The Penn's Grove record., 1896-06-12
Congress.

which adjourned on Thursday enjoys ID
distinction of being the shortest "long"
session for a period of 30 years.
A Senate, passively Indifferent in
some instances, and in others actively
hostile. with an Executive not in SYM
patty with Republican party politics.
are the reasons assigned by the House
leaders for the %paueity of national leg
isIation. OF the measures which De-
came laws, the most important, from
an international standpoint, was u
bill creating the commission ITO deter
mine the true divisional line between
Venezuela and British Guiana" VI
scarcely less general interest we're the
bills prohibiting prize fighting in the
Territories, permitting appointments IN
the army and navy of former United
States officers who served in the Rebel
lion, and making one years residence
in a Territory a prerequisite to obtain
ing a divorce there.
Excepting these, however, the re-
mainder of the 225 bills and resolutions
which received the Presidents approval
we're not of a character to deserve ex-
tended mention. The more important
were the bills incorporating the Nation
al Society of the Daughters of the Rev
olution; opening the forest reservations
in Colorado for the location of mining
claims; regulating proof of death IN
pension cases; providing for a naval
training station in San Francisco har-
Dor; making it unlawful to shoot at any
railway train or any person thereon, or
to throw missiles into such train, and
repeating clause sixty.one of the Tariff
law. providing for a rebate on alcohol
used in the arts.
More bills have been introduced in
the House than during any similar per-
iod for a quarter of a century. The
Nicaragua Canal bill and the bill to IL
quidate the Indebtedness of the Pacific
Railways TO the Government were fav-
orably reported, but left to slumber.
The popular interest in the Cuban
revolution was shown in the large num-.
Der of resolutions. mere than fifty in all,
that were introduced and referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs. AT
ter careful consideration a concurrent
resolution was reported, for which was
subsequently substituted, in conference,
the Senate resolution expressing 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 indie
pendence Of the island. Being a con-
current and not a joint resolution, 1t
did not call for the Presidents sigma
ture, and its only effect was to express
the sentiment Of the American people
as reflected in the two Houses of Con.
gress
The two most important bills were
the Bond bill and the Revenue bill.
The Bond bill passed the House, was
sent to the Senate and returned with
the addition of an amendment provid.
ing for the free coinage of silver. The
Revenue bill died in the Senate Com
mittee on Finance.
All records we're broken in the pass
ing of private pension bills, and So be-
came laws. The President vetoed 10.
The Senate passed a bill to prohibit
the issue of bonds except by direct au-
thority Of Congress. The Ways and
Means Committee of the House report
ed it adversely and a vote was not al
lowed on it for fear of embarrassing
some members in seeking Q nomination.
The President vetoed two appropria-
ton bills, viz, the River and Harbor,
which passed over the veto, and the
General Deficiency. The veto Of the
latter bill was sustained by the House,
and a new bill was passed omit
ting the Objectionable features.
Only three bills of any Importance
have become laws-the Filled Cheese
bill, the amendment to the administra.
tive 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 residence 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 amend
ment 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.
This Congress did nothing to aid the
administration in getting more reyen.
ue or economy. The ~insincerily to
raise more revenue was shown when
the Senate refused to increase the tax
on beer. In fact it did much to en-
barrass the administration and help
undermine the credit of the Govern
ment by making the biggest appropria-
tions ever made. The appropriations
will reach about $500, 900, 900 besides
about $50, 900, 900 appropriated by the
River and IIarbor bill.
No More Sectarian Funds.