Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-06
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Important Measures Passed
at the Present Session.
UTAH STATEHOOD BILL.
A New National Labor Holiday
Created.
SEA- &!Qa.. eRIES DISPUTES.
Important n TO- 'ndon bills
Passed, and % ants Carried
with Ench--Ne nsIon RoguIn-
tions-Treatlcs With the Indians
and rarIT Northumberland
SEA- &,|9.. ERlES DISPUTES.


Washington. Aug "a review of the
legislation which has been accom-
plished by the second session Of the
Fifty-third congress, up to and in
Guiding August 3, shows that much
has been done aside from the engross-
ing tariff struggle which has largely
diverted public attention from matters
which would have under other circum-
stances, been considered Of great i'm
portance. one of the most important
bills of the session which passed both
houses by strictly party vote being
in fulnllment OF plank of the Demo-
cratic platform was the act repeating
all laws creating federal supervision Of
elections or defining their powers. The
act to enable the people of Utah to
form constitution and state govern
ment and to BE- admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the
original states, provides the machinery
by which the Territory will be ad
mitted probably in December, 1895, by
adopting a constitution providing Re
publican form of government and in
surfing against the supremacy of any
church; the government ceding 1t much
public land for educational and char
liable institutions.
An act making the first Monday in
September a legal holiday to be called
Labor Day was passed, largely at the
instance Of labor organizations, while
scientific societies urged an act to de-
fine and establish the units of electrical
measurement be made a law.
Three bills We're passed to give effect
to the award OF the tribunal OF arDi-
tration at Paris which adJudicateu the
seal fisheries disputes, the acts prohib-
iting seal fishing from May TO july u
OF each year north OF degree 50 north
latitude and east Of degree $50 lOnBi-
tude, and establishing conditions un-
der which the fishing can be carried ON
outside OF the closed season with pen
allies for violations of the law ana
machinery FOR its enforcement. Sew
eral measures were enacted in accord
ance With the recommendations OF the
DocSery commission (su.calledD for i'm
proving and simplifying the methods
of doing the government business. Most
u... .J-,4ut were those changing the
methous OF auditing accounts in the
treasury department. improving the
methods OF accounting in the post office
department and changing the money
order system, and thar regulating the
making OF property returns by officers
of the government.
First entitled to mention are the
appropriation bills for t7rv expenses OF
the government which form important
parts of the regular work OF every
| session, although generally last TO be
| finished. General legislation Is usually
engrafted upon this bill and from this
| rule those of the past session were an
exception.
The post Office department bill, the
first to pass. authorized the post
master general to allow postmasters of
| first and second-class Offices to dlsburse
at their discretion the amount allotted
Tor their offices and admitted To the
| mails periodical publications published
at least quarterly by benevolent and
fraternal societies and other organiza-
| lions as second-class mail matter. Pro-
visions were included in the pension
| bills regulating the fees ana methods
| Of examining boards.
The naval bill empowered the pres
| ldent to fiji vacancies in the grade Of
engineer or assistant engineer by selec-
lion from the graduating class Of the
| naval academy, where the Vacancies
| exceeded the number Of cadets in the
M "a aiso mai yaconcv In the naval
s,J from a district the secretary Of
Az nay is called upon to nm must
he 0Iied by the appointment of resi-
dent de Of hat iistrict Of two years
standing. In the diplomatic and con-
| Yr'ar hin several salaries were cnanled
raised from $500 to $4,000, and pro-
Vision 10 make the bureau of South
ta1n,n, bv the sale Of its publications,