The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-06-20

Nation. The corps Of cadets at West
Point is Increased by one hundred SO
as to provide more trained officers for
the army instead OF having them taken
in such large numbers trom civil life.
"A free homestead bill is now law.
This brings under the homestead laws
some forty million acres Of public land
purchased from the Indians since 1889,
opening them to public settlement and
giving the people seeking homesteads
the opportunity to secure them upon
proper conditions. Through the efforts
Of the late Representative Holman, the
homestead policy was not applicable to
lands secured since 1898. the act with
this effect having been passed By the
Fifty-third congress, millions Of acres
thus not being open to settlers.
Upon the law making appropriations
for the agricultural department was
placed a provision authorizing and
making appropriation for the inspec-
tion Of domestic fruits intended for ex-
port, the inspection to be made at the
port Of departure. This law promises
to protect shippers Of fruits from the
unfair inspections OF foreign officials
who deliberately simulate the discovery
of the San Jose scale or some other
disease in American 'ruits when they
arrive abroad. The inspection in the
United States prior to expectation will
serve rs 4 very useful check upon the
foreign inspections and show il foreign
nations are making their alleged in
spections the excuse for excluding
American fruits.
These are a few of the important
pieces Of legislation enacted at the first
session Of the present congress. To be
sure. some important measures have
gone over to the next session. The
Nicaragnan canal bill is. perhaps, the
most important. but it has been set for
consideration in the senate on the sec
ond Monday in December. the 10th
and as it has already passed the house,
It is almost as good as passed. The
Oleomargarine bill was not acted upon
but II will be one Of the first things
to be considered by the house when
congress reassembles in December. a
date for it's consideration having been
fixed The shipping subsidy bill was
not passed by either house. An effort
will be made to pass 1t next session,
but in view Of the little time remaining
it is improbable that anything can be
done. The Spencer bill. giving the pres
ident authority to administer the Phil
ippines until congress legislates for
their government. the bill to become
effective after the Philippine insur-
rection has been suppressed, was not
passed. 1t may be next ression. The
bill reorganizing the staff Of the army
and the artillery branch, though 1t
passed the house, did not pass the sem
ate. This viii be taken up early next
session, but as provision will then have
to be made for Increasing the regular
army after the volunteers are muster
ed out. on July 1. 1901. it is probable
that that bill will be reineorporated in
the army reorganization bill that must
be considered next session. The anti
trust bill will come up in the senate
next session for action.
Taken as a whole, the first session
of the Fifty-sixth congress gives a
very excellent record. 1t viii compare
very favorably with the work Of SINH
lar sessions, and those who have watch
ed congressional sessions for years,
state that far more work has been done
than usual.
THE republicans claim that in the
present congress and in the one pre-
ceding, practically every pledge made
to the people in the platform of 1893
has been faithfully carried out, and
the record seems to justify that claim"