River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-06-11
A RESUME.
Something Of the Work Done by
the Fifty-Fourth Congress.

Something Of the Work Done by
the Fifty-Fourth Congress-.
The Shortest "Long" Session Held In
Thirty Years-Importsnt Bills That
Have Been Passed-The Com
mittee Work.
Washington, June s.-The first session of
the Fifty-foufth congress- now in It's clos
Ing hours, enjoys the distinction of being
the shortest long" session for period OF
| 30 years or the measures which become
laws. the most important from an interna-
| tionel standpoint, was the bill creating the
commission to determine the true d.
vfsional line between Venezuela and Brit
lsh Guiana" OF scarcely less general In
terest were the bills prohibiting prize fight
ing In the territories; permitting appoint
ments in the army and navy of former
United States officers who served In the
rebellion and making one years residence
In terrntory prerequisite to obtaining
a divorce thero.
Excepting these. however. the remainder
OF the 225 bills and resolutions which re-
ceived the presidents approval were not of
character to deserve extended mention.
The more important were the bills incor-
porating the national society of the Daugh-
ters OF the Revolution. opening the forest
reservations In Colorado. for the ioca ton
of mining claims; regulating proof of death
In pension cases; providing for a naval
training school In San Francisco harbor:
making II unlawful to shoot at any rail-
way train or any person thereon or 20
throw missiles into such train. and repeal
ing clause 81 OF the tariff law providing for
a rebate on alcohol used In the arts.
II the session. however. be conspicuous by
reason OF its brevity and the limited num-
Der of important laws enacted, II resulted
ia the introduction of q larger number of
bills In the house than during any similar
period for quarter OF a century. The total
number of bills introduced during the en-
tire last congress was s,9s7, OF which 4 405
were introduced during the first session.
which corresponds to the session now Jaw.
ing to q close and I'm which latter the ag-
gregate reaches $500. or these $500 were
favorably reported by the committees to
whom they were referred. and scores of
them are likely to be brought to the ten
tion of the house next winter
The Nicaragua canal bill is one of these
measures. After many months of consid-
GRAFTON In the committee. 1t received a ia
vorable report In the face of an absolute
certainty that II would not be taken up dur
ing the present session. The bill to liqui-
date the Indebtedness OF the Pacific rail-
ways to the government is another far
reaching measure, which is also upon the
calendar with a favorable report but which
for prudential reasons will continue to
slumber there. Others are the service PEN
sion bill. reported by the invalid pensions
committee: the Arizona, New Mexico and
Oklahoma statehood bills; the Pacific
cable bill and the joint resolution confer
ring the rank Of lieutenant general upon
Mai Gen. Miles.
The popular interest in the Cuban revo-
luton was shown In the large number of
resolutions. more than 60 In all, that were
introduced and referred to the committee
on foreign affairs. After careful considera-
ton. concurrent resolution was reported,
for which was subsequently substituted In
conference the senate resolution express
ing 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 independence
OF the island.
widespread demand that have passed the
house and will probably receive considera-
ton from the senate next session, include
the bankruptcy bill. the Mccall bill. pro-
viding an educational test for Immigrants.
the labor commission and labor arbitration
bills and the bill simplifying the rules of
the pension office 80 as to facilitate the
adjustment of private pension cases.
The early weeks of the session were n
busy period for the ways and means COM
m'ttee. or the 1S measures referred to II.
80 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 returned with the
dQOlllOn OF an amendment DrOXfQlng Tor
the free coinage of silver. The revenue bill
died In the senate committee on finance.
Among other measures of interest reported
by the ways and means committee were the
bills permitting the killing OF all the fur
seals In Alaskan waters; the filled cheese"
bill and the bill amending the law per-
hitting a rebate on alcohol used In the arts
The committee on invalid ensions broke
all previous records for work. Upwards OF
2sco bills were referred TO II. 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 members of state militia a pension
able status: granting pensions to remarked
war widows; broadening the scope OF the
law pensioning army nurses increasing the
pensions of those who lost limbs IN the
service and providing for the payment of
pensions by check.
The pensions committee, which deals
with different class of measures from
those which are referred tc the invalid pen
sions committee disposed of 240 of the 600
bills referred to them.
The committees on post offices and post
roads. railways and canals, coinage,
weights and measures. agriculture. mil
ftary, public lands, patents. judiciary and
commerce reported the ordinary number
of measures. but with few exceptions they
were not OF unusual importance.
The results accomplished by the senate
during the session just closing are entirely
Out Vi pTOROTtlOu Win the ltBlSidtlOn tndt
was introduced. Up to Saturday there had
been introduced a total Of 1921 bills more
than were introduced during the whole of
the last congress. The same ratio of in
crease is found In the flood OF memorials
and petitions that have been laid before
the senate. Out Of this array of proposed
legislation but little has been done
The finance committed, to which was
referred los different measures, has sue
ceeded in getting through the senate but
- .rta 4l.a@
laws-the filled cheese bill; the emend-
ment to the administrative feature OF the
tariff act permitting express companies to
pay the duty on packages valued at not
more than $500 apd deliver them 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 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. The bank
ruptcy and contempt OF court bills the two
most important measures ernanating from
the committee on the judiciary. were not
even considered by the senate. The favor
able report from the committee on priv
ileges and elections for an amendment for
the election OF senators by popular vote,
became the text for many speeches that
never got beyond that indefinite stage.
The senate committee on pensions shows
q better record for accomplished results.
Senate pension bills aggregating 1000 were
referred to this committee. Similar
bills aggregating go came over from
the house. Two hundred and sew
enty senate bills were passed by the
senate, Of which the house passed but 60
On the other hand. the senate passed 10
of the house pension bills out of total OF
220 passed by the house. Out of all this pro-
posed legislation but SO bills became laws
as follows: Senate bills without the APP
proval of the president. Ii; senate bills APP
proved, "a: house bills become law with
out approval. s; house bills approved.
Bonner Reelected President.
Harrisburg, Pa, June 6.-At Friday
mornings session of the annual con-
gress of the Scotch-Irish So
ciety Of America, Robert Bonner, of
New York, was reelected president for