The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-08

bill and the joint resolution comforting the
rank of Lieutenant- General upon Major
General Miles.
The popular interes. in the Cuban revo-
luton was shown in the large number OF
resolutions, more than fifty in all that
were Introduced and referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs. After careful
consideration concurrent resolution was
reported, for which was subsequently sub
stituted In conference the Senate resolu-
ton expressing the sympathy OF the
United States with the insurgents, recog-
nizinG their belligerency. and calling upon
the President to use his good offices to Sc
cure the independence of the island.
Measures for which there has been
widespread demand that have passed the
House and will probably receive consider
alton from the Senate next session in
clude the bankruptcy bill, the Mccall bill,
providing an educational test for immi-
grants; the labor commission and labor
arbitration bills, and the bill simplifying
the rules of the Pension Office so as to IA
cilitate the adjustment of private pension
cases.
The early weeks of the session was
busy period for the Ways ana Means Com
mlttee OF the 1877 measures referred to 1t
thirty 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 re-
turned with the addition OF an amendment
providing for the free coinage CT silver.
The revenue bill died in the renate Com
mittee on Finance. Among other meas
ures of interest reported by the Ways and
Means Committee were the bills permit
ting the killing of all the fur seals in
Alaskan waters, the filled cheese" bill
and the bill amending the law permitting
arebate on alcohol used in the arts.
The Committee on Invalid Pensions
hrn ka al rpnor69 fer work In
ward of 2800 bills were referred to 1t, of
which 700 private bills were reported to
the House. Among the measures reported
in addition to those which passed the
House were bills giving mem bers of State
militia pensionable status, granting PEN
sions to remarked war widows, broaden
ing the scope of the law pensioning army
nurses, increasing the pensions of those
who lost limbs in the service and provid-
ing for the paymento of pensions by check.
The Pensions Comittee, which deals with
a different class of measures from those
which are referred to the Invalid Pensions
Committee, disposed of 240 of the 600 bills
referred to them.
The Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds was notihed early in the session
that the public revenues were too made
auate to justify the passage OF any
measures looking to the erection of Fed
eral buildings and for this reason the COM
mittee, Notwithstanding their approval OF
some of the measures providing for public
buildings, pigeonholed them.
The committees on Postotfiees and Post
Roads, Railways and Canals, Coinage,
Weights and Measures Agriculture, Mill
tAry, Public Lands, Patents, Judiciary and
Commerce reported the ordinary mum Der
of measures. but with few exceptions they
were not of unusual importance.
The results accomplished by the Senate
u IL
out of proportion with the legislation that
was introduced. Up to Saturday there
had been introduced a total of 1851 bills,
more than we're introduced during the
whole of the last Congress. The same
ratio of increase is found in the flood of
memorials and petitions that have been
lail before the Senate. Out OF this array
OF proposed legislation but little has been
done,
The Finance Committee, 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 10 the administrative 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
10 repeal the free alcohol clause of the
tariff law. The Dingley bill came out of
committee with free coinage amendment
which prevailed ia 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 bankruptcy and contempt of court
bills, the two most important measures
emanating from the Committee on Judi
ciary, were not even considered by the
Senate. The favorable report from the
Committee on Privileges and Elections for
q nd for alaafinp nf Eapa-
tors by 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 reorganization
OF the army and similar bill for the feor-
gani2atlon of the militia, neither OF which
have been considered.
The Committee on Territories reported
favorably on the admission of the Terri
tories OF New Mexico and Arizona, but be-
yond the reporting of the bills no action
has been taken. One important measure
was, however, got through by this COM
mittee-that relating 10 divorces in the
Territories-thus removing an evil that
had for years cried aloud for radical legls-
| lation.
OF the many matters before the Naval
Committee none was acted upon. the time
of the committee during the greater part
of the session being consumed in an inves-
t.gatlon OF the subject OF the cost OF armor
plate and the advisability of the construc-
| ton of plant for its manufacture by the
/ Government.
| The Senate Committee on Pensions
! shows better record for accomplished re-
| suits. Senate pension bills aggregating
1920 were referred to this committee. Sim
| liar bills, aggregating go came over from
the House. Two hundred and seventy
| Senate pension bills were passed by the
J Ganata of whiah tho DaScoH hIlf
fifty. On the other hand, the Senate
passed Ito of the House pension bills out
of total OF go passed by the House. Out
of all this proposed legisl alton but SO bills
became laws, as follows: Senate bills with.
out the approval OF the President, IL; SEN
ate bills approved, 81; House bills become
law without approval, 8; House bills ap-
proved, 81. Total, SO.
The House will devote itself for the re-
mainder of the session to disposing o.
conference reports, contested election
cases and other business under suspen,