The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-30
over Seventy-Three Millions Topped
on the Revenues by Repeal of
the War Taxes.
TWO PHILIPPINE MEASURES
CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND TARIFF
ACTS ARE OF IMPORTANCE.
others Laws Affect Chinese, OIeomar-
garine and Observation-Disclosures
and other Bills Held Up.


Congress is now practically closed, so that
it is possible to sum up the record of what
has been accomplished during the past
seven months, which constitute the first
session of the Fifty-seventh Congress. The
session has been marked by exceptional
business activity, with many questions of
far reaching general interest engaging at
tenton. With the exception of the Cuban
reciprocity bill most of the larger subjects
of general legislation have been enacted as
laws will become such before the session
closes.
Notable among these larger measures is
the isthmian canal bill. which consummates
the efforts of a half century to link to-
gether the waters of the Atlantic and Pa
cifc. Aside from its national and interna-
tional Importance this bill probably involves
a larger sum of money than that covering
any other single undertaking by the gov
ernment outside Of war expenditures The
Philippine civil government bill is another
measure of far reaching Importance, ex-
tending to our remote Pacific possession
system of internal government, together
with coinage. currency. banking corpora
tion timber and homestead laws.
Among the other important general laws
enacted are those repeating the war revenue
taxes; extending and making more effective
the Chinese exclusion laws; establishing a
tariff for goods 10 and from the Philip
pines; extending the charter of national
banks for twenty years; esta tablishing a
permanent census office; restricting the
sale OF oleomargarine by placing a high
tax on imitation butter: providing a con
sular and diplomatic service for Cuba; es-
tabliShing an extensive system by which
the government will aid i'm the irrigation
OF the arid sections of the West
The repeal of the war revenue taxes re-
duced taxation $73250,O0O. and is said to be
the largest single reduction of taxation
ever made in this country. BY this step the
last of the taxes imposed at the beginning
OF our war with Spain was wiped out
The Philippine tariff act imposes 75 per
cent. of the Dingley tariff rates on articles
coming from the Philippines to the United
States and also imposes on articles enter
ing the Philippines from the United States
the rates of duties established by the
Philippine commission.
The oleomargarine act results from sew
eral years OF agitation. 1t places a tax of
lO' cents a pound on substances colored to
THE IRRIGATION ACT.
The irrigation act is of special impor
tance 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 ir
rigation systems the irrigation sections to
be open to hOmesteadeTs, who are to he
charged a proDOrtionate share of the cost
of the Improvement.
The Chinese exclusion law continues ex
clusion until otherwise provided by law"
and also applies the exclusion TO the
island territory under the jurisdiction of
Aside from these important laws, there
are number CT other measures of general
Importance which have passed one or both
houses, but have not progressed to the
final stage These include the anti-anarchV
legislation, which grew out of the assa ssin-
alton of President Mckinley. Bills restrict
ing anarchy and throwing safeguards
about the President have passed both
branches of Congress, but it has been i'm
possible to reach an agreement in confer
ence, so that the subject goes over until
next December.
A bill giving statehood to Arizona. New
Mexico and Oklahoma. known as the omni-
bus statehood bill. passed the House and
the Senate has determined 10 take UP the
matter early in the next session.
The ship subsidy bin secured early at
tention in the Senate, but the end of the
ing reported TO the House As il passed
the Senate. the bill grants graded subsidies
10 steam and sailing vessels of American
build. In the House 1t has been deemed
desirable to let the subject go over until
the short session when IL is expected that
a bin on the subject will be reported and
urged 10 the passage.
The bill creating the Appalachian forest
/ reserve, including vast tract in the Appa-
lachian mountain section of the South. has
/ received faVOra bic attention in both houses
but has gone over for final adjustment of
differences until next December Another
bill passed by the Senate and likely TO be-
come a law changes the Marine Hospital
Service To a national health bureau and
gives the bureau larger powers and facili-
ties for cooperating with the state health
authorities in quarantine and health af-
fairs.
NO PACIFIC CABLE ACT
The bill TO establish a cable between the
United States. Hawaii and the Philippines
was retired by defeat in the House of Rep
resentatives.
Several other measures have advanced to
certain stage and have then halted with
out much prospect for further advancement.
! These include the bill for the election of
! United States senator's by direct vote of
the people. 1t passed the House by prac-
/ tically a unanimous vote, but in the SEN
ate has received little attention and is not
likely 70 pass
The House passed bill relating to the
/ immigration laws, codifying and amend
/ ing these laws relating TO important
/ changes Ii has been reported 10 the SEN
/ ate but there is not much prospect of its
/ passage at this session.
The bill defining the meaning or conspfr-
+ acy in injunction cases passed the House of
! Representa- tives. but has not made much
I progress IN the senate. On the other hand
4 the Senate passed an important measure
/ creating a Department of Commerce, TO
/ be presided over by Cabinet officer. but
\ IL has made no progress In the House. not
! having been reported in the committee on
/ commerce.
Another bill Of interest to the CONNER
cial world Is the pure-fOOd measure which
/ was drafted by the Pure-food Congress and
after extended hearings was reported from
the House committee on commerce. but
not passed.
The Fowler bill probably was the most
] i-,lortant financial measure which has