The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-06
REVIEW OF SAD CoNREss.


WASHINGTON CRY. Mar. 5.-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 expired
yesterday. and secondary only in import
ance to these matters were the measures
relating to the Worlds fair. the equipment
of railroads with automatic car-couplers,
national quarantine and immigration,
Bering sea and Hawaiian annexation.
Nothing of an affirmative nature except to
prevent two items in the Mckinley bill
from taking effect was actually accom-
plished.
The result of the agitation for retrench-
ment of expenditures was not apparent in
any considerable change in the aggregate
of appropriations. The condition of the
public treasury undoubtedly prevented
the authorization of many proposed new
expenditures. A notable instance was
seen in the fact that not a single public
building bill passed the house, and it was
only by putting q number of them on the
sundry civil appropriation bill that any
authorization whatever for public build
ings was secured.
The silver question was kept steadily be-
fore the attention of congress by the
alternate efforts of the advocates of free
coinage and the repeal of tho Sherman
Law, both OF which, however, failed in their
object.
On the tariff, the dominant party in tho
house adopted the policy of attacking the
Mckinley bill in detail largely. for the
political complexion of the senate made it
practically out of the question to pass
general tariff revision bill. The result was
the enactment into law of two bills. con-
tinuing block tin on the free list and fine
linen at IS per cent. ad valorem. Other
separate bills passed through the house,
only to be pigeon-holed in the senate.
The anti-option bill passed both houses,
but was killed by refusal to suspend the
rules and agree by two-thirds vote to the
amendments put on the bill by the senate.
The pure food bill, the running mate of
the anti-option bill. passed the senate, but
was never able to get consideration in the
house.
Worlds fair legislation comprised q
grant Of s.. SOC, 900. in souvenir half dol
lars. in aid of the fair. closing its gates on
Sunday. appropriations in various amounts
for different fair purposes. and the passage
of sundry acts of q special nature and
minor importance.
The automatic car coupler bill. shorn of
its drastic features, was enacted into law,
ss was also the national quarantine bill,
increasing the powers of the marine hos
pital service to meet threatened dangers
from cholera, and an immigration law inn
posing additional restrictions on the i'm
migration bill, but not suspending it
entirely.
The senate averted . bill on the Bering
sea seal fisheries by ratitying a treaty of
arbitration. 1t also ratified the extradl-
ton treaties with Russia and other coun-
tries, 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 q
clause appropriating 1895, 600 for its pur-
chase from the Indians. $295. 900 to be paid
in cash and s.. .OOO, 600 in five equal annual
instailments.
Approximately 425 house and 235 senate
bills and joint resolutions became laws,
making geo acts put on the statute books
as the result of the work Of congress.
The house passed 625 bills. of which 200
failed in the senate, and in the neighbor-
hood of 625 bills passed by the senate
failed in the house. Three bills were
vetoed by the president, viz:
To refer the McGarrahan claim TO the court of
claims, the second McGarrahan bill failing Of
action in the house
To amend the court OF appeala
In relation to marshals in the United States
courts in Alabama.
The last bill became . law by passage
over the veto. The president subjected
three bills to pocket" veto. and two other
bills failed of engrossment in time for
presentation to him. All were of compar-
atively small importance. The pension
and census Offices. whisky trnst, Panama
canal and Pacific Mail Companies, the
Watson-Cobo charges, the Pinkerton sys-
TEN and Homestead troubles. the Maverick
and Spring Garden bank failures and the
Ellis island immigration station were in.
vestigated by the congressional commit
tee, but nothing came Of the reports
submitted.