The herald., 1894-08-27
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
Laws Enacted During the
Closing Days.
The Appropriation Bills All
Complete.
One or Two Important Financial
Measures.
Legislation in Behalf of Settlers on
tho Public Domstn-Arny
and Navy and Other
Interests.
By the Associated Press.

oy bno AbsOClhtcQ IIcsss
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26. - Tbs last
month Of the present session of con-
gress, excepting the 10 days during
which the tariff bill has been in the
presidents hands, has been fairly pro-
ductive Of general legislation, and there
is short list of bills which have be-
come laws to add to the review OF the
sessions work previously published
through the Associated Press.
All of the appropriations have now
become laws. The general deficiency
and the sundry civil bills we're both
signed late in the session. and the latter
measure embraces two important pieces
of legislstion-the appropriation Of
5000, 900 for q governments 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
1000, 900 acres each of desert land for
reclamation, q plan which is intended
to advance the movement for irrigation
in the west, and to partially take the
place of the scheme for irrigation by
the general government. which has
been fostered by the western members.
The only financial measure which has
been enacted by the Fifty-third con-
gress, except the repeal of the purchas-
ing clause of the Sherman act, became =
law on the 18th inst. 1t was the bill
introduced by Representative Cooper of
Indiana to subject to state and munich
pal taxation national bank notes and
United States treasury notes, under the
same provision that all gold, silver and
other money is taxed. 1t 10 left optional
with the states, however, to tax those
hitherto exempted forms of money.
Among the acts OF the session relating
to the military no one was more import
ant than the plan fathered by Repre-
sentative Curtis of Kentucky, which re-
Gently became a law, regulating enlist
ments in the regular army upon new
principles, the most important of which
are that recruits in time of peace must
be citizens of the United States or have
declared their intention to become citi-
zens, must be able to read, write and
speak the English language and be
under So years of age.
To promote the efficiency of the naval
militia, comparatively new branch OF
the volunsesr service, congress author
lied the temporary loan to any state
BhkIuH hppliChblOh lOl ltOt any s05b0t VI
the navy which was not fitted for regu-
lar service.
An act was passed conotruing the
law relating to the retirement and pay
of mates in the navy, so that the 28
warrant officers, now serving ss mates,
shall be eligible to the retired list, and
shall be salarisd at $1,000 when at sea
and 500 while on leave or waiting
or ders.
Two important laws relating to the
life saving service were enacted, one
providing that the stations on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts shall be manned
from the first oil August to the first Of
June, or those on the lakes from the
opening to the close of navigation; the
other extending the benefits of the ma
rine hospitas to the crews OF those
stations.
On the suggestion of the secretary of
the treasury the quarantine laws were
amended to exempt vessels plying be-
tween nearby ports OF the United States,
Canada and Mexico.
The act of March 3, 1885, relating to
lights on fishing vessels, was continued
in force by such enactment, so that ID
should not be repealed by the recent
regulations to prevent collisions at sea,
overruled il.
A revenue cutter was provided for
service in the harbor of San Francisco;
fog signal WAS established at kewenaw,
Wis. and range lights, as well as light.
ships, with fog signals in Boston hsrbor.
The city OF Oakland, Cal, was made q
SUPPORT OF entry, and an American
register was provided for the steamers
Sotoris, Goldsworthy and Oceanic, and
the schooner barge Astoria.
The law relating to barratry on the
high seas WAS go amended as to make
imprisonment for lie or for term of
years, the punish ment in certain cases.
The most important acts emanating
from the committee on Judiciary we're
An act for the protection of persons
furnishing materials and labor for the
construction OF public works by allow
ing them to bring suit against contract
ora in the name of the government; an
act permitting certain classes OF corpor-
ations to furnish bonds for government
officials one fixing the time for holding
federal courts in Nebraska; and an act
amending the funding act of Arizona.
On recommendation of the ways and
means committee, the articles OF foreign
exhibitors at the Tacoma interstate fair
were exempted from the payment OF
duties.
An act was passed extending from
four to five 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.
Another law in the interest OF western
settlers was one enabling those who
desire to locate on other than mineral
lands to secure survey by depositing
with the government g sum sufficient to
cover the cost OF survey. Affidsvits in
land entry cases made before United
States cemmissiouers instead OF
a United States circuit court commis-
sioner, as provided by law. were made
valid by special snsatment.
Other legislation Of importance relat-
ing to public lands includes an act o
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