Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1893-03-10
WORK OF CONGRESS-
WHAT WAS DONE AT THE LAST
SESSION.

WHAT WAS DONE AT THE LAST
SESSION.
silver, the Tariff aud Anti-Options,
the Leading Topics Discusscd-Rc-
trenchmcnt in Expenditures Did
Not Cut Much ofa Figure.
WAsuGNGToN. March 6.-The silver
and tariff question, the anti-option bill
and the reduction of appropriations
were the leading topics of consideration
by the Fifty-second congress, which ex-
pired by constitutional limitation at
| noon Saturday. Secondary only in i'm
tportance to these matters We're meas
ures relating to the worlds fair equip
ment of railroads with automatic car
! couplers, national quarantine and inn
! migration, Behring sea and Hawaiian
annexation. Nothing of an affirmative
nature except to prevent two items i'll
| the Mckinley bill taking effect was ac-
tually accomplished so far as respects
silver, the tariff or anti-options.
Rctrenchment Of Expenditures
! is not apparent IN any considerable
| change i'll the aggregate appropriation
bills for they amount to about as much
in the Fifty-hrst congress, laws on the
statute books preventing some large
reductions which otherwise would have
! been made while the decrease which it
| was possible to effect was offset by in
creased appropriations for pensions and
! rivers and harbors
The silver question was kept steadily
before the attention OF congress by the
alternate 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 excit-
| ing debate was saved from defeat by
the casting voto of the speaker, but
was afterwards
FilIibustcrcd to Death,
| the friends of the bill failing to secure
the signatures of majority of the
Democrats to Il petition asking Tor q
cloture rule in its behalf. The senate
then passed free coinage bill, but
when the silver men renewed their
| fight in the house they were outnum-
Eered by IA votes and of course failed.
The anti-silver men met Il similar fate
in their efforts to secure appeal of the
law.
On the tariff the dominant party i'll
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 senateit was practically
out of the question to pass
| General Revision ofthc Tariff Bill
| while special measures might stand
some show of pessase. The result was
the enactment into law of two bills
| continuing block tin on the freel;st and
fine linen at 50 per cent. al valorem.
Under the Mckinley bill large duties
We're to take effect on these items
in the near future. Other separate
bills We're passed through the house
only to be piseonholed in the senate.
The anti-option bill passed both
houses, hut was killed by the refusal of
the house TO suspend the rules and
agree by a two-thir(ls vote to the amend
| ments put OIL the bill by the senate. The
| pure food bill, the running mate of the
anti-options bill, passed the senate, but
| was never able to get consideration in
the house.
] The automatic Car coupler bill, shorn
! Of its drastic features, was enacted into
law, as was also Il national quarantine
bill increasing the powers Of the marine
hospital service to meet the threatened
dangers from cholera and an immigra-
ton law imposing additional reduction
on immigration, but not suspending it
entirely.
The Bchring Sea Trouble.
! The senate averted trouble over the
Behring sea fisheries by ratifying q
treaty Of arbitration. 1t also ratified
extraiition treaties with Russia I'D
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 un-
der clause appropriations &S.295. 900
for its purchase from the Indians, $780,
600 to be paid i'll cash and $S,00O,00O in
five equal annual installments.
Approximately 425 house and 235 sen
ate bills and joint resolutions became
laws, making $50 acts
Put on the Statute Books
as the result of the work of congress. A
majority of these measures were of in
terest only to individuals or localities,
being for the relief of citizens for the
bridging of streams, etc. Three bills
were vetoed by the president. All were
of comparatively small Importance.
The pension and census Offices, the
whisky trust, Panama Canal and Pacific
Mail companies, the Watson-Cobb
charges, the Pinkerton system and
Homestead troubles and the Mavericl,
and Spring Garden bank failures and
the Ellis island immigration station
were investigated by congressional COM
mites, but nothing came out of the re-
ports submitted.