River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-03-04
THE FIFTY-FoURTH CONGRESS.
Resume of Its work-Over 10000 BiIl.
introduced.

Introduced.
Washington, March .. - The Fifty
fourth congress will be held remarka-
BILE, principally for what it has failed TO
accomplish. In one respect-in the
number of bills and resolutions intro
duced-it was a record-breaker. In the
house alone over 1o,400 bills and 3,1o0
resolutions were introduced and re-
ferred to various committees. Only a
fraction of these passed the house and
fewer still became laws.
The principal business OF the congress.
aside from the passage of the appropriation
bills, was limited to the first session, the
net results of which were the enactment
into law of the bills creating the commits
sion TO determine the true divisional line
between Venezuela and British Guiana:
prohibiting prize fighting in the territories:
permitting appointments in the army and
navy of former United States officers who
served in the rebellion: making one year
residence in a territory necessary for a
divorce: Incorporating the National So
ciety of the Daughters of the Revolution;
defining the penalty for interference with
railway trains and persons riding there
on and substituting salaries for fees TO
United States marshals and district at
torneys.
Aside from the foregoing measures, the
remaining bills excepting the immigration
bill and the joint resolution for an inter
national monetary conference, passed at
the second SESSION. were of no general In
terest. Included I'm these were 700 private
pension bills-an unprecedented number.
In another respect the F'ifty-fourth con-
gress was remarkable. This was its fall
ure to pass single bill providing for pub
lie buildings. The house calendar con-
tanned 100 bills of this class, including the
nm IN Naxxv w ~
city Speaker Reed, however, In his de-
termination to reduce the expenditures to
the lowest limit consistent with the neces-
stiles of the government, set his face stern
ly against all legislation of this character
Notwithstanding this circumstance the
present congress is the third In American
history in which the appropriations have
exceeded $1,000, 100000.
A number of important measures which
were reported to the house last session
and were expected to receive favorable
consideration during the present session
were either defeated or were left on the
calendar. The bill to settle the indebted
ness of the bond aided railways to the gov
ern ment, which was legacy from the last
session, suffered crushing defeat In jan
uary last. The substitute measure pre-
pared by Mr.. Harrison. of Alabama, to ad-
just these claims through the medium of
a cabinet commission was not permitted
by the committee on rules to come before
the house, thus leaving II an open question
between the supporters and the opponents
of the measure what It's fate would have
been. In the preceding session upwards of
50 resolutions bearing upon the Cuban In
surrection were introduced. although but
one passed the house. During the present
session the Cuban resolutions introduced
have been few in number.
No effort was made at the present ses-
sion to call up the bills admitting Arizona,
I'd 10 IN cfa
The sound money men in the house
were a practical unit against the admis-
sion of any territories which are likely to
send advocates of free silver to the senate.
Among the bills which passed the house
but have not been acted upon in the senate
are the Morse bill to prevent the selling
of liquor in the CAPITOL the Brosius bill
permitting the establishment of national
banks with a capital of 5000 in towns of
1000 inhabitants. and the Loud bill to re-
classify second-class mail matter.
Much of the time of the senate has been
consumed in the discussion Of questions
relating to our foreign relations. and while
no positive action of any kind has been
taken, many columns of the Congressional
Record have been filed with speeches on
these topics. Cuban resolutions have been
introduced and pressed for action by the
score. but. beyond precipltating debate.
nothing has been accomplished. A treaty
with Japan has been ratified, putting into
immediate operation the clause of the
treaty of commerce and navigation ne
gotiated two years ago. The general
treaty of arbitration with Great Britain,
after being fruitlessly considered for two
weeks. went over until the next session.
The Alaskan boundary treaty with Great
Britain has not even been considered in
committee. The Nicaraguan canal bill.
which was debated for several weeks, was
on the point of final passage with a COM
Portable majority in front Of 1t when the
protest of the minister representing the
Greater Central American Republic was
received.