Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-06
THBVORK OF CONGRESS
A Review Of the Session Just Passed
Into History.
THE SENATE RETARDED THE
Work on the Tariff Question
Which the Democratic House
Had Laid Out-Silver Legisla-
ton on all Lines Blockod-Two
Provisions of the Mckinley Bill
Rendered imperative.


silver and tariff questions, the ant-
option bill and the reduction or appro-
priatious were the leading topics OF con-
sideration by the Fiity-second Congress-
which expired by constitutional lmita-
ton at 10 o'clock noon yesterday, ana
secondary only in Importance TO these
matters were measures relating 20 the
Worlds Fair, equipment Of railroads
with automatic car couplers, national
quarantine and immigration, berlng sea
and Hawaiian annexation.
Nothing OF an affirmative nature, ex-
cept to prevent two items in the Nc
Kinley bill taking effect, was actually
accomplished. So far as respects silver
the tariff or anti-oDtions, the action taS-
en- on each of these questions IN one
branch OF Congress was negatlVeu oy
the action or non-action OF the other
branch. The result Of the agitation OF
the necessity for retrenchment OF eX-
eenditnres is not apparent In any con-
siderable change in the aggregate ap-
preparations carried by the national
supply bills, for they amount to ABOUT
as much as in the Fifty-first Congress,
laws on the statute books preventing
some large reductions which otherwise
probably would have been made. Inc
decreases which it was possible to
effect were Offset by increased
spprooriations for pensions, rivers and
harbors. The condition of the public
treasury, however, though it did not re-
suit in the Fitty-secOnd Congress get
ting below the billion dollar limit, un-
doubtedly influenced legislation TO
considerable extent and prevented the
authorization OF many proposed new ex-
penditnres for improvements OF the
public service. for public buildings,
payment OF claims and for other pur-
poses. A notable instance in the opera
Jion Of this influence is seen in the TACT
that not a single public building passed
the House, and it was only by putting
2 number Of them on the Sundry Civil
Appropr!ation bill that any authorize
tions whatever for public buildings were
secured.
The silver question was kept steadily
beforo the attention of Congress oy the
alternate efforts Of the advocates OF
frAa,.,es-rfaw. Tne coIuHs Nneai ut ~
ed free silver bill, which after de-
bate was saved from defeat by the cast
| ing vote OF the Speaker, but was after
ward filibustered to death, the friends
of the bill failing TO secure signatures
of majority OF the Democrats to Pc
tition asking for a cloture-rule in its
behalf The Senate then passed a
free coinage bill but when the
silver men renewed their fight In the
House they were Outnlmbered by four
teen votes and OF course failed. The
anti-free silver members met similar
fate in their efforts to secure repeal
OF the present law, the Senate refusing
by decisive vote to consider il and the
House killing the Andrew-Cate bill by
decling to vote so as TO give its friends
the parliamentary right to move cloture
on it, without which ii concededly could
never be forced TO vote In the closing
hour Of the Congress.
On the tariff the dominant party in
the House adopted policy OF attack
ing the Mckinley bill in detail largely
for political reasons and partly for the
reason that in view of the political COM
plexion OF the Senate ii was practically
out OF the question 10 pass general
tariff revision bill through the Senate
while special measures might stand
show OF passage. The result was the
enactment into law Of two bills contin-
uing block tin on the free list and fine
linen at thirty-five per cent. advalorem.
Under the Mckinley bill large duties
were TO take feet on these items in
the near future.
The anti-optiOns bill passed both
houses but was killed by the refusal of
the House TO suspend rules and agree
by 8 two-thirds vote u the amendments
put on the bill by the Senate.
Worlds Fair legislation comprised the
grant Of 50, 800 600 in souvenir half
dollars in aid Of the Fair, the closing of
the gates on Sunday, the appropriation
of various amounts for different pur-
poses, and the passage Of sundry acts OF
special nature and minor importance.
An automatic car coupler bill, shorn
of its drastic features, was enacted into
law, as was also g national quarantine
bill increasing the powers OF the marine
hospital service 10 meet threatened dan
gers from cholera, and an immigration
law imposing additional restrictions on
immigration, but not SuspendiDg 1t en-
tirely.
An unusual proportion of the claims
bills were for the relief of Southern
men. The House passed in round num-
bers 625 bills, of which 200 failed of
passage in the Senate. and in the neigh
borhood Of 625 bills passed by the Sen
ate failed in the House, including the
long list OF public buildings, many pri-
vste pension bills, and other measures
involving increased expenditures
Three bills were vetoed by the Presi-
dent, viz: TO refer to the M6Garrahan
claim to the Court Of Claims, "a second
bill falling Of action in the
House); to amend the Court OF Appeals
act, aud in relation to the marshals.
This last bill became a law by passage
over the veto. The Pension and Gen.
sus offices, the Whisky Trust, Panama
Canal and Pacific Mail Companies, the
charges, the Plnkertoa
system and Homestead troubles, the
Maverick and Spring Garden Bank fail
nres, the Ellis Island immigration sta
tion, were investigated by Congressional
but nothing came OF the
reports submitted.
The following are the most important
Ot the bills which have become laws:
The car coupler bill; the Chinese exelu-
sion bill; nation quarantine bill; immi- |
grafton bill; to grant American regis |
try TO Inman line steamships; the inter |
mediate pension bill; the eight hour |
bill for adjustment Of accounts Of men |