Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-03-07

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presented by them.
Congress met on the 4th of December
last, with one imperative and perennial
task, to frame and enact the various ap-
preparation bills. Next in Importance
was the financial question, for which NO
definite plans of settlement beyond many
free silver bills and various individual
schemes were then in view. Several i'm
portant bills came over as a heritage from
the preceding session. Foremost among
them were, in the House, the Nicaragua
Canal bill, the railroad pooling bill and
the bill for the settlement of the indebted
ness of the Union Pacific railroads, known
as the Reilly bill.
The Nicaragua Canal project has not
been able to secure a hearing in the
House. Largely through the enthusiastic
efforts of Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
the Senate bill was pushed to a vote in
that body after protracted debate, and
was sent to the House, where the con-
ference committee substituted it's own
bill, which had been on the calendar
throughout the session and which differed
In several points from the Morgan bill.
The pooling bill was passed by the
House early in the session, but the Sen
ate refused to consider it by a negative
vote of AZ to "a on the question of con-
sideration. Strong opposition to the Reil-
~ bill was developed in the House, and
after a very sharp debate it was recon-
mitteed to the committee without instruc-
tons.
Several important bills were placed on
che calendar of the Senate at the begin
ming of the term, handed down from the
long session when they had been passed
by the House. Prominent among them
was the bill to establish a uniform system
of bankruptcy, which was debated inter
mittently, but finally sidetracked. An
| other unsuccessful measur was the anti
| option bill. There were also on the SEN
! ate calendar the four bills which the
House had sent over, to place on the free
list sugar, coal, iron and barbed wire, but
| the attempt to secure consideration of the
free sugar bill was negatived by q small
, majority, and the opposition to the three
| others was SO apparent that they have
been allowed to pass into oblivion.
The most interesting chapter of the
history of the session is made by the at
tempt ut financial legislation in both
houses. These are too well known to re-
Quire recapitulation. No financial legis-
lation has yet resulted from the host of
bills introduced during the session, with
more or less weight of authority behind
them.
The Appropriation Bills.
The principal class of legislation ac-
! complished by the short session was that
making appropriations for the support Of
the Government. Not n little general leg
~islation was Incorporated into the appro-
priation bills. These bills, in the order
in which they were passed by the House,
were: For the military academy West
Point, army. pension. Notifications, diplo-
matte and consular, District of Columbia,
postal, agricultural, Indian. sundry civil.
| legislative, executive and judicial, navy
and general deficiency. When the last
week of Congress began the House had
. passed all except the general deficiency.
and the Senate had the last four yet to
| consider.
The pension bill, rs enacted, contained
provisions that pensions shall not be paid
to non-residents who are not citizens of
the United States, except for actual dis
abilities incurred in the service, directing
examining surgeons to state the ratings
to which they think the applicants are
entitled, and fixing the lowest rate of PEN
sion at Sc a month.
The diplomatic and consular bill in
creased the salaries of several foreign rep.
res~entatives, and the Senate placed in it
an amendment authorizing the President
to contract for laying a cable between the
! Hawaiian Islands and the United States,
and to use 100000 in the work, an
amendment which the House refused to
accept.
The agricultural bill empowered the
Secretary of Agriculture to enforce rules
for the inspection of live cattle whose
meat is intended for shipment abroad in
any form, and regulations to prevent the
shipment of condemned carcasses abroad
or from one State to another, Il fixed
heavy penalties for violation Of such reg
! ulatiOns.
Considerable legislation was included
in the sundry civil bill, and much more
was attempted in the Senate by proposed
amendments. The completion of several
public buildings was provided for in the
! bill as it passed in the House, and sums
were added in the Senate for new build
ings. Another Senate amendment pro.
vided for the purchase for $15O.OOO of the
site of the Blaine mansion. Provision was
also included for the transfer of the mill
tary prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan,
to the Department of Justice, to be known
as the United States penitentiary, and
maintained for keeping United States
prisoners who have heretofore been held
In State prisons under contracts.
The naval bill wal notable because of
the new navy" provision for two battle
ships and six torpedo boats, and the in
e of the enlisted force by the addi-
ton Of 1000 men.
The general deficiency bill reported to
the House amounted to $G,519,5 500. An
amendment requested by the Secretary of
State to pay the claims of Great Britain
fer $425.OOn damages for seizures of seal
ers in Beri Sea was voted down by the
House.
The most conspicuous personal legisla'