The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-03-09
WHAT 1T HAS DONE.
A Glance at the Work OF the
Fifty-Third Congress.
tts Most Important Legislation Was RE-
peal of the silver Purchase Law
Tariff Revision Action ON
Financial Measures.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-The three
sessions of the Ffty-third congress ex-
piring at noon to-day, were dominated
by their controlling issues. The first by
the silver question. The second by the
tariff question. The third by the e.
nancial question. A resume OF the
work of the special and regular ses-
sions of the Fifty. third congress In
given below:
On the 9TH OF August. 1893, the congress con-
vcneq IN extraordinary session for the avowed
purpose OF repeating the compulsory silver
purchase provision OF the law OF 1900 This
the silver session Mr.. w. l. Wilson. chair
man OF the committee OF ways and means. pre-
pared bill In conformity 10 the recommended
tions OF the presidents message, aud on the
ssth OF August, 1898, this measure passed ths
house
The senate in the meantime had been pre-
pairing through the committee on finance n
sub-bill. and on tho LIST OF November this SEN
ate substitute received the approval OF both
houses and became a law by the approval OF
the president This measure and the repeal
OF the remaining vestlges OF the rcconstruc-
tion OF the federal election laws closed the Inn
portant work OF the extra session
Upon It's meeting In regular session In De-
cember. 1893, congress entered upon the con-
sideration OF the revision OF the tariff. AS In
the case OF the silver question, but In much
more pronounced manner, the house
proposed" and the senate disposed"
The Wilson tariff bill passed by
the house February 1. 1894. was set aside for
adopted by the senate on the 81 OF July, 1894,
after hyo months debate, and tho
house was given the blunt option OF
the senate bill or nothing" IL took the sem
ate bill and sent IL 70 the president on
the 18th OF August, 1894 President Cleveland
permitted the bill TO become law without his
approval
supplemental TO the passage OF the tarir
law the senate entered upon proftless aud
inconclnsive investigation OF rumors that SEN
ators had been improperly influenced 10 vote
for the sugar schedule aud had speculatcd In
stocks OF the so-callod Sugar Trust COM
pany."
The third and last. or financial" session OF
the Fifty-third congress has been especially
marked by the refusal OF both houses TO put
into Legislative shape the recommendations OF
tho president for the alienation OF the
stringent financial situation The president
In his annual message called attention TO the
continual depletion OF the gold reserve
and complained that though II was perfectly
and pzlpably plain that the only way under
present conditions by which this reserve when
dangerously depleted can DO replenished is
through the issue and sale OF the bonds OF tho
government for gold, congress has not only
thus far declined 20 authorize tho issue OF
bonds best suited 70 such purpose, but there
seems a disposition in some quarters TO deny
both the necessity and power for the issue OF
bonds az all
The banking and currency committee OF the
house. with the approval OF the adminstrR-
tion. submitted n financial measure which.
among other provisions materially modified
the national banking laws and repealed the
restrictions on state bank circulation This
bill was defeated by six majority.
II 81. - - -.
the president received by both houses OF con-
gress December 20. In which the president said
that whatever might have been the merits OF
the original plan proposed by him he was now
convinced that It's reception by the congress
and our present advanced stage OF financial
perplexity necessitatcd additional or different
legislation" lie once again recommended tho
passage OF a law authorizing the issue Of low
interest bearing bonds TO maintain the gold
reserve
The banking and currency committee re-
sponded 70 this suggestion by Offering on tho
LIST or February, 1895, a bill TO authorize the
secretary OF the treasury to issue bonds TO
maintain n sufficient gold reserve and 20 retire
United States notes After only two days
debate this bill was also defeated by majori-
~ OF "a
On tho next day the president informed con-
gress that he had negotiated "a conditional sale
OF over SCI 10000 OF per cont coin bonds TO
syndicate largely representing foreign capitai-
lists. having no other resource left, because OF
the omission thus far on the part OF congress
70 benenciaily enlarge the powers OF tho secre-
tary OF the treasury In the premises f"
This last message went TO the ways and
means committee. WHOSE chairman, Mr.. Will
son. OF West Virginia seven days after It's re-
ceipt. reported resolution authorizing the
issue OF Sos, Iioe75 OF gold per cent. bonds, "a
recommended by the president The measure
was called up on February "a and defeated tho
AaN hg mt Mt So 10.
bate These three financial measures. with
the general appropriation bills, consumed tho
greater part OF the session
Early in the session tho democratic caucus
OF the senate agreed that the following mat
ters should be considered. A financial meas
mated; the bankruptcy bill. the bills
for the admission OF Now Mexico and
Arizona; the Nicaraguan canal bill, and the
state bank tax repeal bill OF all these meas
ures the Nicaraguan canal bill alone passed
the senate after two months debate. IL
failed 10 receive consideration In the house
The bankruptcy bill was made the UNI
finished business, but was choked by tho APP
preparation bills. Financial measures were not
acted on by the senate, and nothing planned by
the senate caucu6 resulted In legislation. The
so-called "pog-gun' tariff bills sent over by
the house providing for free sugar, free coal
and free iron were not even honorcd by con-
siderRtion, and the railroad pooling BIN, one OF
the most important measures passed by tho
house, was also shelyed
The pooling bill was passed by the house
early IA the session. but the senate refused 10
consider IL by negative vote Of a. 70 % on
the question OF consideration Strong oppo.
sition 20 the Reilly bill was developed Ia the
house. and after very sharp debate IL was re-
committed 20 the committee without instruc-
tlons
The house adopted Joint resolution for an
amendment 10 tho constitution providing for
the election OF United States senators 10y az
rect vote OF the people OF the states but the
resolution was reported adversely by the sen
ate committee on privileges aud elections.
The following figures show approximately
the total appropriations made during tho
present session OF congress: Agricultural.
o. S0a.sOo army scs,2s2 6os. diplomatic and
consular. ei.s9b.0T3. District OF Columbia.
t5p16.5x3. fortincations. 81. p0absT. Indian. go
g60fs. military academy, 4etgoi; pensions,
tlsi. ISL $40; postoficc. sslbfb ppT. general de-
fciency. fs.o0o,OOO sundry civil. Ss7.isOOoo.
urgent deficiency. bills passed carly iu mo
session. q, Sb7s2i; legislative, executive and
judicial. t2i.vOo,Oll naval, tfp,iO0 600. perna-