The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-01
A REVIEW OF CONGRESS.
BUT FEW IMPORTANT LAWS
ENACTED.


The Chinese Exclusion Bill the Sole
. Measure, Outside of the Appropria-
ton Bills, of First Glass Imp ortsnce
That Has Become a Lava List OF
the Other Measures Passed.
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 10 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 a close has not
been remarkable for its actual accomplish
ments SO far as respects large legislation.
Efforts, more or less vigorous, have been
made to pass through both houses Of con-
gress bills dealing with questions that
occupy large share c: public attention.
but these, with a single exception, have
failed of accomplishments,
The sole measure Of the first class in i'm
portanee, not counting the appropriation
bills, which has become law is the
Chinese exclusion bill and political
expediency had much to do with its rapid
congressional progress. This bill; she
Inmen registry bill the Mohawk ana Semi
mole Indian wars pension bill; the
S-hour bill the bill to enable the President to
enforce reciprocal canal arrangements with
Canada; the army nurse bill; the interme-
diate pension bill, and the bill to increase
the pay of life savers are about the only
measures of much general interest enacted
into law. The free silver, tariff, anti-options
bill, retrenchment of appropriations and
S., 900, 900 loan to the worlds fair have
been the live topics of the session. The
first three subjects have been killed, at least
until 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 pre-
vented a single public building bill from
passing the House, the session being abso-
lutely unique In this particular. Among
many other bills providing for new expend-
itures the omnibus light house bill, for in
stance, failed because of the retrenchment
policy sought to be pursued.
THE FREE COINAGE FIGHT.
Aside from the passage of the regular an.
nual appropriation bills, the most interest.
ing feature of congress has beea what it did
not, rather than what.it did do. The bill
for free coinage OF silver overshadowed all
other measures in importance aud interest.
The coinage committee In the House was
made up largely of friends Of free coinage
and 10 reported with promptness a bill fol
free coinage. but whom after stormy scene
it came 60 a test vote in the House 10 was
necessary for the speaker to cash his vote in
order TO save the silver bill from q square
defeat, and when the large anti-frse coinage
opposition began to filibuster the bill was
killed by the refusal of the democrat!
I Ia the House to sign a re
quest for closure rule, without
xuhf fzh ha Ear thaf
he would not report rule for the closing
of debate and forcing the measure on Its pas
sage. The Senate, which had been waiting
on The House so far as respected silver leg
islation, then took hold Of the subject, and
| in June by a majority of four votes passed
| the Stewart free coinage bill. This again
brought the House facs to face with the
| issue, and on a vote majority Of fourteen
was found to be opposed TO silver legislation
| at this time, so that the specter of free ooin-
age which had been hanging over many
members was at last banished.
THE RIVER AND HARBoa POLICY.
In the river and.:..barbo- bill the policy
| embarked upon in the preceding congresse:
| of permitting contracts to be entered into
for the completion OF some of the largest ol
the public improvements was materially
extended
In the legislative bill provision was in
serted which stops gauging liquor coming
out of rectitying houses. It is alwayi
gauged as it comes from the distillery and
the result of this provision is expected to
make an annual saving of sl5o,000.
NEW LAWS.
Among the bills originating In the Hous,
| which have become laws are the following
To prohibit the coming OF Chinese into the
United States; to grant American registry
to two Inman ocean steamships on condi-
| tion that two others be built for the com
pRny in the United States: the S-hour
| bill for the adjustment OF the accounts of
laborers working overtime since the pas
| sage of that law; granting pensions to sur-
vivors of the Indian wars between 1882 and
| 1S42 BLACK Hawk and Seminole wars.
| Among the bills originating In the Senate
| to become laws were the following: To in
crease the pay OF life savers to $65 month
! TO authorize the day of the 400th anniver-
sarY of the discovery OF America to be pro-
claimed a general holiday.
LEFT UNPAssED BY THE HOUSE.
| Among the bills passed by the Senate
| but which have not yet finally gotten
through the House are the following: Grain
| classification bill; general bill for the erec-
ton of public buildings in cities where the
| postal receipts for tbs three years preceding
| have exceeded 5000 annually; to re-
| classify and increase the salaries of railway
| postal clerks; TO provide free delivery of
| the mails in small towns; to establish a
| number of additional life saving stations
| making a large appropriation for the Inn
| provement OF the Mississippi river; to de-
clare lands containing phosphates to be
| mineral lands aud subject to entry as such.