The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-08-01
WORK OF CONGRESS.
What Has Been Accomplished at
the Session Now Closing.
IMPORTANT MEASURES LEFT OVER.

among Those Is the One Providing
for the Election of Senators by Di-
rect Vote Of tho People, and One
Authorizing Experiments In Free
Postal Deliveries in Rural Districts.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-After a ses-
sion of eight months the first session Of
the Fifty-second congress Is about to
end, and review of its work may prove
interesting.
The house devoted the first two
months of the session to the discussion
and adoption Of code or rules after
which the regular business was taken
up.
Bills to the number Of 1887 have been
introduced in the house and referred to
committee. OF this number 2,115 have
been reported and placed on the calen-
dar, about 450 Of which have passed.
The most important measures considered
by the house, excepting the general ap-
preparation bills, were the silver bill;
tn tariff measures reported from the
wSts and means committee; the Chinese
excluGion act; the intermediate and
army nurse pension bills; the bill to en-
with Canada; the bill increasing the pay
of life saving crews; to establish lipeal
promotion in the army; for the better
control of national banks in regard to
loaning money to directors and officers,
and to add the mama Of the secretary Of
agriculture to the cabinet officers who
may act as president in certain con-
tiBsencies. The Bland silver bill failed
In the house, as did also the free coinage
bill which passed the senate. The sew
eral tariff bills passed by the house
failed In the senate, as did also the bills
providing for the admission of New
Mexico and Arizona as states.
Work of the Senate.
OF the 3,492 bills introduced in the
senate !, ,10l were reported upon by COM
mittees and 700 of them passed Among
the most important measures passed by
the senate and not acted upon by the
house were the following: To facilitate
the settlement of Claims for arrears of
pay and bounty; for the construction of
revenue cutters two each) for service
on the great lakes and the Pacific coast;
the "pure food Dill;" is increase the rate
of pension for certain cases of deafness;
to fix the price of lands entered under
the desert land laws; to authorize the
secretary of war to cause a survey to be
made for q ship canal from Philadel-
phia across New Jersey to New York
bay, and the better enforcement of the
immigration laws. A large number Of
public building and claim bills passed
by the senate 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 still under consid-
Grafton by the executive; one has been
returned to the house at its request
without signing; two have been vetoed,
the bill TO amend the law organizing
the circuit court Of appeals, so as to
give themjurisdictiou OF certain Indian
cases, and the bill referring the McGar-
rsgan claim TO the court Of private land
claims. Three have become laws with
out the presidept,s proval. Among
sa,s. sas more srs 1iO5ta oIta as which became
Billfrhn. anne Laws:
To encofage can ship building;
for the pe,nanf Derivation and GUS
= &c. vtkntal bay records; to add
y NE, Ne iarv of agriculture
zne clbfnet oflN5sty who may become
PRESIDENT In certain emergencies; to pro-
hibit the coming of Chinese into the
FUnited States; tho intermediate and
army nurse bills; to enforce reciprocal
Felations with Canada increasing the
maximum Of life saving crews.
i Investigations were feature of this
congress, especially in the house, and
committees devoted much time to them.
The pension Office and its management
received the attention of special com.
pmittee, which reported mismanagement
Of the bureau generally under the ad-
ministYation OF Commissioner Raum.
and recommended to the house that the
president be requested to dismiss that
official. The committee on public lands
looked into the management of the
Yellowstone National park, and reported
bill to rectify the condition Of affairs
there. The report also criticised Rus
sell B. Harrison, the presidents son, for
Ahis connection In securing leases there.
"a subcommittee of the committee on
5judiciary looked into matter called to
ia attention by the attorney general.
that marshals and clerks of the United
States courts In Boston were obtaining
illegal fees In naturalization cases.
4They reported several bills to remedy
|the evil. The committee on banking
And currency were ordered to investi-
gate the failure Of the Keystone and
bpring Garden National banks, of Phil.
hdelphia, and the Maverick National
bank, of Boston. The committee took
mass Of testimony, but did not COLI
slude their inquiry.
Committee Investigations.
The committee appointed to investi-
gate the census Office began their work
late In the session and finally postponed
d until next session.
The committee on reform In the civil
tervice investigated the Baltimore post
Office matter and filed report severely
Eriticising Postmaster General Wana.
maker, stating that he knew that em-
loyes were violating the law, yet he
Itill kept them in office.
The investigation into the SO called
sweating system" Of contract labor
vas conducted by subcommittee of
he house manufacturers committee.
did not finish taking testimony, and
will probably resume Its sessions during
! the recess Of congress.
Senator Chondler and Representative
sStump, chairnen of the senate and
house committees on immigration, Wig
5rously investigated the expenditure Of
money at the Ellis Island immigration
station, and the construction Of the
buildings there. This Investigation was
!ttended by several exciting scenes be-
,ween the two ohairmep and Assistant
5sorstaIy Nettleton and the principal
were made to the house, but too late for
nctiop, No report Was made to the sen:
ate, Chsifmnn Chandler finding himself
pposed by tho other Republican mem
ass Of the ooYmittes iq bis copclusion
tfqm the evidepee. and not being In
rined to Jein the Democrats.