The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-26

hAHlNg NWO hag hANNA AAN NbetN Wv NtNNsA
of office, 1t met March It, The Pres
ident's special message explained the
deficiencies in the revenues, reviewed
the bond issues OF the last administra-
tlon and urged Congress promptly 10
correct the then existing condition by
passing a tariff bill that would supply
ample revenues for the support of the
government and the liquidation Of the
public debt No other subject Of legis-
latIon was mentioned In the message
and the tariff bill has been the all
absorbing feature of the session. The
Republican members OF the ways and
means committee OF the preceding
house had been at work throughout the
short session which ended March 4,
giving hearings and preparing the bill
which was to be submitted nj the extra
session. Three days after the session
opened the tariff bill was reported 10
the house by the ways and means COM
mittee and thirteen days later. March
81, 1897, II passed the house. II went
TO the senate, was referred TO the COM
mlttee on finance, and the Republican
members of the committee spent
month and three days In Its constderR-
tion and In preparing the amendments
which were submitted to the senate
May Z. and exactly two months later
July Z, II passed the senate with SI2
amendments. The bill then went to
conference where, after q ten-day
struggle, on July II complete agree
ment was reached by which the senate
receded from lis amendments and the
house from 5ll. The others. 2i3 in num-
kn, ,ynrn Tho HnnfAT-
ence report was adopted by the house
July 10, at the conclusion Of twelve
hours continuous debate. The report
was taken up in the senate July 20 and
adopted July "a. The tarif bill was
signed by the President the same day.
other Work Besides Tariff.
Congress did not devote Its attention
entirely to the tariff, though It did sub
ordinate everything else to this one
measure. The four appropriation bills
which failed on March last, fn them
selves would have compelled President
Mckinley to call Congress in extra ses-
sion, even II the necessity for n revision
OF the tariff had not existed. These ap-
pr0priatlon bills were the sundry civil
the agricultural. the Indian and the
general deficiency. These bills were
introduced and passed by the house In
the Identical form in which they eX-
listed at the time OF their failure Of
enactment into law at the preceding
Congress, but they were amended IN
some Important particulars by the SEN
ate, and when they finally became law
contained more or less new legislation
Of interest and Importance. The gem
erui deficiency carried provision nc
centlng the invitation TO take part In
the Paris exposition In 1900 and apprn-
prlated $4,000 to defray preliminary
expenses and appropriated $4,000 for
n new Immigrant station at New York
to replace the one destroyed by fire.
BY far the most important piece Of new
legislation in the bill, however, was
that limiting the cost or armor plate
for the three new hattleships TO 5000 per
ton In case the secretary OF the navy
should find It impossible TO make con-
tracts for nrmor within the price fixed
he was authorized In this provision 20
take steps to establish II government
armor factory OF sufficient capacity to
make the nrmor In executing this nu-
thority he must prepare n description
and plnns and specifications OF the lana,
buildings and machinery suitable Tor
the factory. advertise for proposals, ana
report 20 Congress at Its next session.
in the Indian bill, after n severe
struggle IN both houses. the question OF
scCtarlan schools was settled by the
following declaration OF the govern
ment THAT the secretary OF the In
terlOr mny make contracts with con
tract schools apportionlng rs near as ne
may the amount so contracted Tor
among schools of various denomlnn-
tions for the education OF indian pupils
during the fiscal year 1928. but shall
only make such contracts at places
where non-sectnrinn schools cannot be
provided for such Indian children, and
10 mn amount not exceeding forty per
Centum Of the amount SO used for the
fiscal year 1896"
The question Of opening 10 entry the
rich glRonltc deposits In the Uncom-
pahgrc reservation In Utah was also
compromised by opening such agrionl-
ulrn lands as have not been allotted
TO the Uucompnttgrc Indians on April
I. 1898, to entry, but rcservlng to the
United States title In all lands contain
InC gllsonitc, asphalt or other like sub
stances,
In the sundry olyll bin, the most i'm
portnnt new provision was that sus-
pending the order Of President Cieve-
land setting aside about 2l.00O,0O0 acres
Ms forest reservations. The law also
Includes a general scheme OF legislation
for the government and protection OF
the forest reservation Of the country
Cause or House Inactlon.
The Republican leaders Of the house
decided at the opening Of the session
10 pursue . policy Of lnactlon In order
to throw the responsibility for delaying
the tanfr bill upon the senate, and
therefore the committees were not mn
nouncCd until the close Of the session,
and only urgent matters were Cpnsld,
cred. Fifty thousand dollars were Hp-
prOprntcl for the rolicf Of American
citizens In Cubn at the solicitation Of
the President. 100000 was appropriated
for the relief af The MlHslHalppl Dnpl
sufferers; II resolution was phsgtl au-
thOrl1ing the secretary " the navy To
transport rupplluB contributed for the
rollcf Of the poor and fnmlahIng IN IN
da, and $4,000 were appropriated Tor
the entertainment and expense OF the
dcicrntaH ta the universal postal rpn-
vcntiOn. who met In thlR city Tho only
extensive piece ut general legislation
enacted by this Congress, except tho
inun bin, were the laws 10 prevent col.
iirlnuH upon certain hnfhorn. rlvCr nnl
inland waters uf The United states hul
the hiii authorizing the pfe9AoHt 20
rurpOnd diHurimluntlnr duties IN lOrs
oln vessels nnd commerce.
'rho senate not boIuW confined na ia
the Huopo uf lW lcWWnllon dealt with
n number ur important huhicctn both IN