Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1900-06-13
Adjournment OF CONGRESS
'esSiOn of Both Houses Closed on
Thursday.
hANY MEASURES WERE ENACTED,
The Gold Standard Bill, Porto Rican
Act and Plan OF Government For
hiWaii.

After a session marked by much
eated discussion and the transaction
f legislation of great Importance to
he whole country, Congress adjourn>
ID on Thursday. Following is a sum
nary Of its work. from the Wasuing>
on Post:
The record of the first session Of the
'ifty-Sixth Congress is now closed.
and it is possible to survey the
important work it has accomplished
Turing the last six months. 1t has been
| busy Congress, the busiest. according
% veteran officials in many years. in
some respects the work has been less
exciting than that of the preceding
Congress. which covered the dramatic
oerod when war was declared against
Spain, and also the period of recon
StructiOn and treaty making with
Spain following the successful close of
he war. But in work actually accomp-
ment the record of the present session
stands we'll in comparison with the
most energetic Congresses.
Our new territorial possessions have
received much attention, and while
the Philippines or Cuba, a form of gov>
ernment and a means of raising rev.
enue has been provided for Porto Rico
and comprehensive territorial form
of government has been given to Haw-
ali. The financial act has made i'm
portant changes in the laws relating to
the parity of the metals. the bonded
Indebtedness. national banks and the
security of the Treasury by a gold re-
serve
THE NICARAGUA CANAL BILL.
The Nicaragua Canal bill has passed
the House, and is on the calendar OF
the Senate ready for attention when
Congress reconvenes. The antitrust
bill is similarly advanced The anti
trust constitutional amendment has 9
defeat recorded against it. The Pacific
cable measure has passed the Senate
and is awaiting final acton in the
House.
The exclusion of Brigham H. Roberts
from seat in the House because OF
his polygamous status. the refusal OF
the Senate to admit Mr.. Quay on the
appointment OF the governor OF Penn.
sylvania, and the sensational charges
investigation and developments in the
Senate in the case of Mr.. Clark OF
Montana, have added some exciting
personal phases to the session. Inves
legations have been prolific, including
the inquiry into the Occur d'Alene
mining riots in Idaho, the various in.
quiries on polygamy growing out OF
the Roberts case, and more recently
the Senate investigation OF the posta
and other irregularities in Cuba.
The total of appropriations cannot
yet be stated with exactness as five
bills are pending, but it is approxi.
mately 500, ,000,0 GOO for the session
The Senate, in executive session has
been occupied to considerable extent
with important treaties. OF these the
treaties with Great Britain and Ger
many closing the tripartite govern.
ment in Samoa and awaru.ng TO the
United States the island of Tutuila
with its valuable harbor of Pago. has
been ratified. while the commercial re-
ciprocity treaties with France and the
British West Indian Islands and the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty concerning the
inter-ocean canal go over without ac
ton.
NEW LAWS ON THE STATUTE
BOOKS.
OF the legislation actually accomp.
lished 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 thai
party lines were broken to some ex
tent. number of Democratic member.
from the Eastern and New England
States joining with the majority il
passing it. In the Senate. also. party
lines were not entirely regarded. Sena.
tors Lindsay and Caffery voting for the
measure and Senator Chandler agains'
IT AS it became q law by the Presi.
dents signature on March ii, it makes
specific the declaration of the golC
standard, provides a Treasury reserve
of $150.000 600, establishes a division
of issue and redemption of the Treas.
ury provides for the redemption ano
reissue OF interest-bear.ng bonds OF
the. United States. and make new reg.
ulations as to national banks then
circulation, establishment in small
communities, and the tax they nav
The act also contains a specific declar.
alton that its provisions ARE not in.
tended to preclude the accomplishment
OF international bimetallism.
Porto Rico legislation has been the
most fruitful theme Of controversy in
and out of Congress during the ses.
sion. The discussion first turned on the
revenue bill levying a duty of 10 per
cent. of the Dingley rates on Porte
Rico goods. The majority of the Ways
and Means Committee urged the con.
stitutionality and necessity of this
course, while the minority, re-enforceA
by Mr.. Mccall, OF Massachusetts. a
member Of the majority, maintained
that the Constitution of the United
states extended to Porto Rico. and that