The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-03-14
THE WORK REVIEWED
That Attempted Rather Than
That Accomplished.
LAST OF FIFTY-THlRD CONGRESS
The Most Notable Feature of the Sess sion
Was the Inability of the Two Houses
to Agree Upon Important Questions
Which Should Have Been Decided.

Was the Inability of the Two Houses
to Agree Upon Important Questions
Which Should Have Been Decided.
WASHINGTON, March ga review Of
the work of the last session of the fifty
third congress must necessarily deal
more with what was attempted to be
done than that which was plished,
since most OF the important business
considered has been relegated to the first
class. The session has been particular
ly marked by the inability of the senate
and house to agree upon any of the most
important problems presented by them.
Congress met December 4 last with
one imperative and perennial task, to
frame and enact the various appropri-
alton bills. Next in importance was the
financial question, for which no definite
plan OF settlement beyond many free
silver bills and various individual
schemes was then in view. Several inn
portant bills came ovci as heritage
from the preceding session. Foremost
among those in the house were:
The Nicaragua canal bill, the railroad
pooling bill, and the bill for the settle
ment of the indebtedness of the Pacific
railroads 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 Morgan of Alabama the senate
bill was pushed to vote in that body
after prOtracted debate, and was sent TO
the house, where the conference COM
mittee substituted its own bill, which
had been on the calendar throughout
the session and which ditfef ed in several
points from the Morgan bill. The pool
ing bill was passed by the house ear y in
the session, but the senate refused to
consider it by a negative vote of AZ to
"a on the question of consider ton.
Strong opposition to the Reilly bill was
developed in the house, and alter very
sharp debate it was recommitted to the
committee 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 bill to establish a uniform
system of bankruptcy, which was de-
bated intermittently, but finally side
tracked. Another unsuccessful measure
was the anti-option bill. There were
also on the senate calendar the four bills
the house had sent over to be placed on
the free list, sugar, coal, iron and barbed
wire, but the attempt to secure consider
alton of the free sugar bill was negatved
by a small majority, and the opposition
to the three others was so apparent that
they have been allowed to pass into OBJ
livion.
The most interesting CHAPTER of the
history of the session Is made by the
attempt at financial legislation in both
houses. These are too we'll known to re-
quire recapitulation. No financial leg
islation has yet resulted from the host
OF bills introduced during the session,
behind them.
The principal class of legislation &C
complished by the short session was
that making appropriation for the sup
port of the government. Not little
general legislation was incorporated
into the appropriation bills. The bills
in the order in which they passed the
house we're:
For the military academy (West
Point), army, pension, Notifications,
diplomatic and consular, District of Co.
lumbia, postal, agricultural, Indian,
sundry civil, legislative, executive and
judicial, navy and general deficiency.
When the last week of congress began
the house had passed all except the
general deficiency, and the senate had
the last four yet to consider. The PEN
sion bill as enacted contained provl-
sions that pensions shall not be paid to
non-residents who are not citizens of
the United States, except for actual dis
abilities incurred in the service, di, ect-
ing examining surgeons to state the >at-
ings to which they say the applicants
are entitled, and fixing the lowest rate
OF pension at Sc month. The dipio-
matte and consular bill increased the
salaries of several foreign representa-
tives, and the senate placed In 1t an
amendment authorizing the president
to contract for laying cable between
the Hawaiian islands and the United
States and to use $500, 900 in the work,
an amendment which the house refused
to accept. The agricultural bill empow-
cred the secretary of agriculture to en-
force rules for the inspection OF live
cattle whose meat is intended for ship
ment abroad in any form, and regula-
tions to prevent the shipment OF con-
demned carcasses abroad or from one
state to another, and fixed heavy penal
ties for violation of such regulations.
Considerable legislation was included IN
the sundry civil bill, and much more
was attempted in the senate by pro-
posed amendments. The completion OF
several 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 $15O, OOO of the site OF the Blame
mansion. Provision was also included
for the transfer of the military prison at
Fort Leavenworth, Kan, to the depart
ment of justice, to be known as the
United States pententiary and MAIN
tanned for keeping United States prison.
ers who have heretofore been fetd In
state prisons under contract. The naval
bill was notable because OF the new
navy" provision for two battleships and
six torpedo boats and the increase OF the
enlisted force by the addition OF l,OOO
men. The general deficiency bill as re-
ported to the house amounted to So
i59. $50. An amendment requested oy
the secretary of state, to pay Great Brit.
ain $425, 600 damages for seizures OF
sealers in Behring sea, was voted DOWN
by the house.
The Total Appropriations.
Th1 fnfo a NJ