The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-27
HAS VOTED ! MILLIONS
REVIEW OF THE WORK ACCOM-
PLISHED BY PHE CONGRESS
NOW CLOSING
PERIOD OF HISTORY MAKING

| ton of More Than Ordinary Inn
portance,b Including Bank
ruptcy Law and the Annexation
OF Hawaii ~
| p~fss
| WASHINGTON. Feb. 26.-An sventful per-
iod in the country's history is covered by the
work of the ffty-ffth congress. which Is
drawing near to a close. 1t has been a
period OF stirring and dramatic action, with
! questions of vast magnitude constantly engag-
ing attention forming an epoch alongside
tnose other American epochs-the Revolution
This congress has declared war against q
| foreign foe, and the treaty-making branch
has participated in ratfying the treaty by
which that war terminated 1t has provided
great volunteer army, and has expanded
the navy to meet war emergencies and new
by the Dingley law and then by the war
revenue act; bond issue, known as the war
loan, has been provided.
.r But far reaching as these war measures
other legislation. which under ordinary cir
cumStances would make its session mem
orable. This includes the annexation of
laval the rejection by the senate of the
general treaty of arbitration with Great
britain, the enactment of nation bank
ruptcy law, provision for taking the twelfth
census and reorganization Of the person.
mel OF the navy. To this list may yet be
aaded other important subjects still pending.
|
! OF the regular army, the anti-scalping meas
nre, the Hawaiian bill and the proposed en-
co Tha en Of American shipping.
simultaneous with the opening Of President
McKinley's administration. Two days after
his inauguration. he issued the call for an
congress assembled on March 10, 1897. Three
days later the Dingley tariff bill was re-
ported ported It passed the house within two
the senate May It'll; became ne law July 18th 18th.
| Hardly less important was the consideration
and adverse return in the senate Of the
| general treaty Of arbitration negotiated by
PRESIDENT Cleveland with Great Britain.
WAR SESSION.
| The second session of the present congress
is remembered as the great war session It
saw the elimination of the pent-up sympathy
for suffering Cuba; the declaration that the
| people Of Cuba ought to be and are free and
independent; the declaration of war against
spain; and the enactment Of these vast
emergency measures for prosecuting the war
The first real war legislation was when
| congress placed at the disposal of the presi-
dent, without Limitation, 1000 as an
| emergency fund for national defense
On April IL the president committed the en-
tire Cuban question to congress-, and Just
one week later the congressional resolution
| became law declaring Cuba free and indie
pendent; demanding that Spain withdraw it's
! land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban
waters and directing the use of our land and
naval forces 10 enforce the resolutions. With
In another week-April 24-the declaration of
war was passed by, congress and approved
Then came the rush of war legislation on
stupendous scale, the work proceeding while
| actual hostilities were under way, and the
Dewey victory was achieved.
-Wlth the warimeasures proper were the i'm
| portant acts for raising revenue adequate to
| meet the war expenditures. The first of these
was the war revenue act designed to raise
| $3.50 200, 900, and in this connection congress
authorized bond issue of 5000, OOO 900, known
| as the war loan"
| Although the second session was absorbed
with the war, there time for much i'm
portant general legislation. The annexation
| of Hawaii was. accomplished by resolution.
| and a general bankruptcy law. was enacted
! The total appropriations of the second, or
| war session footed almost $780, 900, 900, of
which upward Of $3.50, 000 900 was for purely
war purposes -
RESULTS OF WAR.
The present or third session of the Fifty
| fifth congress dealt with results growing out
of the war Most important of these was the
consideration of the peace treaty in the SEN
/ ate. The treaty was transmitted to the senate
, by the president on Jan. 4. 1t was then re-
ferred to the committee on foreign relations,
and after being held for just week by the
committee was reported back to the senate on
Jan II; The senate had the treaty under con-
slderation for less than month, the vote on
ratification being taken on Feb 6.
While the treaty was exclusively before the
senate, the house had some indirect particpi
patton in subjects covered by the treaty. As
the branch originating all revenue measures,
| 1t provided an appropriation of $40, Co., 900 to
pay Spain, according to the terms OF the
treaty Efforts were made to add to it a
| declaration of the policy of the government
| as to the Philippines, but this was defeated.
| Another important measure. which has at
| tracted general attention. has been the IN
crease ard reorganization of the regular
army. The house military committee first
took up the subject, and presented bill
which increased the army to approximately
|
discretion was given the president to reduce
| the size of companies, so that the total force
would be about 60 200 men. In the senate two
bills were presented. the minority suggesting
plan of temporary continuance of the mill
| tary establishment at $4,000 with addl-
tional force of $4,000 to be used in outlying
| insular possessions. These several PROPOSE
lions are still pending.
CANAL QUESTION.
The Nicaragua canal question also has
taken a prominent place in the work Of this
session. At the outset Mr.. Morgan had the
| subject made the unfinished business Of the
senate. and with this right of way it was
kept constantly before the senate, when not
in executive session, until finally passed The
essential feature of the Morgan bill provides
! that the United States shall participate in the
construction of the canal, subscribing for
$4,000 shares at 500 each, out Of a total of
| 100000 and that the work shall be practi-
cally under the direction of the United States
| When this bill reached the house all after
| the enacting clause struck out in COM
mittee, and what was known as the Hepburn
plan substituted. The essential feature of
/ the Hepburn substitute Is in making the
canal exclusively government undertaking
The sum of $115, O0,Co0 is appropriated for the
| completion of the work authorized.
AS it was feared the lateness of the ses-
| sion might prevent consideration, Mr.. Hep
| burn offered his plan as an amendment to
the sundry civil bill in the house. The
amendment was ruled out of order, and the
! next move was made in the senate, when the
committee reported amended form Of the
| Hepburn plan as amendment to the river
| and harbor bill. This matter also is still
| pending.
| The bill providing for taking the twelfth
census was first passed by the senate, and
! provided comprehensive plan for execut-
| ing this important work. When the measure
reached the house substitute was passed.
| The house measure differs from that Of the
| senate mainly in making the census bureau
an independent organization, not under the
| interior department, and in the method Of
| appointments
HAWAIIAN BILL.
| The Hawaiian bill was presented to both
branches of congress with view to carry
| ing out the congressional resolution annex
! ing Hawaii. 1t provides a comprehensive
plan of territorial government, and fixes the
qualification of electors and officers. The
bill has not passed either branch Of con-
gress. and 1t is hardly expected that it can
| pass all the stages at this late day.
What is known as the anti-scalping bill has
| attracted much interest and occupied con-
siderable time in both branches of congress.
| 1t was the first piece Of general legislation
passed by the house at this session. but it's
| consideration in'lthe senate has been attend
ed by numerous delays, it being displaced
recently as the unfinished business in order
| to take up the army reorganization bill.
Another measure of Importance to the COM
mercial and ShpDing classes is known as the