The morning call., 1895-03-04
DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE
TWO HOUSES RETARDED
LEGISLATION.
PRACTICALLY NOTHING DONE
APPROPRIATION BILLS MET WITH
OPPOSITION ONE PLACE OR
THE OTHER.

WASHINGTON, March 3.-A review of the
work of this last session of the Fifty-third
Congress must necessarily deal more with
what was attempted 10 be done than that
which was accomplished, since most of
the important business considered has
been confined to the former class. The term
has been particularly marked by the in
ability of the Senate and House to agree
upon any of the most important problems
presented by them.
Congress met on the 4th of December
last with one imperative and perennial
task, to frame and enact the various appro-
priation bills. Next in Importance was the
financial question, for which no definite
plan of settlement 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 can-l 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.
The Nicaragua canal project has not
been able to secure a hearing in the House.
Largely through the enthusiastic efforts of
bill was pushed to vote in that body after
protracted debate and was sent TO the
House, where the Conference Committee
substituted its 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 Senate refused
to consider it by negative vote of AZ to
"a on the question of consideration. Strong
opposition TO the Reilly bill has developed
in the House, and after very sharp debate
1t was recommittei to the committee with
out 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 a uniform system
of bankruptcy, which was debated inter-
mittently, but finally side-tracked. An
other 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 negatived by a small majority and the
opposition to the three others was so ap-
parent 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 at financial legislation in both
houses. These are too we'll known to re-
quire recapitulation. No financial legisla-
ton has yet resulted from the host of bills
introduced during the session, with more
or less weight of authority behind them.
The principal class of legislation accom-
plished by the short session was that max
ing appropriation for the support of the
Government. Not little general legisla-
ton was incorporated into the appropria-
ton bills. These bills, in the order in
which they were passed by the House,
were:
For the military academy (West Point,
army pension, Notifications, diplomatic
and consular, District of Columbia, postal,
agricultural, Indian, sundry civil, legisla-
tive, executive and judicial, navy and gen.
eral deficiency.
When the last week of Congress began
the House had passed all except the gen
four yet to consider. The pension bill, as
enacted, contained provisions that pen
sions shall not be paid to non-residents
who are not citizens of the United States,
except for actual disabilities incurred in
the service; directing examining surgeons
to state the ratings to which they say the
applicants are entitled and fixing the
lowest rate OF pension at So month.
The diplomatic and consular bill in
creased the salaries of several foreign rep
resentatives and the Senate placed in it an
amendment authorizing the President to
contract for laying cable between the
Hawaiian Islands and the United States,
and to use 5000 900 in the work, an amend
ment which the House refused 10 accept.
The agricultural bill empow cred 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 ship
ment of condemned Carcasses abroad or
from one State TO another, and fixed heavy
penalties for violation of such regulations.
Considerable legislation was included in
the sundry civil bill, and much more was
attempted in the Senate by proposed
stLuSuQIiSHtSs IhC COJIIplttIOAl VI SSftIdl
public buildings was provided for in the
bill as it passed the House, and sums were
added in the Senate for new buildings.
Another Senate amendment provided for
the purchase for $150,000 of the site OF the
Blaine mansion. Provision was also in
cluded for the transfer of the military
prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., to the
Department of Justice, 20 be known as the
United States penitentiary and maintained
for keeping United States prisoners who
have heresofore been held in State prisons
under contract.
The naval bill was notable because of the
"new navy" provision for two battle-ships
and six torpedo-boats and an increase of
the enlisted force by the addition of 1000
men.
The general deficiency bill reported to
the House amounted to Sc, ,159, ,539 An
amendment, requested by the Secretary of
the State to pay the claims of Great Britain
for sl25. 900 damages for seizures in Bering
Sea, was voted down by the House.
The most conspicuous personal legisla-
ton passed was the revival of the grade of