New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04


WORK OF THE SESSION.
This session was exceedingly slow with its
work and narrowly escaped forcing special
session OF the next Congress to provide for the
actual needs Of the Government. To control the
dscordant and violent Democratic majority in
the House. a new force was brought into play in
that body, by clothing the Committee on Rules
| composed Of the Democratic Speaker the two
/ Democratic leaders on the floor and two PROM
inent Republicans, with power to throttle legis-
ation and dictate which bills the House should
act upon and which it should not. This new de-
parturc on the part Of the Democrats Of the
House led to special developments in succeeding
! Congresses The total business introduced into
| this Congress was In the Senate, 3,3JI bills and
11G joint resolutions; in the House. 1l,2J0 bills
and 263 resolutions.
/ The most important act OF this session was the
law regulating the count Of the electoral vote
/ in Presidential elections. Passed by the Senate
at the first session, ii was on December D. 1SS6,
passed by the House without a division. 1t re-
quired Congress in the future to meet IN JOINT
convention for the count at y. m. on the second
Wednesday in February. II any certificate from
any State shall be objected to. in writing. by one
Senator and one Representative. the Senate and
House shall separate and consider the objection,
and they have power concuTently to REJECT the
certificate. If more than one certificate from
any State shall be prescribed, that ore snail DO
accepted which has been determined. at least
six days before the meeting OF the electors OF that
state. 10 be the lawful one under the laws OK
the State. II there has been no lawful deter.
minaton the houses, acting separately shali oe-
eide which certificate shall be received; II the
houses cannot agree. then those votes shall be
counted which the executive OF the state mas
certified 10 b., the lawful votes OF the state DE.
bate. when the houses separate. shall be limited
10 five minutes for each member Inls was
Republican measure, and had been passed by the
senate several times. Its wise and patriotic
craftsmanship was at last recognized. and IL De-
came a law. Approved February j. 1881.
The Interstate Commerce law was probably
the next most important act OF the session. 1t
had been left at the end Of the first session
hung I'd between the two houses IN confer.
ence committee. That committee reported az
this session and it's report was adopted by Inc
Senate January II. 1871. by ~ yeas 10 i' nays;
nv inc House January II 1881. 2l9 yeas 70 Al
navs Both parties united 10 pass the bill
: This measure provided for Commission OF nVe
members to Ire appointed by the President with
the consent Of the SENATE 10 carry out the law
at salary of 5000 each To serve from two 10
six years. their SUCCESSORS each 10 serve SIX
wears The Commission given secretary
AT $500 a year Rebates, discrimination be-
tveen shippers and preferences were forbidden,
both in land and water freights ana passenger
traffic CHARGES were required to be "reasona-
BILE and lust" and not TO be greater IN proper
tion for a short haul than for long haul. Pool
ing OF traffic was also forbidden. Reparation
To- shippers provided for Grievances were
first to he investigated by the Commission anu
If reparation refused suits could ne Drougn1
in court. Republican craftsmanship again TIL.
umphed in the enactment Of this bill Approved
February 4, lSSt
Congress voted to 20 on with the reconstruct
tinn Of the Navy. Icy authorizing two new steel
gunboats Of LOO tons each. to cost S,1oooO
each and two steel cruisers at Nl.oWDo-all
Il American materials Approved March D.
The free delivery Of letters by postal carriers.
then confined to large cities, was at TINS session
extended to cities Of not less than lV'tto hhapl-
tauts or at any postof,ice having a revenue
If $4,000 year There was no particular con-
test over the bill Approved January = 1887.
4 bill passed repeating the Tenure OK
Office law which had been enacted IL restrain
President Johnson from sweeping removals from
Office The Republicans II Congress had re-
peatedly advocated the repeal OF this law inc
Democrats now took NJ the subject IN an AMI
mated way anxious 10 give The new peInocratic
President the great ct possible freedom Ihelr
great anxiety for repeal now led many Repuo-
cans to oppose the measure. The biil WAS
passed by The Senate December II. ~ by ~
yeas 4 Republicans 20 Democrats TO - nays
az Republicans. 10 Democrats). 1t was passeea3
by tne House the last day ,, Of the session. l'I
to 60 Approved March - 1881
The Mexican War Pension bill Of the last ses-
sion finally became law at TINS session. Inc
House concurreG in the Senates amendments
and ad pted the bill, 10 yeas 10 - nays me he-
uuhucans voting for IL because, while 1t gave
81 ODO 900 a year mainly 70 ex-COnfederates, II
established the principle both OF service ana ue'
pendent pensions. Approved JANUARY - ioo'
The senate passed Republican bill for mo
discontnuance and retirement Of the jC,ou,.
fOI trade dollars which had been coined up TO
that date the same to be exchanged for stand
ard silver dJllars To secure final passage or
this bill the SENATE was compelled 10 assent 10
an amendment that The recoining OF the trade
dollars should not in any way interfere with
the regular coinage OF LOOoOJo month OK
the standard silver dollars. The House passed
the bill by small majority, and II became
law without the Pr. idents signature not
being returned by him within ten days
An act was passed cordially supported by the