The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-06
Only Two or Three Laws of Great I'm
portance to the People Enacted.
Although the Cry Of the Democratic House
Was Retrsnchment and Reform. More Money
Was Appropriated than Ever Before.
But Two Tariff Bills Passed, and Moth.
ing Done with the Silver Question.
Out of 660 Bills Adopted the Car Coupler. I'm
migration. Quarantine and Worlds Fair
Measures Only Are Of Great Interest.
LAWS PASSED By CONGRESS.
Few Measures of Importance Placed on the
Statute Books.

LAWS PASSED BY CONGRESS.
Few Measures of Importance Placed on the
Statute Books.
WASHINGTON. March 5.-The silver and
tariff questions. the anti-options bill and
the reduction of appropriations were the
leading topics of consideration by the
Fifty-second Congress. which expired by
constitutional limitation at II o'clock noon
yesterday. and secondary only in impor-
tance to these matters were measures re-
Iating to the worlds fair. equipments of
railroads with automatic car couplers. na-
tional quaran tine and immigration. Behring
sea and Haw allan annexation. Nothing of
an affirmative nature. except to prevent
two items In the Mckinley bill taking eff
feet, was actually accomplished. so far as
respects silver. the tariff or anti-options.
the action on each of these questions in one
brs nch of Congress being negatived by the
&C ION or nonact;on of the other branch.
The result of the agitation of the neces-
'sity for a retrenchment of expenditures Is
not apparent in any considerable change
in the aggregate appropriations carried by
the national supply bills, for they amount
to about as much as in the Fifty-first Con-
gress. laws on the statute books prevent
ing some large reductions which otherwise
probably would have been made. while the
decreases which it was possible TO effect
were Offset by increased appropriations fox
pensions and rivers and harbOrs The con-
dltion of the public treasury. however,
though it did not result In the tifty-eecond
Congress getting below the billion dollar
limit, undoubtedly in need legislation
to q consider able eXte- prevented the
authorization OF man IpOsed new ex-
penditures for impro, at of the public
services, for public buildings, payment OF
claims and tor other purposes. A notable
instance of the operation of this influence
Ia seen In the fact that not a single public
building bill passed the House. and It was
only by putting a numb ber OF them on the
sundry civil appropriation bill that any
authorizations whatever for public build
inge were secured.
The;silver question was kept steadily be-
fore the attention of Congress by the al
ternate efforts of the advocates of free
coinage and of the repeal of the Sherman
law: The coinage committee OF the House
In the first session reported free silver
bill, which, after an exciting debate, was
saved from defeat by the casting vote of
the Speaker; but was afterwards hlibus-
tered to death. the friends of the bill failing
TO secure the signatures OF q majority OF
the Democrats to q petition askin g for
cloture rule in it's behalf. The Senate
then passed q free coinage BILL but when
the free-silver men renewed their hight In
the House, they were outnumb bered by
fourteen votes. and. of course. failed. The
anti-silver men met similar fate In their
efforts to secure the repeal of the
present law, the Senate refusing by
House killing the Andrew-Ca bill
by declining to vote so as to give its
friends the parliamentary right to move
cloture on it. without which it concededly
could never be forced to vote IN tie clos
ing hours of Congress
TWO TARIFF BILLS PASSED.
On the tariff the dominant party in the
House adopted policy OF attacking the
Mckinley bill in detail largely for political
reasons and partly for the reason that in
view Of the POLITICAL complexion of the
Senate it was practically out of the quee-
tion to pass general tariff revision bill
through the Senate while special measures
might stand some show of passage The
result was the enactment into law of two
bills. continuing block tin on the tree lIst
and fine linen at 35 per cent. ad valorem.
Under the Mckinley bill large duties were
to take effect on these items IN the near
future. Other separate hills were passed
through the House only to be pigeon-hoied
in the Senate. as follows: Free wool and
reduction of duties on wooden manufac-
lures. free cotton bagging. ties, gins and
twine free silver-lead ores, where the
value mot the weightl OF the silver exceeds
that of the lead in any importation, free
tin plate. terne plate, rsgRers TIN. and the
limitation to 500 of tho amountOf personsl
baggage returning tourists may bring into
the United States.
The anti-options bill passed both houses.
but was killed 10y the refusal of the House
q two-thirds vote TO the amendments
put on the bill by the Senate. the
opponents of the measure maneuver-
ing SO as to prevent Mr.. Hatch max
the measure and forcing him at the last
moment to try suspension of the rules. The
pure-food bill, the running mate OF the
snti-options BILL passed tho Senate. but
was never able to get consideration In the
House.
Worlds fair legislation comprised the
grant of 50, 500.0 900 In souvenir haif-dollars
In aid of the fair the closing of it's gates
on Sunday. the appropriation of various
amounts for sundry purposes and the pas
sage of various and snndry acts of a special
nature and minor Importance.
An automatic car-coupler bill. shorn cf
it's drastic features, was enacted into law,
Is was also O national quarantine bill in
creasing the powers of the Marine Hospital
service to meet the threatened dangers
from cholera. and an immi igration law i'm.
posing additional restrictions on immigra-
ti0n but not suspending IL entirely.
Behring sea seal fisheries by ratifying q
treaty of arbitration. lt also ratified ex-
tradition treaties with Russia and other
countries. but still has before il a treaty Of
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands.
The opening of the Cherokee outlet was
provided for In the Indian bill under
clause appropriatlng S6 295. 900 for its pur-
chase from the Indians s2c5. .0OO to be paid
In cash and Ss0000 900 in i've equal annual
installments.
approximately 425 House and 235 Senate
bills and joint resolutions became laws,
making geo acts put on the statute books
q result of the work of the Congress. A
majority OF these measures were of interest
only TO individuals or localities. being for
the relief of citizens. for the bridging of
streams. for the District OF Columbia. for
rights of way. etc. An unusual proportion
of the claims bills were for the relief OF
Southern men. The House passed, IN round
numbers. 625 bills of which 200 failed of
passage In the Senate. and in the neighbor-
hood of 625 bills passed by the Senate failed
In the House. including a long list of pub
lic building bills. many private pension
bills and other measures involving in
creased expenditures.
Three bills were vetoed by the President,
viz: To refer the McGarrahan claim 10
the Court of Claims IA second McGarrahan
bill failing of action in tho Housel 90
amend the Court of Appeals act and In re-
lation to marshals in the United States
courts in Alabama. This last bill become
law by passage over the veto. Senator
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