The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-07-08
WORK DONE
BY CONGRESS
What Was Accomplished by Fifty
Seventh Session.
MANY IMPORTANT BILLS PASSED
The Most Important Legislation for
the West Was the Passage of the
Irrigation Bill.

Washington, June 30.-The work
of congress is now practically closed,
so that it is possible to sum up the
record of what has been accom-
plished during the past seven months
which constituted the first session of
the fifty-seventh congress.
With the exception of the Cuban
reciprocity bill, most of the large
subjects of general legislation have
been enacted as laws or will become
such before the session closes. Nota-
BILE among these larger measures is
the isthmian canal BILL which con-
sumates the efforts of half century
to link together the waters of the
Atlantic and Pacific.
The Philippine civil government
bill is another measure of far reach
ing Importance extending to our re-
mote Pacific possessions a system of
internal government, together with
coinage, currency banking, contract,
timber and homestead laws. Other
important laws are those making
more effectual the Chinese exclusion
to and from the Philippines, extend
ing the charter of national banks for
two years, establishing a permanent
census office, restricting the sale of
oleomargerine by placing a high tax
on imitation butter, providing a con
sular and diplomatic service for Cuba,
and establishing an extensive system
by which the government will aid in
the irrigation of arid sections of the
west.
The repeal of the war revenue
taxes has reduced taxation 1885,
900, and is said to be the largest sim
gle reduction of taxation ever made
of the taxes imposed at the begin
ming of our war with Spain are wiped
out The Philippine tariff act i'm
poses rs per cent of the Dingley
tariff rate on articles coming from the
Philippines to the United States and
also imposes on all articles entering
the Philippines from the United
States and rates of duties established
by the Philippine commission.
The oleomargerine act results from
years of agitation. 1t places a tax of
10 cents a pound on substances col
ored to initiate butter.
The irrigation act is of special i'm
portance to the department 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 establish
ing irrigation systems, the irrigation
sections TO be opened to homestead
ers, who are to be charged a proper
tionate share of Inc cost of improve
ment.
The Chinese exclusion law contin
ued exclusion until otherwise pro
vided by law, and also applies the
exclusion to the island territory un
der the jurisdiction of the United
States
Aside from these important laws
there are 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 Bills
restricting anarchy and throwing
safeguards about the president have
passed both houses, but it has been
impossible to reach an agreement in
conference. SO the subject goes over