The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-06-17
THE FIFTY-FouRTH CONGRESS.
Resume Of the Important Business Of
the Session.

Ing hours. enjoys the distinction of being
the shortest long" session for q period Of
80 years. or 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
United States officers who served in the
rebellion and making one years residence
in terrntory q prerequisite to obtaining 4
divorce there
Excepting these however. the remainder
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 it 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.
If the session. however. be conspicuous by
reason of its brevity and the limited num-
Der Of important laws enacted, 1t resulted
In the Introduction of larger number of
period for quarter Of a century. The total
number of bills introduced during the en-
tire last congress was 1857, of which ,405
were introduced during the first session,
which corresponds to the session now draw
ing to q close and in which latter the ag-
gregate reaches $780, or these 1900 were
tavorably reported by the committees to
whom they were referred, and scores of
them are likely to be brought to the atten-
ton of the house next winter.
Tho 81 1>srl
measures. After many months of consid-
GRAFTON In the committee, it received 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 liqui-
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
Mai. Gen. Miles.
The popular interest in the Cuban revo-
luton was shown in the large number of
resolutions. more than so in all. that were
introduced and referred to the committee
on foreign affairs. After careful considera-
ton, q concurrent resolution was reported,
for which was subsequently substituted, in
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
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.
Tho early weeks of the session were a
busy period for the ways and means COM
mittee. OF the 1877 measures referred to it,
30 were acted upon. Two of the greatest
importance were the bond and revenue
bills. The bond bill passed the house, was
sent to the senate and returned with the
addition Of an amendment providing for
the free coinage of silver. The revenue bill
died in the senate committee on finance.
Among other measures Of interest reported
by the ways and means committee were the
bills permitting the killing of all the fur
! seals in Alaskan waters; the filled cheese
bill and the bill amending the law per.
hitting rebate on alcohol used in the arts.
Thercpmmittee on invalid e1sions broke
all prevfousTecords for work. Upwards of
private bills were reported to the house.
Among the measures reported in addition
to those which passed the house, were bills
giving members of state militia pension
able status; granting pensions to remarked
war widows; broadening the scope of the
law pensioning army nurses. increasing the
pensions Of those who lost limbs in the
service and providing for the payment of
pensions by check.
The pensions committee, which deals
81
those which are referred tc the invalid pen
sions committee, disposed Of $40 of the 600
bills referred to them.
The committees on post offices and post
roads, railways and canals, coinage,
weights and measures, agriculture, mil
itary, public lands. patents, judiciary and
commerce reported the ordinary number
of measures, but with few exceptions they
were not of unusual importance. ~
The results accomplished by the senate
during the session just closing are entirely
out of proportion with the legislation that
was introduced. Up to Saturday there had
been introduced a total Of 1921 bills more
than were introduced during the whole of
the last congress. The same ratio of in
crease is found In the flood Of memorials
and petitions that have been laid before
the senate Out Of this array of proposed
legislation but little has been done.
The finance committed. to which was
referred los different measures, has sue
ceeded in getting through the senate but
three Of any Importance that have become
laws-the filled cheese bill; the amend
ment to the administrative feature Of the
tariff act permitting express companies to
pay the duty on packages valued at not
more than $500 and deliver them to the resi-
dence Of the importer direct. and the bill
to repeal the free alcohol clause Of the
tariff law. The Dingley bill came out of
committee with a free coinage amendment
which prevailed in the senate, and this
proposition to increase the revenues through
tariff duties has ever since been hung in the
air between the two houses. The bank
ruptcy and contempt of court bills, the two
most important measures emanating from
the committee on the judiciary. were not
even considered by the senate. The favor
ha