Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-03-15
WORK OF CONGRESS
What the Fifty Third Session Has
and Has Not Done.
A REVIEW CE THE WORK
The EniIre Term Marked nv the 4,
ability Of the House aud Sen
ate To Agree.

Washington, ID. c., March "a re-
view of the work of this last session of
the t1fty-third congress must necessar-
lily deal more with what was attempted
to be done than that which was &C.
complished. since most of the important
business considered has been regulated
to the first class. The term mas been
particularly marked by the inability
OF the senate and the house to agree
upon any of the most important prob
lens presented by them
Congress met on the 4th of December
last. with one imperative and perennial
task-to frame and enact the various
appropriation bills. Next in Importance
was the financial question, for which
no definite plan of settlement beyond
many free silver bills and various in
dividual schemes were then in view.
Several important 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 Indebtedness of the
Union Pacific railroad, known as the
Reilly bill.
me Nicaragua canal project has not
been able to secure a hearing in the
house Largely through the enthusi-
astic efforts of Senator Morgan of Ala
bama the senate bill was pushed to a
vote in that body after protracted de-
bate, and was sent to the house, where
the conference committee substituted
Its own bill, which had been on the cal
endar throughout the session and which
rod IN
gan bill. The pooling bill was passed
by the house early in the session but
the senate refused to consider 1t by a
negative vote of AZ to "a. On the aues-
ton of reconsideration strong oppos-
ton to the Reilly bill was developed In
the house and after a sharp debate II
was recommitted to the committee with
out instruction. Several important bills
were placed on the calendar of the sen
ate at the beginning of the term, hand
ed down from the long session when
they had been passed by the house.
Prominent among them was the bill to
establish uniform system of bank
ruptcy, which was debated intermit-
tently but finally sidetracked Another
unsuccessful measure 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
a 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
attempt at financial legislation in both
houses. These are too well known to
require recapitulation. No financial
legislation has yet resulted from the
! host of bills introduced during this ses-
sion. with more or less weight of author
tty behind them. The principal class
OF legislation accomplished by the short
session was that making appropriations
for the support of the government.
When the last week of congress be-
gan the house had passed all appropria-
ton bills, the general deficiency bill and
the senate had four appropriation bills
yet to consider. Considerable legislation
was included In the sundry civil bill
ana much more was attempted in the
senate by proposed amendments. The
completion of several of the public
buildings was provided for in the bill
as 1t passed the house and sums were
added In the senate for new buildings
Another senate amendment provided
FOR the purchase for $3.50, 900 of the site
of the Blaine mansion. Provision was
also included for the transfer of the
military prison at Fort Leavenworth
Kansas, to the department of justice.
to be known as the United States pen
itentiary and maintained for keeping
prisoners who have heretofore been
held in state prisons. under contract
The naval bill was notable because of
the new navy" provision for two bat
tleships and six torpedo boats and the
increase of the enlisted force by the ad-
dition of 1000 men.
The general deficiency bill reported to
the house amounted to $6,159, $50 An
amendment requested by the secretary
OF state to pay the claims of Great
Britain for S425,0OO damages for seiz-
ures of sealers in Boring 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, sup
Elementary to the act of August ~.
The commercial travellers organiza-
ton secured an amendment to the in
terstate commerce law, permitting the
issuance of joint interchangeable 5000
mile tickets good over more than one
road.
The most important of the senate
bills which failed to pass the house
was a joint resolution for inquiry into
the practicability of deep waterways
between the ocean and the great lakes
and laws for the regulation of steam
vessels.
Among important house bills which
lied was one for the r, organization of
the line of the army and one to punish
train wreckers by heavy terms of i'm
prisonment.
LEGALITY OF THE INCOME TAX