The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-03-11
rHE LAST CONGRESS.
Results of the Work of the Senate
and House.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-The silyerand
tariff questions, the anti-options bill and the
reduction Of appropriations wer the lead
ing topics of consideration by the Fifty
second Congress, which expired by consti-
tutional limitation at u o'clock noon yes
terday, and secondary only in Importance to
these matters were measures relnting to the
Worlds Fair, equipment of railroads with
automatic car-couplers, national quarantine
and immigration, Boring sea and Hawaii
annexation.
Nothing of an affirmative nature, except
TO prevent two items in the Mckinley bill
taking effect, was actually accomplished so
far as respects silver, the tariff or anti-op-
tons, the action taken on each OF these
questions in one branch Of Congress being
negatived by the action or non-action OF the
other branch. The result of the agitation
of the necessity for a retreDchment OF ex-
pendilures is not apparent in any consider
able change in the aggregate appropriations
carried by the national supply bills, for they
amount To about as much as in the FIFTY
first Congress. Laws are on the statnte
books preventing some large reductions
which otherwise probably would have been
made. while the decreases which it was
possible TO effect were Offset by increased
appropriations for pensions aud rivers and
harbors. The condition Of the public
treasury, however, though it did not result;
in the Fiffy-second Congress getting below
the billion dollar limit, undoubtedly infn
enced legislation to Il considerable extent
and prevented the authorization of many
proposed new expenditures for improve |
ment of the public service, for public build
ines. payment of claims and for other pur
poses. A notable instance ofthe operation
Of this influence is seen in the fact that not
a single public building bill passed the
House, and il was only by putting
number of them on the sundry civil appro
priation bill thai any authorizations what
ever for public buildings were secured.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
The silver question was kept steadily be-
fore the attention of Congress by the alter
nate 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 alterward flibustered to death, the
friends of the bill failing to secure the sig
natures of majority of the Democrats to
petition asking for cloture rule in its be-
half. The Senate then passed free coin
aye bill, but when the free silver men re-
newed their fight in the House they were
course failed. The anti-silver men met
similar fate in their efforts to secure re-
peal of the present law, the Senate refusing
by decisive vote to consider it, and the
House killing the Andrew Cate bill by de-
Ginning TO vote 50 as 10 give its friends the
parliamentary right to move cloture on 1t,
without which il concededly could never
be forced to vote in the closing hours OF
Congress.
THE TARIFF.
On the tariff the dominant party in the
House adopted a policy of attacking the
Mckinley bill in detail, for the reason that
in view of the political complexion of the
Senate it was practically out OF the question
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 free list and
tine linen at 80 per cent. ad valorem. I'm
der the Mckinley bill large duties were TO
take effect on these items in the near future.
Other separate bills were passed through
the House only to be pigeon-holed in the
Senate, as follows: Free wool and reduc-
lion of duties on wooden manufactures; free
cotton bsgging, ties, gins and cotton bageing
machinery; free binding Irvine; free silver
lead ores, where the value mot the weight
of the silver exceeds that of the lead in
any importation; free tin-plate, terne plate,
taggers tin, and the limitation to 500 of
the amount of personal baggage returning
tourists may bring into the United States.
ANTTOPTIoNs BILL.
The anti-options bill passed both houses,
but was killed by the refusal Of the House
TO suspend the rules and agree by two
thirds vote to the amendments put on the
bill by the Senate, the opponents of the
measure maneuvering so as TO prevent Mr.
Hatch making effective his majority in
favor of the measure and forcing him at
the last moment TO try suspension OF the
rules. The pure food bill, the running
mate of the anti-options bill, passed the
Senate, but was never able to get consider
alton in the House.
WORLDS FAIR LEGISLATION.
Worlds Fair legislation comprised the
grant of S2,5O0,000 in souvenir half.
dollars in aid of the fair, the closing of its
gates on Sunday, the appropriation of
various amounts for different fair purposes,
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 national quarantine bill, in
creasing the powers of the marine hospital
service to meet the threatened dangers
from cholera, and an immigration law, i'm
posing additional restrictions on immigra-
ton, but not suspending it entirely.
OTHER MEASURES ADOPTED.
The Senate averted trouble over the
Boring sea seal fisheries by ratifying
treaty of arbitration. Ii also ratified ex
tradition treaties with Russia and other
countries, but still has before it a treaty of
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands.
The opening of the Cherokee outlet was
provided for in the Indian bill under
clause appropriating sS,295,0O0 for its
purchase from the Indians, S295, 900 to be
paid in cash. and $4,000, 600 in five equal
annual installments.
AGGREGATE OF THE sENATE's WORK.
Approximately 1875 House and 235
Senate bills and joint resolutions become
laws, making GEO acts put on the statute
books as the result of the work of Con-
gress majority of these measures were
a l.. 4.