The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-06
The much-Abused Body Has Accom-
pIished Much Legislation.

WAsHISGToN CRY. Aug. 5.-A review of
legislation which has been accomplished
by the second session of the Fifty-third
congress. and including August 3, shows
much has been done aside from the en-
crossing tariff struggle, which has largely
diverted public attention from matters
which would, under other conditions,
have been considered of great consequence.
One of the most important acts of the
session, which passed both houses by a
strict party vote. being in fultilIment of o
plank of the Democratic platform, was the
act pealing all laws creating Federal su-
pervisors of elections and defining their
power. Another important act is that to
enable the people OF Utah TO form a con-
stitution and state government and to be
admitted into the Union on q full footing
with the original states, and providing the
machinery by which the territory will be
admitted. probably in December, 1885. An
act making the iirst Monday in September
legal holiday, to be called Labor day, was
passed. Three bills were passed TO give
effect to the award of the tribunal of arbi-
tration at Paris which adjudicated the
seal fisheries dispute. Several measures
we're enacted in accordance with the
sion, so-called, for improving ami simpii-
fyIng the method of doing the government
business The most important were those
changing the method of auditing accounts
in the treasury department, improving the
methods of accounting in the post
Office department and changing the
money order system, and regulating
the making of property returns by
the officials of the government.
The naval bill empowers the president to
ill vacancies in the grade of ensign or
assistant engineer BY selecting from the
graduating class of the naval academy
whore the vacancies exceed the number of
cadets in the line division or engineer di-
vision; also that vacancy in the naval
school from a district which the secretary
of the navy is called upon to fill must be
filed by the appointment of a resident of
that district of two years standing
Three of the appropriation bills have
not yet gone to the president, the
river and harbor, general deficiency
aud sundry civil bills. Incidental to the
sundry civil bill is provision granting
1000. COO acres OF the surveyed arid public
lands To each of the states to which the
desert land Law is applicable. Nebraska.
Kansas ard the territories of Arizona,
New Mexico. oklahoma and Utah. 10 be
selected within ten years. Five de-
hciency bills have been necessary at
this session. The principal item in
the first one was sI27,510 for the
pav of assistant janitors and custo-
dlans under the treasury department, and
$21o. 900 for mileage OF members, the rega-
lar mileage appropriation for the first
session having been used during the spe-
eial session. The second bill included
s.S4, 900 for the treasury department, 800
o9o of il for the customs service. <50.C 0.Cs0
far the pension service, 500 o0o for the
census aud 500 90 for public printing.
The third deficiency carried Sloo.eoo for
the treasury department, half Of Il for en-
farcement of the Chinese exclusion act.
with ssi5.o0o Tor treasury printing and
SO 0oe for improvements 10 the gunboats
Castine and MachiAs. The foarth carried
about s2I5. 90 for the treasury, most Of i
for the bureau OF printing and engraving,
and FOR the United States courts 81 ,fS GO
The nnh btll. approved June ia,
carried sis5Do for tie public
nrintinr Office and SIS. 90 for the customs
service. Two resolutions app7opEiating
eeo and sl0ea tor enforcing the Cht-
nese exclusion act we're approved Decem-
her lSsss and April 4, ISsA As most Of
the appropriation bllls had not passed at
the beginning OF the fiscal year, Ialy |. II
was necessary 10 extend by resolution al
appropriations Tor the necessary expense