Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-07-05
RECORD Of LAST CONGRESS.
REVIEW OF WORK OF CONGRESS
ooihgs for Seven Montbs-Ior..r
Measures Have Been Enoct.a
Laws-Isthmian Canal the Mast
Notabie-The Philippine Bill Also
Other Important Bills.


congress is now practically closed so
that it is possible to sum up the rec.
ord of what has been ACCOMPLISHED
turing the past seven months which
constitute the first session of the Elf.
ty-seventh congress. The session has
been marked by exceptional business
activity, with many questions of far
reaching general interest engaging Mt.
tention. With the exception of the
Cuban reciprocity bill, most of tne
larger measures of general legislation
nave been enacted as laws or will he
come such before the session closes
Notable among these larger meas
ures is the isthmian canal bill which
consummates the efforts of half
century to link together the waters of
the Atlantic and Pacific Aside from
its national and international import.
ance, this bill probably involves a
larger sum of money than has covered
any single undertaking by the govern,
ment outside Of war expenditures.
The Philippine civil government bill
is another measure of far-reaching i'm
portance, extending to our remote Pa
2tfc possessions a system of internal
government together with coinage
currency, banking, corporation, timber
and homestead laws.
Among the important laws enacted
are those repeating the war revenue
axes; extending and making more eff
tective the Chinese exclusion laws: es
tablishing a tariff for goods to and
from the Philippines; extending the
charters of national banks for 20
years; establishing a permanent cen,
sus office; restricting the sale of oleo.
margarine by placing a high tax on
imitation butter; providing a consular
and diplomatic service for Cuba; estab-
fishing an extensive system by which
he government will aid in The irriga
lion Of the arid sections of the west.
The repeal of the war revenue taxes
has reduced taxation $73,5300O0, and
is said to be the largest single reduc-
lion of taxation ever made in this
country. By this step the last of the
axes imposed at the beginning of our
var with Spain are wiped out.
The Philippine tariff act imposes rs
per cent of the Dingley tariff rates on
articles coming from the Philippines
o the United States and also imposes
IN articles entering the Philippines
rom the United States the rates of
1uties established by the Philippine
commission. The oleomargarine act
esulted from several years agitation
1t places tax Of 10 cents a pound on
substances colored to initiate butter.
The irrigation act is Of special inn
portance to the development of the
west. 1t creates an irrigation fund in
the treasury department into which is
to be paid the proceeds of the sales of
public lands in the arid states. This
fund in turn is to be used in storing
water and establishing irrigation sys-
ems, the irrigation sections to be
open to hOmesteaders, who are to be
charged a propCrtionate share of the
cost of the improvement. The Chi
nese exclusion law continues exclusion
until otherwise provided by law" and
also applies the exclusion law ito the
island territory under the jurisdiction
OF the United States"
Aside from these important laws
there are a number of other measures
of general Importance which have
passed one or both houses, but which
have not progressed to the final stage
These include the anti-anarchy legis-
lation, which grew out OF the assas
sination of President Mckinley. These
bills restricting anarchy and throw
ing safeguards about the president
have passed both houses, but it has
been impossible to reach an agreement
in conference, so that the subject goes
over until next December.
A bill giving statehood to New Mex
leo, Arizona and Oklahoma, known as
the omnibus statehood bill, passed the
house and the senate has determined
to take up the matter early in the next
session.
The ship subsidy bill secured early
attention in the senate, but the end
of the session has come without the
measure being reported to the house
AS it passed the senate, the bill grants
graded subsidies to steam and sailing
vessels of American build. In the
house it has been thought desirable to
let the subject go over until the short
session, when it is expected that
bill on the subject will be reported and
urged.
A bill passed by the senate and likely
to become a law changes the marine
hospital service to national health bp-
reau and gives the bureau larger pow
ers and facilities for cooperating with
the state health authorities in quaran-