Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-01
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
Review of the Work of
the 52nd Congress.
SEVERAL INVESTIGAl IONS
Were Made Covering Wide Range Of
Suhects-0ther Matters.

WAsnINGTON, Aug. i.-Atter session OF
eight months the first session OF the
Fifty second congress b about 10 end and
b rovicw OF its work may prove interest
Ing.
Tho house devoted tho 1rst two months
of the session 70 the discussion and adopt
lion Of code OF rules. after which tho
regular busipess was taken up. pills 70
the number OF g6s7 have been introduced IN
the bonse and referred 10 committee.
OF Gbis number e1lB have been reported
and placed On tho calender, about %50 OF
which have passed the house. The most
impsstant me6snre considered by the
house. excepting the general appropria-
tion billa wore the silver hills, the tariff
measures reported from the ways and
means committed, the Chinese exclusion
act. the 'iptermediats" and army nurse
pension bills. tho bill 10 enforce reciprocal
commercial relations with Canada. the
bill Increasing the pay Of lfesaving crews,
10 ostablish line promotion In the army.
for the hetter control Of national banks In
rcgard 10 loaning money TO directors and
officers, aud 10 add tho name Of the secre-
tary Of agriculture TO the cabinet officers
who may act as pr}sident In certain con-
tngencies Tho Bland silver bill failed
In the house. as di} also tho free coinage
b'll which passed DIE senate. The several
tariff bills passed by the house failed In
tie senate. as did aiso the bills providing
for tho admission OF New Mexico aud Arb
Gona as stateA
In ths Senate.
OF the S49s bilis Introduced In the sen
a;e. ll0l werr reported upon by commit
tees aud 100 OF them passed. Among the
most important measures passed In the
senate and not acted upon by the house
were the fuilowings To facilitate the SET
tiument of claims for arrears OF pay and
bounty; for the construct ion OF revenue
cutters two each) for service on the great
lakes and the Pacific coast; the pure food
bill, to Increase the rate OF pensions for
certGdn cnses OF deafness; 10 fix the price
OF land entered under the desert lands
laws; TO enthorize the secretary Of war to
cause coast survey TO be made for q ship
canal across New Jersey TO New York
bag; and the better enforcement of the in,-
migration laws. A large number OF pub
lie buildings and claim bills passed by the
senate also failed IN the house.
rour hundred and three bills have
passed hotb houses and been sent to the
PRESIDENT for his signature There are
twenty Of these bills still under cousidera-
ticu by rho executive. One has been re-
tur.ed "a the house Ly its request, with
on, sigjlins; t,vo have been vetoed-the
bill to amend the law organizing the cip
emit court OF appeals 30 rs to give them
tni i'Jliction OF certain indian cases, and
the Till referring the McGarraban case 10
the court OF private land claims-three
b.rc become laws without the presi-
dcnt's approval Among the more in-
portant bills which
Have Become Laws
ere the following: To encourage ship
building; For the permanent preservation
aud custody OF the volunteer armies; to
add the name o. the secretary Of agricul-
ture to the cabinet officers, who may be-
como president In certain emergencies; to
prohibit the coming Of Chinese into the
United States; che intermediate army
nurse bills; to enforce commercial reel
procal relations with Canada; Increasing
the maximum pay Of nfe.saving crews.
Investigations were feature Of this
congrese, and especially In the house, and
committees devoted much time to them.
a special committee. which reported mis-
management of the pension bureau under
the administration OF Commissioner
Raum, recommended to the house that
the president be requested to dismiss that
official The committee on public lands
looked into the management Of tho
natiopal parks and reported bill to rec
tify the conditions OF affairs there. The
report also criticized Russell B. Harrison,
the presidents son. for his connection
with securing leases there. A eub-com.
mittee Of the committee on judiciary
looked into a matter called to Its atten-
tioh by the attorney general, that mar
shais and clerks Of the United States
courts In Bos on were
Obtaining Illegal Fees
IN naturalization cases. They reported
several bills to remedy the evil. The COM
mittee on banking and currency were
ordered to fnvestieate the foilurc of the
Keystone and Spring Garden bank Of
Pbfladelphia and Of the Maverick
National bunk of Boston, The committee
took q mass OF testimony. but did not
conclude their inquiry.
The committee appointed to investigate
the census begnn their work late In the
session and naaily postponed It until next
SO sion The committee on reform In the
civil service iovesti gated the Baltimore
p,stofhce matter and dled report Sc
vereiy criticizins Postmaster General
Wanamaker, stating that be knew en-
ployes were violating The mw. vet be still
kept them ia ofacc. The investigation
into the so-calied sweating system" df
contract labor was Conducted by a sub
committee Of the house manufactures
counpittee It dd not apish taking testi.
IhoB5, Senator ChspdIer and Repre-
sentative Stump, thhirmen OF The senate
and house committees on Immigration,
vigorously Investigated the expenditures
of money et tbe Ellis island Immigrant
station and the CONSTRUCTION Of tho build.
tnRs there ,fbs inSestigation was at
tepded By s<0Dan exciting scenes between
M two thairmeo spd Assistant Secretary
Eetnet5b and toe principle Witness
Majority and minority tepofts were made
70 tkp touse. but too late fqf action. No
rsp6ft vds made 20 tht senate
Election Cobtesta
The house copmittee on election bad
s1 contests 70 decide, four OF which wete
acted Upon. OF the contests reported, two
received the action 9f the bouse-the
Craig Stewart. from t6s Twensy-fourtb
onsyivanla district. sud Moves Rock.
well, .ftom TIE Twsntyslghth New York