Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1897-07-29
CONGRESS- Is CLOSED.
Resume OF tho Legislation OF tho
Extra Session
Called by Mr.. usatai-y - Ia. T.rt1 nan
that weaid >appiy tmps. R-vess~s
Toe th~ >upp-,st sf the ess~sum~ss
and fsr Debt tisaidstlea.

| 'Nrft'A - va ~ " AAAu u
l>St closed was called By President
Mckinley tssn DAYS after he toe.s the
oath ef ctliec on the steps of the sapi-
I'll II met Ia Pursuance h his pruc-
lafDatiou at nooa. March rs. The sp.-
ci.st message. transmitted hy him 10
hosh houses On the opening day. was
brief IL explained TIA. defis-ie neies In
the revenue. reviewed the bond issues
of the last administration aud urged
eosgreSs promptly 10 correct the then
existing condition by passing tariff
bill that would supply ample revenues
far the support % the government aud
the Liquidation af the public debt No
other subject Of legislation was men
toned in the message. and the tariff
bail hs, been the ail-atsorbing feature
of the session.
The republican members u the ways
and means committee Of the preceding
house had been at work throughout
the short scssioa which ended March Z.
gising hearings and preparing the bill
which was to be submitted at the extra
session. Three days after the session
opened the tariff bill was reported 10
the house by the ways AMI means com
| mit.ee and % days later. March 81,
ls97. 1t had passed the house.
IL went to the senate. was referred
to the committee on finance. AMI the
republican members Of that committee
spent n moath ani three DAYS in its
consideration. and in preparing the
| amendments which were submitted tn
the senate May and exactly two
months later. July :. it passed the sen
ate with ~ amendments.
The hill then went to conference,
where, after a ten-days struggle. on
July u. a compirte agreement was
reached, by which the senate rcce,iei
from III amendments and the house
from Sill The others. si3 In number.
were compromised
The conference report was adopted
by the house on July 10 at the conclu-
sion of II hours continuous debate
The report was taken up in the senate
on July 20. and adopted Jsly - The
tariff bill was signed by the president
the same day.
Congress did not devote its attention
II W NhF btA H. tAAoNkA u tAtA
subordinate every thing else TO this one
measure. The four appropriation bills
which failed ON March Z last. in them
selves would have compelled President
| Mckinley 81 call congress in extra scs-
sion even il the necessity for a revision
Of the tariff had not existed. Those
| appropriation bills were the sundry
civil, the agricultural, the Indian aud
general deficiency. Those bills we're
introduced and passed by the hous. in
the identical form in which they
existed at the time of their failure of
enactment into law Mt the preceding
congress, but they were amended in
some important particulars by the SEN
ate and when they finally became laws
contained more or less new legislation
of interest and importance.
| The general deficiency carried a pro-
vision accepting the invitation to take
part in the Paris exposition in 1900 aud
appropriated s.5,0lJ tn defray preliui-
mary expenses. and appropriated $780,
100 for new immigrant station st New
York 10 replace tins one destroyed by
hre. BY far the most important piece
OF new legislation in the ball. how
ever, was that limiting the cost Of
ar;nor plate for the three bat
tieships to Sao0 per ton In case
the secretary of the navy should lind
it impossible To make contracts for
arinor within the price fixed. he was
authorized by this provision to take
steps to establish a government armor
II -
make the armor. In executing this
authority he must prepare descrip-
tiOn and plans and specifications of the
land, buildings and machinery suitable
for the factory; advertise for proposals.
and report to congress at its next ses-
sion
In the Indian bill. after a severe
struggle in both houses, the question
of seetarian 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, near as may be.
the amounts contracted for among
schools of various denominations for
the education of Indian pupils during
the fiscal year is9s, but shall oaly
make such contracts at places where
noE-sectarian schools cannot be pro-
videi for such Indian children. and to
an amount not exceeding 40 per cent.
of the amount 80 used for the fiscal
year is95.r
The question of opening TO entry the
rich gilsouite deposits in the Uucom-
pahgrc reservation in Utah was also
compromised by opening such agricul-
tural lands as have not been allotted
to the Uncompahgre Indians on a
pledge in Is3S to entry. but reserviug
to the United States title in all lands
containing gilsonite asphalt or other
like substances
In the sundry civil bill the most im-
portant provisions was that suspend
| ing the order OF President Cleveland
setting aside about 2i,0o0, 0O0 acres as
forest reservations. The law a,so in
eludes n general scheme of legislation
for the government and protection Of
| the forest reservations of the country.
| The republican leaders of the house
decided at the opening of the session
10 pursue a policy of inactiou in order
to throw the responsibility for delay
ing the tariff bill upon the senate, and
therefore the committees were not an
nounced until the close of the session.
and only urgent matters were consid-
cred. Fifty thousand dollars were ap-
propriated for the relief of American
citizens in Cuba at the solicitation of
the president; ss3o.oo0 was appropri-
ated for the relief of the Mississippi
food sufferers: resolution was passed
authorizing the secretary of the navy
to transport supplies contributed for
the relief Of the poor and fAmishing in
India. and s5o. 900 was appropriated for
the entertainment and expenses of the
delegates to the universal postal con-
veation, who met in this city.
The only extensive piece of general
legislation enacted by this congress
except the tariff bill, were the laws 10
preventcollisions at sea aad to place in
force regulations to prevent collisions