The Forrest City times., 1895-03-08
THE CLOCK STRUCK TwevLs

And the Tired President Laid Down HIS
Pen, Declining to Sign Another Bill Al
| though Fifty-six Measures, Including
Some of Importance, Which Had Passed
both Houses, Thus Failed to Become
Laws. kt8E
| WASHINGTON, March 5.-All the
ninety acts of congress signed by the
president yesterday bear the fictitious
Endorsement approved, March 2,
1895" The continuing legislative day
OF Saturday was also operative at the
White House, and at noon yesterday,
when March 4 began. March and
March 3 ended simultaneously. In
the case of the president there was
more truth than fiction in the
practical loss of a day from the calen.
dar; for since last Friday, when the
extraordinary deluge of legislation
commenced to pour into his Office, he
was never from his desk for more than
few hours at time. The cabinet
had been almost unremittingly in ses-
sion, and practically as sharp an inves-
tlgation of the merits of measures was
In vogue as under ordinary circum-
stances.
len days are allowed in which bills
may be thoroughly considered before
they become law. Between and 4
o'clock in the morning of the last
three days the president has allowed
those about him to snatch little rest
and four or five hours later they have
returned to continue the work with
him. Whether in the meantime he
found opportunity for little sleep is
more than the members of the cabinet
know.
Five of the big appropriation bills
did not reach the president until yes
terday morning after o'clock. They
We're the Indian, sundry civil, def
cheney, diplomatic and consular and
naval, and the failure of any one of
them, except possibly the deficiency,
must have resulted seriously to the ma
tlonal government or forced the assem-
bly, of the new congress in extra ses-
sion before midsummer. Their prog
ress in congress had been closely
watched by'departmental experts, and
after examination by the cabinet Of
fcers, who will be responsible for dis
bursting the millions they appropri-
ated, the president was able to approve
them.
AT 10:40 o'clock, at the request of
Postmaster General Bissell, the anti
lottery bill was taken up for examine
ton and promptly signed. This was
quickly followed by the copyright act.
which was the last measure of the
tlfty-third congress to go upon the
statute books.
When the hour of noon arrived the
Brunswick (Ga.) harbor bar improve
ment bill, Senator Gordon's pet meas
ure, was under consideration, but there
was no turning the clock back in the
White House this year, and though
1t was wholly unobjectionable
bill, which the president was ready to
sign, at the first stroke of the clock he
laid down his pen, and ffty-six meas
ures, including the Red Cross insignia
protection measure, which passed con-
Rress unanimously; Senator Hills
suburban trolley railroad bill, and
Senator Germans Baltimore exposi-
ton bill died of hamilton.
The president will leave Washing
ton for North Carolina on the light
house tender Violet with Secretary
Carlisle and a few friends in all prob
ability at once. He has made no an
nouncement of the hour of his depart
ure, but the Violet has reached the
wharf here and congress, with the ex-
ception of a few office-seeking mem
bers, is ont of the way, so there is
nothing to keep the president. No
one would be surprised if he is on his
way down the river to-day, as the
Violet is coaled and provisioned and
the ducking season has almost reached
its end.