The morning call., 1894-08-27
Some Beneficial Results Were
Obtained.
VARIOUS MEASURES IMPROVED.
Important Amendments to the Laws
Both at Sea and Upon
Land.


have been fairly productive of general
legislation. and there is short list OF
bills which have become laws to add TO the
review of the sessions work previously
published through the Associated Press.
All of the appropriations have now De-
come laws. The general deficiency and
the sundry civil bills were both signed late
in the session, and the latter measure en-
braces two important pieces OF legl siatlon.
the appropriation of 100000 for Gov
eminent exhibit at the cotton States
exposition. to be held at Atlanta. and the
cession to each of the arid-land States and
the States which may be formed from the
Territories, of ], 600 acres each OF desert
lands for reclamation, plan which is
intended TO advance the movement for
irrigation in the West and to partially take
the place of the scheme for irrigatiDg by
the General Govern ment which has been
fostered by the Western members.
The only financial measure which has
been enacted by the Fifty-third Congress,
except the repeal of the purchasing clause
of the Sherman act. became law on the
18th inst. 1t was the bill introduced by
Represen tative Cooper of Indiana to sub
iect to State and municipal taxation the
national bank notes and United States
Treasury notes under the same provision
that all gold, silver and all other money is
taxed. 1t Is left optional with the States,
however, to lax those heretofore exempt
ed forms of money.
Among the acts of the session relating
TO the military, no one was more impor-
tant than the plan fathered by Represent
%
become law, regulating enlstments in
the regular army upon new principles,
most important of which are that recruits
in time of peace must be citizens of the
United States, or have declared their in
tenti0n to become citizens; must be able
to read, write and speak the English
language and be under 80 years of age. To
promote the efficiency of the naval militia,
a comparatively new branch of the vOlun-
teer service. Congress authorized the tenn
porary loan to any State making appli-
cation for it. OF any vessel of the navy
which was not fitted for regular service.
An act was passed constituting the law
relating to the retirement and pay Of
mates in the navy so that the twenty eight
warrant officers, now serving as mates,
shall be eligible to the retired list and
shall be salaried at $500 when at sea, and
500 while on leave or waiting orders.
Two important laws relating to the life
saving service were enacted, one provid-
ing that the stations on the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts shall be manned from the LIST
of August to the 1st Of June. or those on
the lakes from the opening until the close
of navigation, the other extending the
ben efits of the marine hospitals to the
crews of those stations.
On the suggestion OF the Secretary of
the Treasury the quarantine laws were
amended to exempt vessels plying between
nearby ports of the United States and
Canada and Mexico. The act of March 3,
| 1885, relating to lights on fishing vessels,
was con tinued in force by such enactment,
so that it should not be repealed by the
recent regulations to prevent collision at
sea, which in some respects would have
0verruled it. A revenue cutter was pro-
yided for service in the harbor of San
Francisco, a fog signal was established al
Kewanee. Wis, and range lights as well
as lightships with fog signal in Boston har-
| Dor.
The city OF Oakland, CAL. was made a
SUPPORT of entry, and an American regis
ter was provided for the steamers S
Oteri, Goldsworthy and Oceanic and the
schoone barge Astoria. The law relating
to Darratry on the high seas was sc
amended as to make Imprisonment for life
or for a term of years the punishment il
certain cases.
The most important acts emanating from
the Committee on Judiciary were: An &C
for the protection of persons furnishing
materials and labor for the construction o.
public works by allowing them to brine
suit against contractors In the name o.
the Government; an act permitting Ger
tain classes of corporations to furnish
bonds for Government officials; one fxin.
the time for holding Federal courts in Ne
braska, and an act amending the fundins
act of Arizona.
On recommendation of the Ways an(
Means Committee the articles of foreign
exhibitors at the Iowa Interstate Fair wer,
exempted from the payment Of duties. Al
act was passed extending from four 10 fiyI
years the limit of time within which fna
proof may be made by settlers who hav,
declared their intention of taking VI
desert lands. Another law in the interes
of settlers was one enabling those who de
sire TO locate on other than mineral LAND
to secure a survey by depositing with tn
Government sum sufficient to cover tn
cost of the survey. Affidavts in land
entry cases may be made before Unitet
States Commissioners instead of Unitet
States Circuit Court Commissioner, as pro
vided. we're made valid by special enact
men;.
Other legislation of Importance relatin
to public lands includes an act to enabl
the State of Montana to select as part O
the land granted to her Oh becoming
State any of the lands in the Bitter Roo
Valley above the Lolo fork of the Bite
Root River; an act extending the time O
payment to purchasers of lands of tn
Omaha tribe of Indians in Nebraska {
December 1, 1897; an act authorizing tn
Secretary of the Interior to lease 70
periods of ten years 20-acre tracts in tn
Yellowstone Park for hotel purposes, an
an act for the resurvey of Grant an
Hooker counties in Nebraska.
Two more important Investigations de
sired by the House Committee on Labo
have been authorized. One is for an In
vestigation into the effects of maehiner
on labor, with reference TO its productiy
power and effects upon wages, hours G
work and employment of women and chi
dren. The second is for an investigate
Of the extent OF the employment Of wome