The record-union., 1896-06-08


those which are referred to the Invalid
Pensions Committee, disposed of 240 of
the GOO bills referred to them.
The Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds was notified early in the
session that the public revenues were
too inadequate to justify the passage of
any measures looking to the erection of
Federal buildings, and for this reason
the committee, Notwithstanding their
approval of some of the measures pro-
viding for public buildings, pigeonholed
them.
The Committees on POstoffices and
Postroads, Railways and Canals, Coin
age, Weights and Measures, Agriculture,
Military, Public Lands, Patents, Judi
ciary and Commerce reported the ordi-
nary number of measures, but with few
exceptions they were not of unusual inn
portance
The results accomplished by the Sem
ate during the session just closing are
entirely out of proportion with the leg
islation that was introduced Up to
Sa turday there had been a total of 3, 1854
bills more than were introduced in the
last Congress. The same ratio OF in
crease is found in the flood of memo
rials and petitions that have been
lodged before the Senate. Out of this
array Of proposed legislation but little
has been done. The Finance Commit
tee, to which was referred 105 different
measures, succeeded in getting through
the Senate but three of any Importance
that have become laws-the "filled
cheese" bill; the amendment to the ad-
ministrative feature of the tariff Act
permitting express companies to pay the
duty on packages valued at not more
than $500 and deliver it 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 failed in the Senate,
and this effort to increase the revenues
has ever since been hung in the air be-
tween the two houses. The bankruptcy
and contempt of court bills, the two
most important measures emanating
from the Committee on Judiciary, were
not even considered by the Senate. The
favorable report from the Committee
on Privileges and Elections for an
amendment for the election of Senators
by a popular vote became the text for
many speeches that never got beyond
that indefinite stage.
From the Committee on Military came
two great measures for the reorganiza-
ton of the army and similar measure
for the reorganization Of the militia,
neither of which have been considered.
One important measure was, however,
got through by the Committee on Terri
tories, that relating to divorces in Ter
ritories, thus removing an evil that had
fol- years cried aloud for radical legis-
lation.
OF the many matters before the Naval
Committee none We're acted upon, the
time of the committee during the
greater part of the session being con-
sumed in an investigation of the sub
ject Of the cost of arrlor plate and the
advisabiLfty of the construction of a
plant for its manufacture by the Gov
ernment.
The Senate Committee on Pensions
shows a better record for accomplished
results. Senate pension bills aggre-
eating 1,020 were referred to this COM
mittee Similar bills aggregating 30
came over from the House. Two hum
dred and seventy Senate pension bills
were passed by the Senate, of which
the House passed but fifty On the
other hand, the Senate passed 110 of
the House pension bills out of total
of 220 passed by the House. Out of
all this proposed legislation, but SO bills
became laws as follows: Senate bills
without the approval of the President,
IL; Senate bills approved, 27; House
bills become a law without approval, s;
House bills approved, 81; total So.
The House will devote itself for the
remainder of the session to disposing
of conference reports, contested cleo
tion cases and of other business under
suspension of the rules. 1t will meet
for an hour tomorrow morning in con-
tinuance of Saturdays session, in order
to enable members to move the passage
of bills under suspension, in accord
anca with the terms of the order of
Friday last.
There are two election cases on the
calendar, both of which will be vigor-
ously contested on the f1oor-T. w. Aid
rich (Rep) VS.. Oscar w. Underwood
Oem) from the Ninth Alabama Dis
trict, where the committee recommend
ed the seating of Aldrich; and Jacob
from the Tenth Virginia District. where
the committee recommended that
Tucker retain his seat Another case
that of L. T. Hopkins Rep.) vs. Joseph
M. Kendall Oem.) from the Tenth Ken
lucky District-has not been reported.
These are all that remain of the thirtv
three contests filed with the Clerk of
the House.
Speaker Reed is exceedingly anxious
| that the docket should be entirely clear
ed before the House adjourns and hopes
TO be able to accomplish it,
1t has not been definitely decided
what to do with the Senate bond biIl
reported adversely by the Committee
Of Ways and Means The leaders of the
House think it should be disposed Of
ana vote is probable, although there
IS much opposition to action at this
session.
DAWLEY TO Be RELEASED,