Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-07-26
THE EXTRA SESSION.
Outline of the Business Trans
acted in Both Branches.
While the Tariff Bill Is Most Import
ant, Many Other Measures
Have Received Congress Attention and Passed
TO Bee ONE Laws.

Washington, July 25.--The extraordi-
nary session of Congress which has
just ended was called by President Nc
kinley two days after he took the oath
of office on the steps Of the Capitol 1t
met in pursuance to this proclamation,
at noon. March Is. The special mes
sage transmitted by him to both houses
on the opening day was brief. 1t ex-
planned the DEFICIENCIES in the revenues,
reviewed the bond issues of the last
administration and urged changes
promptly to correct the then existing
conditions by passing tariff bill that
would supply ample revenues for the
support of the government and the
liquidation of the public debt.
No other subject of legislation was
mentioned in the message and the tar
iff bill has been the all absorbing fea-
ture of the session. The Republican
members of the ways and means COM
mittee of the preceding House had
worked throughout the short session
which ended March A. giving 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 to the
i'ct't ps t4lt Ntty anu fi1tdDS cDInInll-
tee, and - days later. March 81, 1897
ii passed the House. 1t went to the
Senate, referred to the committee on
hnance and the Republican members
OF that committee spent month and
three days in its consideration and i'm
preparing the amendments which were
submitted To the Senate, May 4. It's
consideration was begun in the Senate,
May Z, and exactly two months later.
July 1. it passed the Senate with s27
amendments.
The bill then went to conference
where after a 10 days struggle, on July
II, complete agreement was reached
by which the Senate ieceded from 11S
amendments and the House from 81.
The others, 243 in number, were COM
promised. The conference report was
adopted by the House, July ~, at the
conclusion of II hours of continuous
debate. The report was taken up in
the Senate, July 20, and adopted Satur-s
day, July "A. The tariff bill was signed
1.-The President on the same day.
Congress did not devote it's attention
entirely to the tariff. though it did SUI
bordinate everything else to this one
measure. Four appropriation bills in
themselves would have compelled
President Mckinley to call Congress in
extra session even if the necessity for
a revision of the tariff had not existed.
These appropriation bills were the
sundry civil the agricultural, the In.
dian and the general deficiency.
These bills were introduced and
passed by the House in the identical
form in which they existed at the time
of their failure of enactment into law
at the preceding Congress. but they
We're amended in some important par
tlculars by the Senate and when they
finally became laws, contained more or
less legislation of interest and import
anee. The general deficiency carried a
provision accepting the invitation 10
take part in the Paris exposition IN
1900 and appropriated $4,000 to defray
Inc expenses. and and appropriated
Sl5o,oo0 for 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
that limiting the cost of armor plates
Tor the three new battleshps to 5000
Per ton. In case the secretary of the
navy should find it impossible to make
contracts for armor within the price
hxed, he was authorized by this pro-
VISION TO take steps to establish a gov
erhinent armor factory of sufficient
capacity to make the armor. In execut-
ing tins authority, he must prepare a
description and plans and specifications
OF the land, buildings and machinery
suitable for the factory; advertise for
proposals and report to Congress at it's
next session.
In the Indian BILL after sever,
struggle in both Houses. the question
OF sectarian schools was settled by th.
following declaration of the policy IF
the government: That the secretary
OF the interior may make contracts
with schools, apportioning as near as
may be the amount so contracted for
schools of various denomina-
tions for the education of Indian pupils
during the fiscal year 1898 but shan
only make such contracts at places
Where hon-sectarian schools cannot he
provided for such Indian children and
70 an amount not exceeding 40 per cent.
oil the amount so used for the fiscal
year 1896"
The question of openins, to er,rv tho
siiTe reservation in Utah was also com
p p mIonised by opening such agricultural
iahds as have net been allotted to the
!, nconPashre Indians. April ], 1895. to
lily put reservinS to the United State,
MIi,l9 M IN all lands containing gilsonite.
3Sphait or ether nike substances.
IN ohc sundry civil bill the most i'm
pottstnt new provision WAS that sIlspeug
ns nis the order of President Cleveland set
ing aside about n 000.0o0 acres as forest
reservation lard. The law also inri,,S&Ns
: general scheme of legislation for the
'-, soNerhHlent ana protection of the forest
'eSefVatlonS OF the country.
Inc Republican leaders of the House de-
.ldeo ae the opening of the session to
pursue a policy of inaction in order 10
'hroW the rfsnor sibiiitv for dolavin tho
arm arm piii upon the Senate and therefore
'.sp'f I'M fHp- " tsit- 2 ,+',t e.si ,itf,,t tp,.
lose of the session and only urgent mat
t"S Wt.' .sG4f issaren
Fifty thousand dollars were appropri-
tied Tor the renet OF American tr.1z.ns
y cuba ~ the solicitation of ihe Prasi-
dent. 100000 WAS appropriated for the
Mississippi flood sufferers a resoution
Vas passed authorizing the secretary of
iavy to transport supplies conItributed for