The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-07-16
THE FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS-
A Resume OF the Work Done ny the
body which Has just Adjourned
Sine Die.

cheers were followed by singing or patriotic
songs. Representative Bromwell. OF ohio,
proposed three cheers for President Nc
Kinley, which were given twice over by
the republicans. Then followed cheers
Joined In by the entire house for Admiral
Dewey and Gen. Joe Wheeler.
The whole house was one vast demonstra-
ton and flags were passed about TO every
member and were enthusiastically waved
while the members sang at the close OF the
Fifty-hfth congress
Washington. July s.-Ths senate adj
iourned sine die at 2:05 p. IN. Before adj
}ournment the senate In executive session
confirmed all the nominations sent in by
the president
Washington. July 9.-The passing OF tho
second session OF the Fifty-hfth congress
marks the close OF the first war congress
In quarter OF century.
Hawaiian annexation. Spain and Cuba.
war appropriations and war revenue legis-
lation. organization OF the vast volunteer
army and expansion OF the navy. a new
bankruptcy law-all these were features
OF the session. Notable speeches and dra-
matte scenes over foreign issues were
comparatively frequent In both legislative
chambera Urgent deficiency bills. car
rying millions of dollars. were rushed
through with far less delay than marked
the courae OF an ordinary measure OF little
importance. The total appropriations
footed almost s9Oo.0000oo and upwards OF
$3.50, 900 OF this was for purely war pur-
poses. II was the largest aggregate by
any session since Z civil war and the
general deficiency was the largest separate
measure since the $3.50 100000 single appro-
prfation in 1863 The naval appropriation
bin provided for three new battleships.
four monitors, 10 torp edo boat destroyers
u torpedo boats and one gunboat. The
urgent deficiency bills all carried pro-
visions for aggressive work I'm the prose-
cution OF the war. The general deficiency.
enacted In the last days. carried 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 annexation.
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 a number OF messages from
President Mckinley bearing on the Cuban
situation. ranging from the submission or
a 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,
700, 900 I'm 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 bill re-
lmbursing the survivors OF the Maine dis
aster for their losses not TO exceed years
pay with n similar amount TO those VINO
perished, became law. On Ap ri IL the pres
ident In a message left the Cuban Issue in
the hands of congress. Resolutions were
soon enacted and became law April ~,
declaring that the people OF Cuba ought to
be and are free and independent ana
demanding that Spain relinquish It's au-
thority and withdraw It's land and naval
forceg 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
congress and approved on April 25, Sub
sequent legislation gave free admission to
all military and naval supplies purchased
abroad by this government: allowed tenn
/ porary fortifications TO be constructed on
written consent OF the owners or 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 IL all
/ the soldiers massed against Spain mus
/ tered in the entire volunteer army have
| been raised, embracing l25,OO0 men under
/ the first and $1,000 under the second call.
| one feature OF the session was the enact
ment OF the war revenue law. It's trainers
expected Il to produce tl5O.O0O0o0.
In hhis connection congress also author
lied bond issue OF 500. 100000. known as
/ the war loan.
other revenue legislation included bill
|
visions as TO disposition OF abandoned inn
ported merchandise; and extending the
/ outage allowance on distilled spirits In
bonds from four to six years
Other important legislation, aside from
/ war, included:
Prohibiting the killing OF fur seal an
| imais in the North Pacific and importation
OF seal skins into this country; prohibit
| ing foreign vessels from carrying mer-
| chanGise directly or indirectly between
| United States ports; an Alaskan homestead
and right of way act. encouraging railway
construction; appropriating 100000 for the
! relief OF the Yukon miners, suffering from
the fierce winter there; creating non
partisan Industrial commission TO investi-
gate immigration. labor, manufacture ana
business: appropriating N73,la TO pay the
Behring sea awards: creating "A commits
sion to allot lands on the Uintah Indian
| reservation In Utah, adjusting the old
| land dispute between the United States and
| the state OF Arkansas. the compromise
calling for a payment from the latter or
| SlGO, 572; dispensing with proof or loyalty
during the war as prerequisite In bounty
| land application where proof Otherwise
shows title: aboishing the distinction be-
tween offered and unoffered lands: the
| Reconsideration of the patent system; Gre
ating "A commission TO revise the statutes
relating to patents and trade marks; re-
moving the disability imposed by section
OF the Fourteenth amendment to the
constitution heretofore incurred allowing
s2Ss, 900 for the relief OF the book agents or
the Methodist Episcopal church south. for
| damages during the war; $780, 5l Tor the
heirs OF John Roach. the Philadelphia ship
builder, for work on the cruisers Chicago,
Boston and Atlanta: s2s.l60 likewise for
the dispatch boat Dolphin; s69.55O to the
| Richmond locomotive and machine works
for damage and losses In the construction
OF the battleship Texas.
Late in the session a general bankruptcy
1 lau uaa enacted DrOVidinR for voluntary
and Involuntary bankruptcy.
The Teller resolution declaring for pay
| ment OF the national bonds I'm silver as
well gold was passed by the senate. by
"A vote OF a TO 30, but was defeated In the
house Statehood bills for New Mexico,
Arizona and Oklahoma were killed I'm COM
mitteo. An immigration bill requiring abll-
ity to read and write on the part OF those
10 years old passed the senate. but did not
reach "A vote In the house. The anti-scalp-
Ing bill. prohibiting ticket brokerage. re-
ported In both houses. went over TO the
| next session The free homes amendment