Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-29
reported to the house it met a storm

posed the income tax. the Louisiana
members the sugar schedule. and tho
California delegation was dissatisfied
with the protection given to the pro-
ducts Of the Pacific coast. The house
democrats as q whole took up arms
for a more extended free list. The
minority. at all times like a solid
phalanx. led by ex-Speaker Reed, did
everything possible to delay legislA-
ton and harass the majority. Such
were the lines on which the fight
was fought out in the house. The
bill reached the senate on Feb. 2, and
was formally laid before that body.
The conditions which confronted the
measure there were entirely different
from those in the house. The demo-
cratic strength in the senate was ex-
actly A. The repu blicans num-
bered 81, and the populist party had
four adherents. The democratic ma
jority in the senate was three; in the
house it was 81.
Then came the long and protracted
struggle. While Senator Hill was
fighting the income tax, Smith and
Brice demanding protection for the
sugar trust, German protection
for coal and iron, others
in the senate were declaring
that the principle must he
adhered to and the free list kept
wide open. Finally, on March 20,
the bill with over 500 amendments
added was reported back from the
committee. Concessions to such an
extent had been made that only salt,
lumber and wool, of the ten great
products. remained on the free list.
Nor did this mark the end Of conces-
sions. for as late as May Senator
Jones offered between 500 and 400
amendments.
The general debate began on April
2 and ended April "a, after which the
bill was considered by paragraphs
until July s, when the final vote was
taken.
These were the two notable feat
ures of Legislation of the session.
Next to them in Importance were the
repeal Of the federal election laws
and the repeal of the Bland seignior-
age bill, which authorized the secre-
tary of the treasury to coin the seign-
forage accumulated in the treasury
and which would put $4,000. -
600 more in circulation. The presi-
dents veto of the Bland bill gave to
it additional prominence as it fully
fixed the financial policy of this ad-
miuistration. Possibly the next
measure of general Importance was
that providing that all Chinese now
in the United States should register
at the offices of the internal revenue
collectors.
Another act important to the coun-
try at large was that enabling Utah
to enter the union, and on next Inde-
pendence day, July 4, another star
the ty-iifth-will be added to the
national constellation. Soon after
this bill passed the house voted to
admit New Mexico and Arizona. but
they will not receive consideration
in the senate until next session. A
bill providing for the erection of a
bridge across the Hudson river, from
New York City to the Jersey shore,
passed the house and senate. but was
returned with the disapproval of the
president. 1t was afterward amend
ed to suit his ideas and it then re-
ceived his signature.
Other important bills which be-
came laws during the session were:
To put into effect the award rem
dered by the Behring sea tribunal
making Labor day a legal holiday;
extending for one year the time for
final proof and payment on lands
claimed under the public land laws;
reducing the time for enlistments in
the army from five to three years; to
promote the efficiency of the naval
militia by allowing the naval re-
serves of the states the use of war
vessels for maneuvers; joint resolu-
tons comforting diplomas upon de-
signers and inventors and expert arti-
sans who assisted in the protection
OF the exhibit award medals at the
Worlds fair; taxing green backs, and
authorizing the purchase and condem-
nation Of the land at Gettysburg. Pa.
Besides these. about two thousand
bills of a private and local character
were passed.
During the extra and first sessions
over eight thousand bills were intro
duced in the house and referred to
the various committees. Among the
measures passed by the house which
have not become laws are:
Admitting to statehood Arizona
and New Mexico; the anti-option
bill; Bailey's bankruptcy bill; for a
better control and safety of national
banks by prohibiting them from max
ing loans to their officers and en-
ployes unless approved by the board
of directors; increasing the penalty
for embezzling by the officers and
agents Of national banks from 10 to
25 years Imprisonment; providing
for the election of United States SEN
ators by direct vote Of the people;
providing for consular inspection of
immigrants; empowering fourth.
class pOstmasters to administer oaths