The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-07-13
THE FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
Resume of the Work Done by the
Body Which Has Just Adjourned
Sine Die.

Washington July 9-The house adjourned
sine Ole precisely at two Friday Immense
cneers were followed by singing of patriotic
| songs. representative Bromwell of Ohio
PROPOSED three cheers for President Nc
hlniey, which were given twice over by
tne republicans. Then followed cheers
joined In by the entire house for Admiral
Dewey and Gen. Joe Wheeler.
The whole house was one yast demons,ra
, ton and flags were passed about to every
memher and were enthusiastically wavad
while the members sang at the close Of tho
| Fifty-fifth congress.
Washington, July 9.-The senate %
5ourned sine die at 2:06 p. m. Before adj
| journment the senate in executive session
confirmed all the nominations sent in hv
; the president.
| Washington, July 9.-The passing of tba
second session of the Fifty-fifth Congress
marks the close of the first war congress
In quarter of a century,
Hawaiian annexation, Spain and Cuba,
war appropriations and war revenue legis-
lation, organza ton of the vast volunteer
army and expansion of the navy a new
bankrup toy laval these were features
OF the session. Notable speeches and dra-
matte scenes over foreign issues were
comparatively frequent in both legislative
chambers. Urgent deficiency bills car
rylng millions of dollars, were rushed
through with far less delay than marked
the course OF an ordinary measure of little
footed almost $500 OCO,0 900 and UPWARDS Of
$3oO,OOO,OOO Of this was for purely war pur-
poses 1t was the largest aggregate by
any session since t civil war and the
general deficiency was the largest separate
measure since the $3.50 0OO, 900 single appro
priaton in 1863 The naval appropriation
bill provided for three new battleships
four monitors, 16 torp edo boat destroyers.
II torpedo boats and one gunboat The
urgent deficiency bills all carried pro-
n silva 4rlr
cution of the war. The general deficiency.
enacted in the last days, carried a pro-
vision for refunding the Indebtedness of
the Central and Western Pacific railroads
to the government.
Cuba and Hawaii were the important
matters of debate and provoked the most
widespread interest. Hawaiian anneXa ton
finally passed at the close, was agitated
throughout the session, first in treaty form,
in executive session, last in open session
by resolutions accepting the Hawaiian
governments cession of the islands
There were number of messages from
President Mckinley bearing on the Cuban
situation, ranging from the submission of
report upon the Maine disaster and the
consular reports to the call for declara-
ton of war.
The first real war legislation was when
congress placed without limitations, $780,
100000 in the presidents hands as an emer-
gency fund for national defense. Party
lines were swept away, and both houses
unanimously voted their confidence in the
administration. Soon afterward a bill re-
imbursing the survivors of the Maine dis
aster for their losses not to exceed a years
pay, with similar amount to those who
persisted, became law. On Ap ril II the pres
ident in a message left the Cuban issue in
the hands of congress. Resolutions were
soon enacted and became a law April 10,
declaring that the people of Cuba ought to
be and are free and independent. and
demanding that Spain relinquish it's au-
thority and withdraw its land and naval
forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and
directing the use of our land and naval
forces to enforce the resolutions.
The declaration of war was passed by
and approved on April %. Sub
all military and naval supplies purchased
abroad by this government: allowed tenn
porary Notifications to be constructed on
a written consent of the owners of land so
taken and prohibited under executive dis
erection the export of coal or other war ma
terial. and three days before the declara-
ton of var President Mckinley had APP
proved the volunteer act. Under 1t all
the soldiers massed against Spain mus
tered in the entire volunteer army have
been raised embracing 1000 men under
the first and $4,000 under the second call.
One feature of the session was the enact
nent of the war revenue law. Its trainers
it to produce $50 000. 0G0
In hhis connection congress also author
zed bond issue of $2OO.OOO0OO. known as
me war loan.
Other revenue legislation included bill
in favor of importers the pro-
;iSions TO disposition of abandoned i'm
ported merchandise; and extending the
outage allowance on distilled spirits in
ponds from four to six years
Other important legislation. aside from
war; included
Prohibiting the killing of fur seal an
mails in the North Pacific and Importation
If seal skins into this country; prohibit
ng foreign vessels from carrying mer-
,handise directly indirectly between
United States ports: an Alaskan homestead
md right of way act, encouraging railway
appropriating 100000 for the
eief of The Yukon miners, SUFFERING from
he fierce winter there; creating a nom
artisan Industrial commission to investi-
ate immigration. labor manufacture and
BUSINESS; appropriating $473,1S1 to pay the
'ehring sea awards; creating commits
ion to allot lands on the Uintah Indian
eservation in Utah; adjusting the old
and dispute between the United States and
he state of Arkansas, the compromise
alling for payment from the latter of
6O,512 dispensing with proof of loyalty
urinS the war as prerequisite in bounty
and applica tion where proof otherwise
hows title; abolishing the distinction be-
ween offered and unoffered lands; the
lion of the patent system; Gre
ting a commission to revise the statutes
elating to patents and trade marks: re-
,oving the disability imposed by section
of the Fourteenth amendment to the
onStitution heretofore incurred; allowing
$4,000 for the relief of the book agents of
ne Methodist Episcopal church south. for
amages during the war; $3.50. 151 for the
eirs of John Roach, the Philadelphia ship
uilder, for work on the cruisers Chicago,
oston and Atlanta $2S,160 likewise for
lie dispatch boat Dolphin; $69,550 to the
richmond locomotive and machine works
Dr. damage and losses in the construction
Z the battleship Texas.
Late in the session general bankruptcy
w was enacted providing for voluntary
nd involuntary bankruptcy.
The Teller resolution declaring for pay
ent of the national bonds In silver as
ell as gold was passed by the senate, by
vote of AZ to so, but was defeated in the
ouse. Statehood bills for New Mexico
rizona and Oklahoma were killed in COM
ittee. An immigration bill requiring abil-
" n road and write no ~ Of