The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-06
WHAT IT ACCOMPLISHED.
The Record of the Fifty-Second Con-
gress Now a Part of
History.
Between Two Opposing Forces the
White Metal Was Not
Touched.
The Important BILLS That Wore Gotten
Through tn" Hons" and Senate and
Those Tha Failed.

WASH ..NGroN, March 5.--Tho silver and
tariff questions. the anti-option bill aud
the reduction OF appropriations, wete the
leading topics Of consideration bv the
Fifty-seMnd onRress which expired yes
terday. and secondary only in importanc,
to these matters were the measures relating
to the Worlds fair, tho equipment OF mil
roads with automatic car couplers, national
quarantine md immigration, Beyiu1 sea
and Hawaiian annexation. Nothing OF an
affirmative nature. except to prevent two
items in tho Mckinley bill taking effect.
was actually accomplished. The result of
the agitation for a retrenchment of expenai-
lures WAS not apparent in my considerable
change in the aggregate OF appropriations.
The condition of the public t~tensury IN
doubtedly prevented the authorization
of many proposed now expenditures.
A notable instance was seen in the
fact that not Il single public building
bill passed tho house. and il was only by
putting q number of them on the sundry
civil appropriation bill that any authoriza-
tons whatever for public buildings were
secured. The silver question was kept
stendily before the attention of congress
by the alternate efforts of the advocates of
FREQ coinage, and those favo,ing the re-
peal of thu Sherman law, both of whom,
however. failed in their object. On the
tariff. the dominant patty in the house
adopted a rolicy OF attacking the Mckin-
ley kill in detail. largely foc political effect.
The complexion OF the senate was such it
was practically out OF the question to pass
a al tariff revision bill, tho result Was
the enactment into law of two bills con-
tinuing block tin on the free list. and ad-
hitting fine linen at IS per cent advalorem.
Other separate bills were passed through
the house only to be ho.ed in the
sanate.
The anti-options bill passed both houses.
but was killed by tho refusal to suspend
the rules and ngFee by a two-thirds vote to
the amendments put on the bill By the SEN
ate. The pure food bill, the running mate
of the anti-option bill, passed the senate
but. was never able to get consideration in
lighthouse. The wosld's fair legislation
comprised the grant Of S2.5Oo,00O in SOU
yenir half-doliars in aid OF the falr. clos
ing its gates on sunday. appropriations in
various amount for different fair put
poses, and the passage of sundry acts of Il
special nature and minor impo taIce.
The automatic car coupled bill, sho-n of
its drastic features. was enacted into law,
as was also the national quarantine bill, in
creasing the powers of tho marine hospital
service to meet the threatened dangers
from cholera, and the immigration law i'm
posing additional restrictions on immiR.a-
tion. hut not s~uspendinR it entirely. The
senate ayerted a bill over the Boring sea
seal fisheries by a ratified treaty Of arbi-
%tratiop. 1t also ratified e1tradition treaties
with Russia and other countries, but still
has before it the treaty OF annexation OF
the Hawaiian islands. The opening OF the
Cherokee outlet was provided fot in the
Indian bill under Il clause npryopriatiug
s.. 95, 900 for it's purchase from the In
uians. $295. 900 to be pail in cash and
So 900. 900 in five equal annual instnllments.
Approximately 425 house and 235 senate
bills md joint resolutions became laws.
max n GEO acts put on tho statute books.
The )uBs passed in round number G25
bills, OF which POO failed in :he senate, and
in the neiRhborhood Of G25 bills passed bg
the senate fniied In this house. Three bills
were vetoed by the president: To refer the
McGar'ahan claim to the cou't of claims
(the second McGarrahan bill failing OF
action in the house); to amend the court of
appeals act; and the bill in relation to mar
ghals in United states courts in Alabama.
The last bill became a law by rassags over
the veto. The president subjected three
bills to the pocket veto, and two othel
bills failed of enGrossment in time for pre-
sentation to him. All were OF compare.
tiyely small lmpo lance.
The pension and census offices, the
whisky trust, the Panama canal aud the
Pacific Mali companies. the WAtson-Cobb
charges, the Pinkerton system and the
Homestead troubles, the Maverick and
Spring Garden bank failures, and the E.lls
island immigration station. wers invest.
gated by congressional committees bu'
nothing came OF the reports submitted.