Of
which were 10 place wool on the free list and to
reduce the duty on WOODEN goods to admit free
OF duty baSging for cotton and machinery for
manufacturing bagging. cotton ties and cotton
gins. placing binding Irvine. tin plate and works
of art ON the free list and changing the classif-
catlOn OF lead ores
Bills for free lumber. free salt free sugar
reducing the duty on IRON and the Farmers
Alliance subtreasury bill were discussed but
not reported to the House.
ON THE HOUSE CALENDAR
Among the important bills and resolutions
now on the House calendar. which will retain
their place in the second session. are the follow
ing: For the establishment Of a dry dock near
Algiers, L.; for the establishment of a military
post between Burlington ard Highgate VT; to
rec,assify and fix the salaries OF railway postal
clerks: 10 promote the efficiency Of the militia;
authorizing the Secretary of War to obtain
lands for sites for harbJ r defenses at San Diego
Cal; for the construction OF revenue cutters
E. s~ryice on the Pacific coast and great lakes
".irc the adHlteration and misbranding Of
J. rug; creating an executive DEPART
In and mining; for ascertaining the
fsIsiJ sd cost of ship canal from the
great !.ke' 20 The navigable waters Of the Hud-
son river; authorizing the Postmaster General
TO mike experiments In free delivery of mail
matter IN rural districts; regulating the APP
Pointnent Of fourth-class pos.masters; for the
survey of a ship canal from Lake Ere To the
Ohio river; revising and amending the statutes
relating 10 patent-; 10 increase the number Of
enlisted men IN the navy; to revise wages Of
employees in the government printing Office; to