Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-06-08
WORK OF CONGRESS,
Summary of the Important Legislation
that Has Passed Congress at
this Session.
Financial Bill One of the Most Inn
portant-Puerto Rican Tariff
Measure.
A Large Number of Bills of Lesser
Importance Disposed of by
Congress.


Congress.
Washington, June 6.-(Special.)-
Congress will adjourn this week
OF the legislation actually accom-
plished and now on the statute books
the financial act is regarded as the
chief achievement of the year. The
noteworthy feature of the debate of
this measure in the house was that
party lines were broken to some extent,
a number of democratic members from
the eastern and New England states
joining with the majority in passing
1t. In the senate also party lines were
not entirely regarded. Senators Lind
say and Caffrey voting for the measure
and Mr.. Chandler against it. AS it
became a law by the presidents sigma
ture on March IA, it makes specific the
declaration of the gold standard, pro-
vides treasury reserve of $13O,OOO,-
900, establishes division of issue and
redemption of the treasury, provides
for the redemption and reissue of in
terest-bearing bonds of the United
States, and makes new regulation as
to national banks. their circulation,
establishment in small communities,
and the tax they pay. The act also
contains a specific declaration that it's
provisions ARE not intended to pre-
clude the accomplishment of interna-
tional bimetalism."
Puerto Rico legislation has been the
most fruitful theme Of controversy in
and out of congress curing the session.
The discussion first turned On the rev.
enue bill, levying a duty of Is per cent
Sf the Dingley rates on Puerto Rico
goods. The majority of the ways and
means committee urged the constitu-
tionality and necessity of this course
while the minority, REINFORCED by Mr..
Mccall, of Massachusetts, a member
of the majority, maintained that the
constitution Of the United States ex-
tended to Puerto Rico and that con-
gress was inaugurating a new and
dangerous precedent by giving the
island any other law than that of the
rest Of the country. Excitement ran
high under the spur of widespread pub
lie attention. The debate in the
house was signalized by the division
of the majority, which for time, made
the result doubtful, but the bill ulti-
mately passed. The contest in the
senate was animated but less acute, the
senate changing the entire course of
the measure by adding complete form
of civil government. In this form,
raising revenue and establishing an
island government, the measure be-
came a law. Subsequently it was
amended so as to limit corporate fran
chlses and on the presidents recon-
mendation the act was passed appro-
priating for the use of Puerto Rico the
$2,O95,445 collected from island
sources since it's acquisition.
Next in Importance in the accom-
plished work of the session is the act
Ito provide government for the ter
ritory of Hawaii" The debates on it
in the senate and house aroused little
division save on matters of detail. The
act provides a system of government
much like that of territories, with a
governor appointed by the president,
legislature of two houses, franchise
rights practically the same as those
of voters in the United States, with the
additional qualification that voter
shall "be able to speak, read and write
the English or the Hawaiian Ian
guage." Administrative and judicial
officers are provided and the island is
given delegate to the house of repre-
sentatives of the United States, chosen
by the people, with right to debate
in the house but not right to vote
The Philippines and Cuba have oc-
cupied much attention in the way of
debate and the adoption of resolutions
of inquiry. The Spooner bill, provid-
ing that when all insurrection against
the authority of the United States
shall be at an end. then all military,
civil and judicial powers shall, until
otherwise provided by congress, be
carried on under the direction of the
president, formed the basis of the SEN
atorial debate on the Philippines, but
was fruitless of action.
The Nicaraguan canal bill and the
shipping subsidy bill are notable in
stances of legislation partly advanced