The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-08-31
PASSED BY CONGRESS-.
ADDITIONAL LIST OF BILLS THAT
HAVE BECOME LAWS.
All the Appropriation Bills Are NOW
Iaws-Cession of Land TO Ario
I.ana States-Laws OF Interest," 10
western settlers.

Washington. Aug 27.-The last month
of the present session or congress- eA-
cept the ten days during when lne
tariff bill has been in the presldeht
hands, has been fairly productive OIL
general legislation, and there Is SNORT
list of bills which have become laws 10
add to the review Of the session WORK
previously published through the AS
sociatcd Press. All of the approprla-
lion bills have become laws. The gen
ora, deficiency and the sundry civil bills
were both signed late in the session,
and the latter measure embraces TWO
important pieces of legislation, the ap-
propriation Of 100000 for govern
ment exhibit at the cotton states eA-
position. to be held at Atlanta, ana the
cession to each Of the ARID land states,
and the states which may be formed
from the territories, Of 1,OOO,OOO acres
each of desert lands for reclamation;
a plan which is intended to advance the
movement for irrigation in the west
and to practically take the place OF the
scheme for irrigating by the general
government which has been fostered by
the Western members.
The only financial measure which
has been enacted by the FIFTY tnlrd
congress. except the repeal of the silver
purchasing clause Of the Sherman act,
became a law on the 15s'n. 1t was the
bill introduced by Representative Coop
er of Indiana subject to state ana
municipal taxation The national bank
notes and United States treasury notes
under the same provisions by which
gold silver and other money is taxed.
1t is left optional with the states, how
ever. to tax those heretofore exempted
forms of money. Among the acts OF
the session relating to the military none
was more important than the plan
fathered by Representative Curtis of
New York, which recently became
law regulating enlistments in the regu-
lar army upon new principles, most i'm
portant Of which are that recruits in
time of peace must be citizens OF the
| United States or have declared their
intentions to become citizens: must be
able to read, write and speak the Eng
lish language and be under thirty years
of age.
An act was passed extending from
four to five years the limit of the 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 Inose who
| desire TO locate on other than mineral
lands 10 secure. a survey by depositing
with the government il sum sufficient
TO cover the costs of the survey. At
hdavits in land entry cases may be
made before United States commits
sloner instead Of United States circuit
court commissioner. as provided by
law. were made valid by special en-.
actment Other legislation Of import
ance relating to public lands includes
an act TO enable the State of Montana
20 select as a part Of the lands granted
70 her on becoming state any OF tho
lands in the Bitter Root valley above
the Lo Lo fork Of the Bitter Root river
Two most important Investigations
ueslred by the house committee on Ia
DOR nave been authorized. One is for
an investigation into the effects of ma.
chinefy on labor, with reference to tho
productive power and effects unon
wages, hours Of work and emnlovmant
q women and children: the second for
an investigation of the extent Of ON.
ployment Of women and childran ana
,,le cohuitions under which they work.
roeh inquiries will be conducted by tho
commissioner Of labor