The Flagstaff sun-democrat., 1897-03-04
WORK OF CONGRESS-.
A Summary of the Most Important
 Legislation This Session.
CUBA QUESTION TOOK MUCH TIME.
Several Important Bills In the Presidents Hands Awaiting His Signature, Among Them Being the Immigration Bill
 Many Pension Bills Passed.

WASHINGTON, March 1.-The last week of the session begins with sev- eral of the appropriation bills not yet passed by the senate. Much of the time of that body has been consumed in the discussion of the Cuban ques- ton. Necessarily, the policy of the house to avoid new legislation which involved expenditures has been en- forced upon the senate. The Nicara- qua canal bill, which was discussed at great length in the senate, but not voted on, was not taken up in the house, nor has the free homes bill, which the senate passed, had hear ing at the other end of the capitol. The Pacific railroad funding bill met a decisive defeat in the house. One fea- ture of the session worthy of note is the great number of private pension bills passed, many of them placing the widows of officers on pension rolls at ratings ranging from $50 to $75 month. Several important bills are in the presidents hands awaiting his ac- tion, foremost among them the immi- grafton bill.
 The anti-scalping bill may be sub mitted to the executive soon, and since Senator Chandler has given notice that he will move that the senate accept house amendment to the bill author izing the president to call m interna- tional monetary conference, it is likely that President Cleveland will be given an opportunity to sign his name to that. The bill for the reorganization of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Co. is also on the presidents desk.
 One act written upon the statute books this session is noteworthy as be- ing the work practically of one man. That is the act to reduce the cases in which the penalty of death may be in- fiicted, a movement to which Gen. Cur tis, of New York, has devoted the best efforts of his congressional career. After years of agitation of the subject, he has succeeded in erasing from the statute books all United States laws imposing the death penalty for other crimes than murder, criminal assault, treason or piracy, and endowed juries with the power to stipulate whether or not capital punishment shall be in- fiicted for these crimes.
 An agitation by dramatists, compos- CTS and theatrical managers has result ed in securing law at this session fixing heavy penalties for public per formances of copyrighted dramatic or musical compositions.
 The interstate commerce laws have been extended to prevent traffic in ob- scene literature of articles designed for immoral uses. The shipping laws have been amended to enable yachts belonging to American or foreign clubs to enter or clear from the customs houses without tonnage taxes. All persons who make signal exertions in rescuing a wrecked ship or a drowning person are. under law of this session, eligible for the life saving medals, which formerly were given only to the 1ife-saving crew men.
 The friends of the Tennessee Gen. tennial exposition of 1897 have succeed ed in securing an appropriation of S14O,OO0 for government building and exhibit, while the Nebraska delegation is working to secure a like recognition for the Omaha exposition. One of the most important pieces of public land Legislation permits the patenting of lands containing petroleum or other mineral oils, under the mineral land laws. Another extends to January 1, 1899, the time in which purchases may be made of the railroad grant lands forfeited to the government under the act of 1890, and another confirms cash entries which have been declared in- valid because the lands entered were never offered for sale. Other acts con- firm the titles of settlers in Greer coun- ty, Ok; Mississippi settlers on swamp lands in the grants of the Mobile & Ohio railroad and settlers on some S0,- 900 acres in Louisiana.
 Among the acts of the session re- lating to the courts were these: With drawing from the supreme court juris- diction of criminal cases not capital and giving it to the circuit court of ap- peals; directing the filing of mortgages on Indian territory property in the ju- dicial district in which the property is located when the mortgagor is non- resident; attaching Audrain county to the eastern judicial district of Mis- souri.
 An act was passed to validate the acts of deputy marshals in the Indian territory sworn between March 1, 1895, and April 15, 1896, when the law was defective; an act providing heavy pen alties for selling intoxicating liquors to Indians.
 Military acts were passed authoriz- izing officers who served in the regular