The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-08-30
BILLS WHICH ARE NOW LAWS.
Late Lcglsiation Enacted In tho Halls O
Congress-.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-The last
month of the present session Of con-
gress, excepting the 10 days which the
tariff bill has been In the presidents
hands, have been fairly productive of
general legislation, and there is a short
list of bills which have become laws to
add to the review OF the sessions work
previously published through the AS
soclated Press. All of the appropria-
ton bills have now become laws. The
general deficiency and sundry civil
bills were both signed late in the ses-
sion. The latter measure embraces
two important pieces of legislation, an
appropriation OF 5000, 900 for govern
ment exhibit at the Cotton states Ex-
cession to each of the arid lands states
aud states which NAV be formed from
the territories, of GOO, 600 acres each of
desert land for reclamation plan which
is intended to advance the movement
for irrigation in the west, and to par
TALLY take the place Of scheme for IT.
rigation by the general government
which has been fostered by western
members.
The Only Financial Measure.
The only financial measure enacted
Ivy the Fifty-third congress. except the
repeal of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act, became IA law OH the 18th
inst. 1t was the bill introduced Ivy
Representative Cooper of Indiana, to
subject to state and municipal taxation
the national bank notes and United
States treasury notes, under the same
provisions that all gold, silver and all
other money is taxed. 1t is left option
al with the states, however, to tax
those heretofore exempted forms of
money.
Naval ard Military.
Among the acts of the session relating
to the military, no one was more I'M
portant than the plan fatbered by Rep
resentative Curtis of New York, which
recently became law. regulating en-
listments in the regular army upon new
prin ciples, the most important of
which are that recruits in time o..
peace must be citizens of the United
States or have declared their Intention
to become citizens, must be able to
read, write and speak the English
language and he under 80 pears Of age.
To promote the efficiency of the naval
militia, comparatively new branch of
the volunteer service, congress has
authorized temporary loan to any
state making application for 1t Of any
vessel of the navy which was not fitted
for regular service.
An act was passed constituting the
law relating to retirement and pay of
mates in the navy, so that % warrant
officers, now serving as mates, shall be
eligible TO the list and shall be salaried
at 81 200 when at sea, aud 500 while
on leave or waiting orders.
Two important laws relating to the
life saving service were enacted, one
providing that stations on the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts shall be manned from
the first of August to the first of June,
and those on the lakes from the
opening until the close of navigation;
the other extending the benefits OF
marine hospitals TO the crews OF thos Q
stations. On suggestion oil the sccre-
lary of the treasury, the quarantine
laws were amended TO exempt vessels
plying between near by ports of the
United States and Canada and
Mexico.
The act OF March, 1885, relating to
lights OH fishing vessels, was continued
in force by such enactment that ii
would not be repealed by recent regu-
lations to prevent collisions at sea.
which in some respects would have
overru.ed il. A revenue cutter was
provided for service in the harbor oil
San Francisco a fog signal was estab
lished at Ks vance. Wis, and range
lights as well as lightships with a fog
signal in Boston harbor.
Public Land Legislation.
An act was passed extending from
four to i've years the limit of time
within which final PROOF may be made
by settlers who have declared their in
tention of taking up desert lands. An
other law in the interest OF western
settlers was one enabling those who
desire to locate in other than mineral
lands to secure survey by depositinR
with the government a sum suffi cieni
to cover the cost of the survey. Aft.
davis in land entry cases may be
made before the United States com
missioner instead of the United States
circuit court commissioner as provided
by law, were made valid 10y special en-
actment. Other legislation of impor
lance relating TO public lands includes
the act to enable the state of Montana
10 select as part of the land granted tC
her in becoming u state, any of the
lands in Bitter Root valley above Lolt
Fork of the Bitter Root river; an &C
extending the time of payment to pur-
chasers of lands of the Omaha tribe o
Indians in Nebraska to December !
1897; an act authorizing the secretar,
of the interior to lease for periods o
10 years 20 acre tracts in the Yellow
stone Park for hotel stores, and an &C
for the resurvey of Grant aud Hooke
counties in Nebraska.
Two more important investigation
desired by the house committee oil
labor have been authorized, one for al
investigation into the effects of ma
chinery on labor. with reference to IL
productive power and effect upo
wages, hours of work and employment
of women and children; the second, fc
an investigation o; the extent of ell
ployment of women ami children an
the conditions under which they worl
Both inquiries will he conducted
the commissioner of labor.