The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-06-24
RECORD OF CONGRESS.
THE ~LONG" SESSION THE SHORT
EST ONE IN THIRTY YEARS.

The first session of the Fifty fourth
congress enjoys the distinction of being
the shortest "long" session for period
Of 80 years. A senate passively indiffer-
ent in some instances and in others &C
lively hostile and an executive not in
sympathy with Republican party poll
cies are the reasons assigned by the
house leaders for the paucity of nation
al legislation.
OF the measures which have become
laws the most important, from an inter
national standpoint, was the bill Great
ing the commission ''to determine the
true divisional line between Venezuela
and British Guiana " Of scarcely less
general interest were the bills prohibit
ing prize fighting in the territories, per
hitting appointments in the army and
navy of former United States officers
who served i'll the rebellion and making
one years residence in territory pre-
requisite to obtaining a divorce there.
The session resulted in the introduce
ton of larger number Of bills in the
house than during any similar period
for quarter of century. The total
number of bills introduced during the
entire last congress was s, 987, Of which
4,405 were introduced during the first
session, which corresponds to the SEES
sion now drawing to a close, and in
which latter the aggregate is swollen to
$500. Of these 1890 were favorably
reported by the committees to which
they were referred and placed ON the
calendar.
Notwithstanding that the session of
next winter is limited to three months,
scores of these bills are likely to be
brought to the attention of the house.
Many members will enjoy a degree of
independence after the autumn cleo
tlOns which they have been denied dur
ing the present year, and their influence
will be exerted to call up and pass
measures now regarded as personally
and politically unsafe. -
The Nicaragua canal bill is one of
these measures. After many months of
consideration in the committee it re-
ceived favorable report in the face of
an absolute certainty that it would not
be taken up during the present session.
The bill to liquidate the Indebtedness
of the Pacific railways to the govern
ment is another measure of farreaching
which is also upon the cal
endar with favorable report, but which,
for prudential reasons, will continue to
slumber there. Others are the service
pension bill, reported by the invalid
committee; the Arizona, New
Mexico and Oklahoma statehood bills,
the Pacific cable bill and the joint reso-
luton comforting the rank of lieutenant
upon Major General Miles.
The popular interest in the Cuban
revolution was shown in the large num-
Der of resolutiOns-moret than so in all
that were introduced and referred to
the committee on foreign affairs. After
careful consideration a concurrent reso-
luton was reported, for which was sub
substituted in conference the
senate resolution, expressing the sympa-
thy of the United States with the insur-
gents, recognizing their belligerency
and calling upon the president to use
his good offices to secure the independ.
ence of the island. Being a concurrent
and not joint resolution, it did not
call for the presidents signature and
its only effect was to express the senti-
ment of the American people as reflect.
ed in the two houses of congress.
The results accomplished by the SEN
ate during the session are entirely out
of proportion with the legislation that
was introduced. Up to June there
had been introduced a total of 1861
bills, more than were introduced during
the whole of last congress. The same
ratio of increase is found in the flood OF
memorials and petitions that has been
laid before the senate.
Out of this array of proposed legisla.
ton but little has been done. The
finance committee, to which were refer.
red 105 different measures, has succeed
ed in getting through the senate but
three of any Importance that have be.
come laws-fhe filled cheese bill, the
amendment to the administrative fea
ture of the tariff act, permitting express
companies to pay the duty on packages
valued at not more than $500 and de-
liver them to the residences of the i'm.
porters direct, and the bill to repeal the
free alcohol clause of the tariff law
The favorable report from the com.
mittee ON privileges and elections for
an amendments for tho election IF caua
tors by popular vote became the text for
many speeches, but never got beyond
that indefinite stage. The committee on
territories reported favorably on the adj
mission of New Mexico and Ariznna