The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-01
SMALL NICHE IN HISTORY
All that Will Re itequired tn Record tho


All that Will Re Required tn Record the
Dreds of This Congress.
WASHINGTON. July 31.-The future COM
piler Of the official history of the laws Of
the United States will not need much space
in which to inscribe the really important
laws enacted by the first session of the
Fifty-second Congress, now ready to close
as soon as the worlds fair matter is out of
the way. The session now drawing to q
close las not been remark able for its actual
accomplishments SO far as respects large
Legislation. Efforts more or less vigorous
have been made to pass through both
Houses of Congress bills dealing with
questions that occupy large share of pub
lie attention. but these. with q single eX.
ception. have failed of Accomplishment.
The sole measure Of frst-class Importance
not cennting the appropriation bills. which
has become a law. 10 the Chinese exclusion
BILL and political expediency had much to
do with Its rapid congressional progress.
This bill, the Inman registry bill, the
Black Hawk and Seminole Indian wars pen
sion bills, the eight-hour bill. the bill to
enable the President to enforce reciprocal
canal arrangements with Canada, the army
nurse bill, the intermediate pension bill
and the bill to increase the pay of life
savers are about tho only measures of much
general interest enacted into law.
THESE CRY FROM THEIR GRAVES.
Free silver. the tariff, the anti-option
bill. retrencnment of appropriations and
95.0O0,O00 loan to the worlds fair have been
the live topIcs of the session. The first
three subjects have been killed. at least un-
til after the election. The last Is still be.
fore Congress, and the fourth question,
that of appropriations, entered largely
into the makeup of the appropriation
bills. and prevented single public build
ing bill from passing she House, the session
being absolutely unique in this particular.
Many other bills providing for new ex-
penditures, the omnibus lighthouse bill
for instance failed because of the retrench-
meDt policy sought TO be pursued by Hol-
man. of Indiana.
The policy announced by the majority
party in the House in favor of retreDoh-
ment OF appropriations resulted In an un-
usually 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 o 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 oil back pay and bounty claims
final. except that an appeal may lie, within
SIX months, TO the Controller. Collection
of statistics relating TO our exporta-
tions by railroads Is provided for,
no statistics except coastwise statistics be-
ing now obtaInnblo, so that our exports to
Canada and Mexico are matters Of guess.
In the river and harbor bill the policy en-
barked on in the preceding Congress of
permitting contracts to be entered INTO for
the completion of some of the largest pub
lie improvements was materially extended.
In the legislative bill q provision was in
coming out of rectifying houses. 1t is al
ways gauged as it comes from the distillery,
and the result of this provision is ex pected
TO make an annual saving of S15O, 900.
Money, order reports are to be made only
monthly, instead of at lenst once 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 CSC, for the preparation
of site and the erection of a pedestal for
o statue to the late General Sherman; to
add the Secretary of Agriculture to the list
of officers entitled 70 succeed to the presi-
dency; for the opening of a part of the
Oolville reservation In Washington; for the
Investigation OF mining debris In Cali
fornIa.
Among the bills originating in the Sem
ate to become laws were the folio " ing:-an>>~
authorize the day of the four-hundredth
anniversary of the discovery of America to
be proclaimed q general holiday; increas-
ing TO $50 per month the pensions of per-
sons totally incapacitated for labor, but not
totally helpless; to re peal the law requiring
life-saving prOjeotiles TO be carried on
steamers so far as concerns vessels navigat-
ing the lakes. bays or sounds exclusively.
Among the bills in conference are the efCl-
lowing: To promote the safety of national
banks by forbiddinR loans to bank en-
ployes; 10 establish lineal promotions In
the army; to give claimants the right to
sue the United States to obtain land pat
ents and 10 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
no provision on this subject: to dispense
with proof of loyalty during the late war
as prerequisite to being restored or ad-
mitted 10 the pension rolls; to protect the
. nf lara