The record-union., 1897-07-26

WASHINGTON, July 25.-The ex-
fraordinary session of Congress, which
has been just closed, was called by
President Mckinley two days after he
took oath of ofNce on the steps OF the
Capitol. 1t met in pursuance to his
proclamation at noon, March ID The
special message transmitted by him to
both Houses on the opening day was
brief 1t explained the Deficiencies in
the revenues, reviewed the bond issues
of the last Administration, and urged
Congress promptly to correct the then
existing condition by passing tariff
bill that would supply ample revenue,
support the Government and the lfqui-
dalton of the public debt. No other
subject of legislation was mentioned in
the message, and the tariff had been
the all-absorbing feature of the ses-
sion. 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 sub
united to the extra session.
Three days after the session opened
the tariff bill was reported to the
House by the Ways and Means Com
1nittee, and thirteen days later, March
81, it passed the House. It went to the
Senate, was referred to the Committee
on Finance, and the Republican mem
bers Of that committee spent a month
and three days in its consideration, and
preparing the amendments which were
submitted to the Senate May Z, and
exactly two months later, July Z, it
passed the Senate with 81 amend
ments. The bill then went to confer
ence, where, after a ten days strug-
gle on July II, a complete agreement
was reached by which the Senate re-
ceded from eighteen amendments and
the House from 81. The other 243
We're compromised. The conference
report was adopted by the House on
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 tariff bill
was signed by the President the same
day.
Congress did not devote its session
entirely to the tariff. although it did
SbDOl dlIldlC GN Gi NillilS 6lSS ~ llllS OIlC
measure. The four appropriation bills
which failed on March 4 last. would
in themselves, have compelled Presi-
dent Mckinley to call Congress in ex-
ira session, even if the necessity for
"A revision of the tariff had not exist
ed. These appropriation bills were the
sundry civil, the agricultural, the In
dian and the general deficiency. These
bills were introduced and passed by the
blouse in the initial form in which they
existed at the time they failed of enact
1nent into law at the preceding Con-
gress, but they were amended in some
important particulars by the Senate,
and when they finally became laws,
contained more or less new legislation
pf interest and Importance.
The general deficiency carried a pro-
vision accepting the invitation to take
part in the Paris Exposition in 1900
and appropriated SO, 900 to defray pre-
liminary expenses, and approprfa ted
S1J00 for a new immigrant station
at New York, to replace the one de-
Stroyed by fire. BY far the most i'm
portant piece of new legislation in the
bill, however, was that limiting the
cost of armor plate for three new bat
tleships to $500 a ton, and in case of
the Secretary of the Navy finding it
impossible to make contracts for ar
NOR within the price fixed. he was au-
thorized by this provision to take steps
to establish Government armor plate
factory of sufficient capacity to make
the armor. In executing this authori-
ty, he must prepare a description and
plans and specifications of the land
buildings and machinery suitable for
dhe factory; advertise for proposals and
report to Congress at its next session
In the Indian bill, after a severe
struggle in both Houses. the question
of sectarian schools was settled by the
following declaration of the policy of
the Government:
THAT the Secretary of the Interior
may make contracts with contract
schools, apportioning as near as may
be the amounts contracted for among
schools of various denominations for
the education of Indian pupils during
the fiscal year 1898, but shall only make
such contracts at such places as non
sectarian schools cannot be provided
for such Indian children, and to an
amount not TO exceed 40 per cent. of
the amount used for the fiscal year
of 1895"
The question of opening to entry the
gilsonite deposits in the Uncompahgre
Reservation was also compromised by
opening such agricultural lands as have
not been allotted to the Uncompahgre
Indians on April 1, 1898, 10 entry, but
Teserving to the United States title to
all lands containing gilsonite, asphalt
or like substances.
In the sundry bill the most important
new provision was that suspending the
order Of President Cleveland setting
aside about 81 100000 acres as forest
reservations The law also includes a
general scheme Of legislation for the
Government and protection for the for
est reservations Of the country
The Republican leaders of the House
decided at the opening of the session TO
pursue a policy of inaction, in order TO
throw the responsibility for delaying
the tariff bill upon the Senate, and
therefore the committees were not an
nounced until the close of the session.