The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-08

WASHINGTON, June IF, as now
seems probable, the first session of the
Fifty-fourth congress adjourns this
week, it will be the shortest so-called
'long session since that of the Thirty
fifth congress, and one of the shortest
in the history of the government.
This record is probably partly due
to the political difference between the
senate, house and president, which
have foreStalled agreements in lines OF
legisla ton and partly due to the de-
termination with which the Republican
leaders in the house have carried into
effect Speaker Reeds caucus prediction
that the congress would be do-noth-
ing assem- btage. Legislation means ap-.
preparations, the house leaders have
said, and as their opinion was that the
treasury's condition warranted no ap-
propriations except the most impera-
lively necessary, they have held
THE DOORS TIGHTLY SHUT
against classes of bills which usually
receive the parings. Foremost among
the inevitable and regular acts of con-
gress are the annual appropriation
bills for the support of the government.
Their preparation has constituted a
large part of the work of the session,
and five of them are yet hanging be-
tween the house and senate with some
of their details unsettled, and for this
reason it is impossible to give the ex-
act totals of the bill CIR the grand total
of appropriations made by this con-
gress, which aggregate about half d
billion dollars, but the disbursements
authorized during the session will be
discussed hereafter by Chairman Can
non, of the appropriations committee
and ex-Chairman Sayres, from the
points of view of their respective par
ties Tariff or financial legislation of
any general character was abandoned
for all practical purposes when the dis
agreements between the house and SEN
ate were demonstrated by the fate of
the two bills prepared by the house
ways and means committee. Other
lines of business were also
TABOOED BY THE HOUSE
because of the alleged lack of revenue.
notably public buildings, public and
provincial claims and all sorts of pri-
vate bills entailing expenditures, ex-
| cept pension bills, to which last the
usual amount of time has been given.
One of the most bitterly contested
fights which has occurred has cropped
out from the provisions of the Indian
and District of Columbia bills for gov
eminent aid of church schools a fea-
ture which still holds both bills in con-
fidence.
The Indian bill contains provisions
giving the homestead settlers on all
ceded Indian reservations an extern
cir Of iya xryhi0 ih mo u q
payments and for the completion of the
surveys of land in Indian territory.
Incidental to the legislative, executive
and judicial bill was an entire revision
of the salaries of the United States dis
| trict attorneys, nlarshals, and commits
sioners, with the stipulation that the
terms of Office of all commissioners
expire on June 80, 1897.
The agricultural bill conferred by
the president authority to suspend the
prohibition against importations OF
meat cattle, domestic animals and
hides on the certification of the secre-
tany of agriculture that countries on
! pants of countries are free from con-
tagious or infectious diseases of ami
/ mails, and authorized the president
| to take steps to secure the abrogation
of the regulations by Great Britain
| prohibiting the importation of cattle
/ from the United States into that coun-
try alive.
THE CIVIL SUNDRY BILL.
the most important legislation is t
make effective the Carey arid land ACT
which ceded arid land to the publ
land states for reclamation, by author
| izing the states to give liens on tn
/ land to cover the expenses of reclama
ton. The most noteworthy Legislation
pertaining to the navy is contained i
the appropriation bill. The house pre-
vided for fifteen new torpedo boats an
four battleships, but the senate re
duced the number of hattleships t
two and a conference is pending owe
that difference.
The bill made provision for the er
listment of one thousand additions
seamen. 1t also made unlawful tn
employment of naval or marine officer
on the active or retired lists by partie
furnishing supplies or materials of wa
to the government.
A special report authorized the ac
ceptance by the government of the rar
Katadin, which failed to make tn
! speed required of the contracts, bu
which satisfied the department, bein
largely an experimental craft. TIL
| naval reserve system was strengthene
gagged in the coast-wise trade into tn
service IN time of war. An act wa
/ passed to establish
A NAVAL TRAINING STATION
on Yerba Buena Cor Goat island, i
San Francisco harbor The secretar
was empowered to accept certifie
checks in lieu of bonds from contrac
tors for naval supplies. No specie
legislation was contained in the arm
appropriation BILL Special bills wer
passed. however. creating the positio
CT chaplain (who will also be professc
of history, geography and ethics), an
an assistant professor of the sam
branches at West Point academy
making the national military par
4 fields for maneuvres by the nation;
! guard or militia, and a resolution ap
pointing General w. S. Franklin. {
d Connecticut. Gereral Thomas j. Her
derson, of T4-aois, Representative
+ Steele, of Indf ma, and George v
Beale, of Maine, members of the boar
of managers for the National Soldier
home.
OF tariff and financial lAnislatinr. tla4