The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-06-08

ta1nS PROVISIONS giving the homestead SET
tiers on all ceded Indian reservations an ex-
| tension Of one year in which to make pay
| ments and for the completion Of the surveys
| of lands in Indian territory. Incidental to the
| legislative, executive and judicial bill was an
entire revision of the salaries Of United
| States district attorneys marshals and COM
missioners, with the stipulation that the
| terms of Office of all commissioners expire on
| June 30. 1897 The agricultural bill conferred
! upon the president authority to suspend the
| prohibition against importatfons of neat cat
| tie, domestic animals and hides, on the GER
| tifcation of the secretary of agriculture that
| countries, or parts OF countries, are free
| from contagious or infectious diseases Of ami
| mails, and authorized the president to take
| steps to secure the abroga:ion of the regula-
| tions by Great Britain prohibiting the i'm
! portation Of cattle from the United States
! into that country. In the sundry civil bill
| the most important legislation is to make
! effective the Carey arid land act (Which ce-
| ded arid lands to the public lands of states
for reclamation), by authorizing the states
| to give liens on the land to cover the ex-
pense of reclamation.
| The most noteworthy legislation pertaining
| to the navy is contained in the appropriation
| bill. The house provided for fifteen new
| torpedo boats and four battleships, but the
senate reduced the number of battleships to
| two, and conference is pending over that
| difference. The bill made provision for the
enlistment of ], ,000 additional seamen. 1t also
made unlawful the employment OF naval or
marine officers on the active or retired lists
by parties furnishing supplies or materials OF
war to the government. A special resolu-
! tion authorized the acceptance by the gov
ernment of the ram Katahdin, which failed
! to make the speed requirements of the con-
tract but which satisfied the department,
being largely an experimental craft. Tho
naval reserve system was strengthened by
plan designed to draft vessels engaged in
the coastwise trade into the service in time
! of war. An act was passed to establish
naval training station Yerba Buena (or
| Goat island) in San Francisco harbor. The
secretary was empowered to receive ceru-
fed checks in lieu of bonds from contractors
| for naval supplies.
No special legislation was contained in
the army appropriation bill. Special bills
were prepared, however, creating the post
of chaplain (who will also be professor OF
history, geography and ethics), and an as
| sistant professor of the same branches, at
West Point academy. making the national
military parks fields for maneuvers for the
national guard or militia and a resolution
appointing Gen. w. B. Franklin, of Con-
necticut; Gen. Thomas j. Henderson, OF
Illinois; Representatives Steele, of Indiana,
and George l.. Beale, Of Maine, members
of the board of managers for the national
soldiers home.
Of tariff and financial legislation this con-
gress, as was said, has accomplished none.
With scant margin of free silver votes
in the senate, and with a majority OF near
ly two to one against silver in the house,
it was evident from the beginning that no
Ntnn
two bills framed by the house ways and
means committee and bearing the name OF
their author, Mr.. Dingley, of Maine, one for
the issue of short term popular loan and
of certificates of Indebtedness, the other to
increase the rates of tariff schedules on
wool manufactures of wool and other ar
ticles were killed in the senate by the de-
termination to substitute therefor silver
coinage measures. On the other hand, the
senate resolution to prohibit issue of bonds
without authority of congress, one of the
last important acts Of the senate, was re-
ported adversely by the house ways and
means committee. The only one of the
many proposed changes in the tariff laws
which became an actuality was the repeal
of that clause in the Wilson bill giving free
alcohol in the arts and manufactures, this
being done on the recommendation of Secre-
Revenue Miller. This repeal met so much
antagonism from members representing
manufacturing interests that it could only
be effected by coupling with 1t compro-
mise scheme devised by Senator Platt and
Representative Russell, of Connecticut, for
congressional commission to recommend
legislation at the beginning Of the next ses-
sion, by which free alcohol can be secured
under sufficient safeguard for the govern
ment's interest The policy of reciprocity
was thoroughly investigated by committee
of the ways and means committee, at the
instance of Messrs. Tawney, Of Minnesota,
and Hopkins, Of Illinois, but 1t was thought
not advisable by the Republican leaders to
attempt legislation on that single feature
of the tariff system so long as a general
revision was out Of the question.
Although the house committee on banking
and currency devoted much time to discussing
financial questions, 1t was able to agree
upon only two bills-one to permit banks to
issue circulation to the amount of the par
value of the bonds deposited by them as Sc
curity; the other for the organization of ma
tionaI banks in the smaller towns; neither
of which was passed this session. The only
important bill recommended by the house
committee on coinage, that for the adoption
of the metric system of weights and meas
ures, at the beginning Of the next century,
met with temporary rebuff in the house, but
will be brought forward again.
While foreign affairs divided with finances
the interest Of congress, comparatively little
legislation resulted from the discussion, be-
cause so great a share Of the conduct OF for
eign relations rests with the executive branch.
The first public resolution adopted by con-
gress, and that after one hours debate, in
the house, and few days in the senate,
was that authorizing the president to create
the commission to investigate the Venezuela
British Guiana boundary line.
The debates over Cuban affairs resulted in
the adoption of a concurrent resolution ex-
pressing the sympathy of this government
with the insurgents.
The dairy interests of the country pre-
vailed upon congress to enact the most i'm
portant measure for their protection since the
oleomargarine law, the filled cheese bill,
which regulates the manufacture and sale Of
adulterated cheese, and imposes heavy pen
atty for receptions
Another important law enacted late in the
session was that for the relief Of the set
tiers on the Northern Pacific indemnity
lands. Among the numerous miscellaneous
acts passed during the session were the fol-
lowing: For the deportation of refugee
Canadian Creek Indians from Montana; to
establish the government of Gray county
county Of Oklahoma; forbidding divorces in
territories unless the parties apply
ing have been residents for one
year before the applications; making
unexplained absence for seven years presump-
| ton Of death for pension claims; fixing penal
ties for failure to use automatic brakes on
railway trains. Many rights of way to rail-
way companies were granted and a large
| number of bridge bills passed.