The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-04
THEY DIDN'T DO MUCH
Congressman Spent Most Of the Session
In Taking
SPEAKING OF THE BILLS
Some Measures Of Public impor-
tanCe We're Passed, But Not
Many-lt Has Been n Fruit
less Sort of a Session.

WAsHNGToN. March "A review of the
work of tins last session of the Fifty-third
congress must necessarily deal more with
what was attempted to be done than that
which was accomplished, since most of
the important business considered comes
under the first named class. The term
has been particularly marked by the in
ability of the senate and the house to
agree npon any of the most important
problems presented by them. Congress
met on the Attn of December last with one
imperative and perennial task, to frame
and enact the various appropriation bills.
NoNt IN Importance was the financial ques-
lion, for which no definite plan of settle
ment, beyond many free silver bills and
various individual schemes, were then in
view. Several important bills came over
as heritage from the preceding session.
Foremost among them were, in the house,
the Nicaragua canal bill, the railroad pool
ing bill, and the bill for the settlement of
the Indebtedness of the Union Pacific
railroad, known as the Reilly bill.
Tho Nicaragua canal project has not
been able to secure 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 confer
ence committee substituted its own bill,
which had been on the calendar through
out the session, and which differed in sew
eral points from the Morgan bill. The
pooling bill was passed by the house early
in the session, but the senate refused to
consider IL by "a negative vote of AZ to q.
on the question of consideration.
4.
developed in the house and after a sharp
debate 1t was recommitted to the commit
tee without instructions.
Several important bills were placed on
the 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 uniform sys-
tenn of bankruptcy, which was debated in
termittently, but finally sidetracked.
Another unsuccessful measure was the
anti-option bill. There were also on the
senate 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 negatiyed By a small
majority and the opposition to the three
others was SO apparent that they have
The most interesting chapter of the
history of the session is made by the at
tempt at financial legislation in both
houses. These are too well known to re-
quire recapitulation. No financial legis-
lation has yet resulted from ttfe host of
tho bills introduced during this session.
with more or less weight of authority be-
hind them.
The principal class of legislation ac-
complished by the short session was that
of making appropriations for the support
of the government. When tho last week
of congress began the house had passed
all the appropriation bills and the general
deficiency bill and the senate had four
Appropriation bills yet to consider. Con-
siderable legislation was included in the
sundry civil bill and much more was at
tempted in the senate by proposed
amendments. Completion OF several
public buildings was provided for in the
bill as IL passed the house and sums were
added in the senate for new buildings.
Another sc nate amendment provided for
| the purchase for $1,000 of the site of the
/ Blaine mansion. Provision was also in
| cluded tor the transfer of the military
prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan, to the
department of justice, to be known as the
United States penitentiary, and main
tanned for keeping United States prison.
ers who have heretofore been held in state
prisons under contract.
The naval bill was notable because of
the new navy" provision for the battle
ships and six torpedo boats anl the in-
crease of the enlisted force by the ad-
dition of 1000 men. The general de-
fciency bill reported to the house
amounted TO 6,l59, $50. An Amendments
requested by the secretary of state to pay
the claims of Great Britain for Si25,OO0
damages for the seizures of seaIers in
/ Bering sea was voted down by the house.
Laws affecting shipping were passed to
establish rules to prevent collisions on the
great lakes and tributary waters; another
of the same effect applying TO harbors,
rivers and inland waters. supplementary
TO the act OF August -, ls90, for prevent
ing collisions at sea. The commercial
travellers organization Sc urcd an amend
mcnt 10 the interstate commerce law. per
mitting the issuance of Joint inter
changeable 5000 mile tickets, good over
more than one road.
The most important of the senate bills
which failed to pass the house were the
joint resolution for inquiry into the prac-
tlcability Of n deep water way betwe-u the
ocean and the great lakes, ant the oil FOR
the regulation Of steam vessels. Among
the important house bills which died was
one for the reorganization Of the line OF
the armyand one to punish train wreckers
BY capital punishment, and attempts ut
train wrccking by heavy terms OF i'm
prisonmcnt.
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