Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-06-12
THE F1FTX-roUKTH CONGRESS.
Resume of the Important Business of

Resume of the Important Business of
the Session.
Washington. June 9.-The first session Of
the Fifty-fourth congress, now in its clos
ing hours, enjoys the distinction of being
the shortest long" session for period of
30 years. OF the measures which become
laws, the most important from an interna-
tional standpoint, was the bill creating the
commission to determine the true d.
visional line between Venezuela and Brit
ish Guiana" OF scarcely less general in
terest were the bills prohibiting prize fight
Ing in the territories; permitting appoint
ments In the army and navy of former
United States officers who served in the
rebellion and making one years residence
in a terrntory prerequisite to obtaining
a divorce there.
Excepting these. however, tho remainder
Of the 225 bills and resolutions which re.
ceived the presidents approval were not Of
a character to deserve extended mention.
The more important were the bills incor-
porating the national society of the Daugh-
tiers of the Revolution, opening the forest
reservations in Colorado, for the location
of mining claims; regulating proof of death
in pension cases; providing for a naval
training school in San Francisco harbor;
making 1t unlawful to shoot at any rail-
way train or any person thereon or to
throw missiles into such train, and repeal
ing clause 81 Of the tariff law providing for
rebate on alcohol used In the arts.
Great Number of Measures Presented.
If the session, however, be conspicuous by
reason of it's brevity and the limited num-
Der Of important laws enacted it resulted
in the Introduction Of a larger number of
bills in the house than during any similar
period for quarter of century. The total
number of bills introduced during the en-
tire last congress was S,9s7, of which 4,405
were introduced during the first session.
which corresponds to the session now draw
81 close W Ia fer ba,
gregate reaches $780, or these 2,3OO were
favorably reported by the committees to
whom they were referred, and scores of
them are likely to be brought to the atten-
tion of the house next winter.
The Nicaragua canal bill is one of these
measures. After many months of consid-
GRAFTON in the committee, 1t received a IA
vorable report in the face of an absolute
| certainty that 1t would not be taken UP Dur
| ing the present session. The bill to lio,1i-
| date the Indebtedness of the Pacific rail-
| ways to the government is another far
| reaching measure. which is also upon the
| calendar with favorable report, but which
| for prudential reasons will continue to
slumber there. Others are the service PEN
| sion bill, reported by the invalid pensions
| committee; the Arizona, New Mexico and
| Oklahoma statehood bills; the Pacific
cable bill and the joint resolution confer
ring the rank Of lieutenant general upon
Maj. Gen. Miles
| AhtcTost III Cno Cupan hetOluClOn.
The popular interest in the Cuban revo-
luton was shown in the large number Of
| resolutions more than go in all, that were
introduced and referred to the committee
on foreign affairs After careful considera-
| ton, concurrent resolution was reported.
| for which was subsequently SUBSTITUTED III
| conference, the senate resolution express
ing the sympathy of the United States with
the insurgents, recognizing their belliger-
ency and calling upon the president to use
his good offices to secure the independence
of the island.
Measures for which there has been a
widespread demand that have passed the
house and will probably receive considera-
ton from the senate next session, include
the bankruptcy bill. the Mccall bill. pro-
viding an educational test for immigrants
the labor commission and labor arbitration
bills and the bill simplifying the rules OF
the pension Office SO as to facilitate the
adjustment of private pension cases.
Much Work for Committees.
The early weeks of the session were
busy period for the ways and means com
mittee. OF the 1877 measures referred to 1t