Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-01
WILL 1T NEVER END
Congress to Continue for An
other Week.
WORK IT HAS ACCOMPLISHED
More Than 1900 6lis Introduced Dur
ing the PRESENT Ssssien-WoGk
Of CommlftseA

end. . review of ~ work may prove
interesting. The house devoted the
6rss months Of the session 10 the dis
cussson and adoption Of code Of rules.
after which the regular business Was
taken up. Bills 10 the number Of s,6S7
have been introduced in the house and
referred 70 the committees. OF this
number 2,li5 have been reported and
placed on the calendar, about $50 OF
which have pAssed this house. The
most important measures considered
BY the house. except the general sppro-
priAtion bill, were the silver bills, the
tariff measures reported from the
ways and means committee, the Chi
ness exclusion act, the intermediate
and army nurse pension bills, the bill
10 enforce reciprocal commercial rela-
tions with Canada, the bill increasing
the pay of iIfe saving crews, TO estab-
hsh line promotion in the army.
OF the 3.i9S bills introduced in the
senate l.l02 were reported by commit
tees and 700 OF them passed. Among
the most important measures passed
by the senate and not acted upon BY
the house were:
senate Bflis In Detail.
To facilitate the settlement OF claims
for arrears of pay and bounty; for the
construction of revenue cutters two
each for service upon the great lakes
and the Pacific coast; pure food bill;
10 increase the rate Of pensions for GER
tain cases of deafness; 10 fix the price
of lands entered under the desert land
laws; To authorize the secretary Of war
TO cause . survey to be made for ship
canal from Philadelphia acrnss New
Jersey To New York bay. and the bet
ter enforcement of the immigration
laws. A large number OF public build
ings and claim bills passed by the SEN
ate also failed In the house.
Four hundred and three bills have
passed both houses and been sent to
the president for his signature. There
are twenty Of these bills stili under con-
slderation by the executives; one has
been returned to the house by its re-
quest without NgniuG, two have been
vetoed-the bill TO amend the orgsuiz-
ing Of the circuit courts Of appeal. so
~ TO give them jurisdiction of certain
Indian cases, and the bill referring the
McGarrahan claim to the court Of pri-
vate land claims, and three have be-
como laws without the presidents ap-
provsl.
Bills Become Lava
Among the more important bills
which have become laws are the follow
sk -,
building; for the permanent preserva-
zion and custody Of the records of the
volunteer armies; 10 add tho name Of
the secretary Of agriculture to the
cabinet officers who may become pres
ent IN certain emergencies; to prohibit
the coming of Chinese into the United
States; the intermediate and the army
nurse bills; to reciprocatc COM
mercial relations with Canada;
increasing the maximum pay of life-
saving crews. Investigations were q
feature Of this congress and especially
In the house, and committees devoted
r.uch time 10 them. The pension
Office and It's management received
the attention of q special committee,
which reported mlsmanagement of the
bureau generally under the admins
trstion of Commissioner Raum and
recommended TO the house that the
president be requested 10 dismiss that
Official.
WORK of Committees.
The committee on public lands looked
into tue management of ths Yellow
Stone National park and reported a
bill 70 rectify the condition of affairs
there. The report also criticized RUSSELL
Il. Harrison. tue presidents son. for his
connection with securing leases there.
A subcommittee of the COMMITTEES on
the judiciary looked into a matter
called TO its attention by tho attorney
general that marshals . nd clerks Of the
United States courts in Boston were
obtaining illegal fees in naturAi.
ization cases. They reported sew
erai bills TO remedy the evil.
The committee on banking
and currency were ordered to
investigate the failure of the keystone
and Spring Garden National banks OF
Philadelphia and of the Maverick Ma
tionAl bank of Boston. The committee
took . MAS of testimony, but did not
conclude its inquiry. The committee
appointed 10 investigate the census
Office began its work late in the session
and finally postponed IL until next ses-
slou. The committee on reform in the
civil service investigated the Baltimore
possotisce matter and fled a report
severely crincisiug Postmaster General
Wapamsker. stating that he knew that
employees we're violating the law, yet he
still kept them In Office.
ose Exciting Isvesttgatios.
The investigation into the so-called
"swestins system" OF contract labor
wss conducted by q subcommittee oil
the house manufacturers committee.
II did Mt finish taking testimony. and
viii probably resume its sessions dufsns
the recess Of congress. senator Chan
dler and Representative Stump, chair
men Of the senate aud house commit
tees on immigration, vigorously investi.
gated the expenditures OF money s'
Ellis islsnd immigration station and
ings there. This investigation Vas at
tended ~ several eSciung scenes
between the two chairmen aud Assist
ant Secretary Netsletou and the princi-
pal witnesa Majority and minority re.
ports we're made to the house, but 700
late for acton. No rspors ~ss made
90 the senate. Chairman Chandler find.
ing hlmself opposed hy the other re
puhi,esn members Of the committee II
be conci assons from the evidence snd
not inclined 10 JOIN the members IN
their directions. The house committed
on electiens nsd sx eontests 90 decide
four Of which we're acted mon.
essu ~ campssste~
Among the bills referred 20 she com
rsttee on wsys and mesns we're bill,
for free lumber. salt. sugar, rednesss
the duty on lron snd the Farmers
Alliance suh.trpansrv hlii were de