Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-08-18
THE DO-NOTt4lNG HOUSE.


The Washington correspondent OF the
Boston Congregatonalist, writing in a nou-
partisan tone to u non partisan paper, gives
the following impartial review of the work
OF the last session cs Congress lately closed:
As a whole the session failure and a
DISAPPOINTMENT. The two pricipal causes OF
thi5-whiCh were also the two principal
features OF the se5sion-were the ilagrant
absenteeism Of the members Of both Houses
and the almost constant qunrTeling, not be-
tween the two Houses or the two parties but
among the democratic ma jority in the lower
House. THIS family quarrel, which became
intense at the very outset over the speaker
ship zion, has ragged moro or less violent
ly ever since then, and has pretty effectu-
ally neutraized the immense numerical
strength gained by the democrats in the
elections of 1899.
ANY review Of the work OF the session
would necessarily be brief, for besides the
appropriations hardly any work was accom-
plishcd though much WAS attempted. The
appropriation bills Of 1892 are not salts
factory as a whole to either vorty in Con-
gress, nor will tho country at large be likely
to approve them. The totals carried by the
bills are the larGest ever known, but thnr
in itself it not considered the main o5.eo-
I n
total is devoted TO private and personal jobs
| lurking i'll the river and harbor bin and
other measures, and yet, whio Con
! gress could and would appropriate
a hundred million practically to
re.elect Its members it refused to pay many
! Just debts Of the government such as tho
awards made by tae courts 20 certain French
spo!ation claimants, etc, and II treated
shabby the indian schools the new navy,
the worlds far the scientiiic departments
of the government, and several other OBJ
jects of more value than the dredging Of
many creeks or the re election OF the aver.
age congressman.
Aside from the appropriations, the only
measures Of Importance which have become
laws during this session are the Chinese
! exclusion net, the admission of certain
British-built ships to american registry
and the Canadian retaliation measure, unc
of this meagre trio Mt least two are OF very
doubtful utility and merit. This, it must
be confessed, is pretty slim record as thC
result OF eight months work. The hest
deeds OF the session, to speak after The
| Hibernian manner, wore tho deeds that
were retrainad from. The free silver coin
age bill and the QLti-option bill passed. one
house, but failed to set through both tht
]
passage Of these Hills next winter, but IL,
delay VIII tenG to hurt rather than 10 hell
| them.
The record OF incomplete legislation is ;
long one. The House passed five tarif
reduction bills which did not even eecur,
heuring in tho Senate. The House ais,
voted to admit Now Mexico and Ari2oni
as States, but the Senate lid not discuss
the matter. The Senate also neglected
fow land grant forfeiture bills, an cisA
hour bill and a uniform car couple. Ill
! passed by the RuuSe--all rather mer.tcriou
measures. On the other hand, among the
bills passed by tho Senate but rejected OF
not acted upon by the House, We're tho Pal
dock puro food BIN and the new immigra
ton reform bill. The latter is a very lie
s.rable measure, which it is to be hoped tat
House may pass next W! ntcr. These ar
only tho chief landmarks OF the session
The list Of ordinary measures that hav
failed would fill two or threo columns CT tn
Congregationaist.
The last days of Congress were epliyeue
by q discussion as TO the sobriety OF tn
House, Irecipitated by wholesale charges o
drunkenness by one of the Farmers aliinpC
memb ers There Was an investigation an,
tho charges were officially and very just,
branded as false and libelous. | have bee
in quite regular attendance at the capitol an
have seen but one case of intoAcatiCa ther
tails year. There have been more eilicien
it is barely possible that there may hay
been more Observation-Disclosures of men the
the present House, but at all evonts it In
been n sober Congress. Its great fault hH
been absenteeisn, which has reached thi
year degree tLat is positively scanda!ou
and dlshonorablo
The selection of Mr.. Shiras for associat
justice Of the Supreme Court is resarde
very fayorably by the bar, the bench IA
tho people generally. 1t is by his stron
and sensible appointments that the pres
dent has won most OF the additional popula
favor which has been bestowed upon hii
since his Inauguration.