The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-11
A DO-NOTH|NG CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTY
FOURTH HAS WELL EARNED
SUCH \ TITLE.
NO LEGISLATION OF IMPORTANCE.
Has Been Accomplished by the Rcpub-
lean Majority Democrats Re
spousble for the Few Laws
That Were Enacted.

Washington. June If, as now
seems probable, the first session of the
Fifty-fourth congress adojurns this
week it will be the shortest sO-cnlled
long session since that Of tine Thirty
fifth and one Of the shortest in the his
tory of the government. This record Is
probably partly due to the political differ
,ence between the senate, house ana
president, which have fOrcstalled agree
ments on lines of legislation, and partly
10 the determination with which the Re
publican leaders in the house have car
ried into effect Speaker Reeds caucus
prediction that the congress would be a
do-nothing asscmblagc. Legislation
means appropriations, the house leaders
have said and their opinion was that
the treasurys condition warranted no
appropriations except the most impcra-
tive. They had the doors tightly shut
against class bills, when usually re-
ccivc hearings. Foremost among the
inevitable and regular acts of congress
are the annual appropriation bills for the
support of the government Their prcpa-
ration has constituted II large part of
the work of the session and five of them
are yet hanging between the house and
the senate with some of their details I'M
settled. For this reason it is impossible
to give the exact totals of the bills or the
grand total of appropriations made by
this congress, which aggregate about
half a billion dollars. but the disburse
ments authorized during the session will
hn uiSTnSSnl hnrnn NV hni
Mr.. Cannon, of the appropriations com
mittee, and cXChairman Sayers, from
the points of view of their respective
parties
The tariff or legislation of any general
character was abandoned for all prac-
tical purpose when the disagreements be-
tween the house and senate were demon
strated by the fate of the two bills pre-
pared by the house ways and means com
mittee. Other lines of business were
tabooed by the house because of the
alleged lack of revenue. notably public
buildings, public and private claims and
all sorts of private bills entailing eXpen-
ditures, except pension bills, to which
last the usual amount of time has been
given. One of the most bitterly con
tested fights which has occurred has
cropped out from the provisions of the
Indian and District of Columbia bills
for government aid to church schools,
conference.
Incidental to thc Legislative executive
and iudiciol bill WINS nm ontiro rnvision
of the salaries OF Tinted States district
ATTORNEYS mnrshnls and commissioners
with the Stimulation that thn terms If
all officers eypirc on limo 1907
The agricultural bill conferred unon
the president authority to extend prohibi-
ton against Importation of cattle. domcs-
tic animals and hides ON the ccrtiticntiou
Of the secretary of agriculture that the
or parts of countries arc free
from contagious or infections diseases of
animals. and authorized the president to
take steps to secure the ahrogation of the
regulations by Great Britain prohibiting
the importation of cattle from the United
States into that country alive.
In the sundrv civil bin the most inn
portant legislation is TO make effective
the Carey land net (Which coded arid
lands to the public land states for rcca-
nation by authorizing the states to give
liens on the lands to cover the expenses
of reclamation.
The most noteworthy legislation per-
aiming to the navy is contained i'm the
bill. The house provided
for fifteen new torpedo boats and four
battle ships. but the senate reduced the
of battlcships 10 two and n con-
ference is pending over that difference.
The bill made provision for thccnlistmcnt
of 1000 additional scamcn, 1t also
made unlawful the employment of naval
or marine officers ON the active or retired
list by parties furnishing supplies or ma
tcrials of war to the government.
4 special resolution authorized the ac-
,eptance bv the government of the ram
Ehotodin. which failed to make the
speed requirements of the contract. but
which satisfied the department, being an
craft.
The naval reserve system was strength
pned by n plan designed To draft vessels
engaged in the coastwisc trade into SER
vice in time of war.
An oct was passed TO establish a naval
raining station on Ycrba Buena tor
Coat island in San Francisco harbor.
secretorv was nmnowered 70 accent GER
tiind chacEs in lion of bonds from con-
,tr,ctors for naval sunplics.
NJ snoci,l iog;sl,tinn w,s contained in
Tho army onnronriotion bill.
Snoc;ai hilis worn nossod however ere
,t;nc tho nos;t;ons ~ cbonloin (wbo will
ho nrofossor of history. geography and
,thicsl and an assistant professor of the
sa,no hrnnchns ot West Point academy.
,naL;ns, Tho not;onoI military marks fields
en, n,ononuvers Inv thc national guard
~ militia and q, resolution amounting
Gon u Er,nllin of Connecticut and
On ~ / Henderson of Indiana NOM
hors 81 tho hoard Of managers for the