The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-01
DAILY. SO A YEAR
s CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY 2-TIMH6-A-WEEK 81 A YEAR
FIFTY-FoURTH is A FAILURE,
THE EXPIRING CONGRESS MAKES A
POOR RECORD.

IL Will he Held Remarkable Princi-
DnIIy For what IL Failed TO Ac-
cOmpIish--MOre Than 1O,40O Bills
and 3,1OO Resolutions Introduced
i'm the Lower HOuSe--AsIde From
the Appropriation Bills Its Princi-
pal work Was Accomplished at
the First Session.
Washington Feb 2S.-The Fifty-fourth
congress. which will expire al noon on
Thursday will be held remarkable prin-
cipally for what 1t failed to accomplish.
In one respect-in the number of bills
and resolutions introduced-it was a rec
ord-breaker. In the House alone over
TO- 400 bills and 3,100 resolutions we're in
troduced and referred to various COM
mittees. 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 appropria-
tion bills was limited to the first ses-
sion, the net results Of which were the
enactment into law Of the bills creating
the commission to determine the
true divisional line between Vene-
zuela and British Guiana; prohibit
permitting appointments in the army and
navy OF former United States officers who
served in the civil war; making one years
residence in a territory necessary for a
divorce; Incorporating the National So
ciety of the Daughters of the Revolutions
defining the penalty for interference with
railway trains and persons riding there
on, and substituting salaries for fees for
United States marshals and district at
torneys.
Aside from the foregoing measures, the
remaining bills excepting the immigra-
ton bill and the joint resolution for an
international monetary conference, pass
ed at the second SESSION. were of no gen.
eral interest. Included in these were
seven hundred private pension bills-an
unprecedented number
In another respect the Fifty-fourth con-
gresS was remarkable. This was its failure
TO peNs single bill providing for public
buildings. The House calendar contained
100 bills of this class, including the Senate
Dill Tor custom house in New York city.
Speaker Reed. however, in his determine
ton to reduce the expenditures to the
lowest limit consistent with the necessi-
ties 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 a billion dollars.
number of important measures which
were reported 60 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 indebtedness of
the bond-aided railways to the govern
ment, which was a legacy from the last
session, suffered a crushing defeat In Jan
10 lac ha
pared by Mr.. Harrison of Alabama, 70 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 1t an open ques-
ton between the supporters and the OPP
ponents of the measure what It's fate
would have been.
In the preceding session upwards OF fifty
resolutions bearing upon the Cuban in
surrection were introduced, although bur
one passed the House. During the pres
ent session the Cuban resolutions intro
duced have been few In number.
No effort was made at the present ses-
sion to call up the bills admitting Arizona.
New Mexico and Oklahoma to statehood
The Sound money" men in the house
were practical unit against the admls-
sion of any territories which are likely to-
send advocates of free silver to the SEN
ate.
Among the bills which passed the House,
but which have not been acted upon In
the Senate, are the Morse bill to prevent
selling of liquor in the capitol: the Bro
sius bill permitting the establishment OF
national banks with capital of $4,000
in towns OF 1000 inhabitants, and the
Loud bill to reclassify second-class mall
matter.
The ways and means COMMITTEES gave
series of hearings during the early
weeks of the session and the remainder
OF the time was occupied by the repub-
lican members In formulating a new tar
IN bill. This will follow the general
lines of the Mckinley law of 1890, and
will be reported to the House at the be-
ginning of the extra session of the next
congress. All Of the contested election
cases-thirty-two in number-have been
disposed Of
The work of the Senate during the
past session has not been heavier than
usual. The number of bills introduced
generally runs up above 5000 In number.
and this session the total has reached
3.7S2.
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 Con-
gressional Record have been filled with
speeches on these topics Cuban resold-
tions have been introduced and pressed
for action by the score, but beyond pre-
clptating debate. nothing has been ac-
complished.
A treaty with Japan has been ratified.
putting into immediate operation the
clause OF the treaty Of commerce and
navigation negotiated two years ago.
The general treaty OF arbitration with
Great Britain, after being fruitlessy con-
sidered for two weeks, went over until
the next session.
The Alaskan boundary treaty with
Great Britain has not even been consid-
cred 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 It, when ths
protest from the minister from the
Greater Central American Republic was
received.
The Lennghnn AFFAIR.