The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1903-03-07
CONGRESS AND ITS WORK.
Review of the Most Important Leg
IsIntion Enacted at This
Session.

which marks the expiration OF the
Fifty-seventh congress, IL pracncaliy
ut an end, except for the passage of
the appropriation bills now pending,
and these are in the final stages. A
limited number of other measures may
be passed during the last hours, but
the number will be very small.
Among the acts OF this session is
that creating the department OF com
merce and labor and adding another :
cabinet officer to the presidents OH
cial family. That department, with
George Ii. Cortelyou, late secretary TO
the president. as its head, is now in
process of organization.
Another important piece OF legisla-
ton enacted at this session Is the anti
rebate act. commonly known as the
EIkins law. Another bill was passed
which enables the attorney ger~falt ~
expedite suits brought under the SD
man antitrust law, and incorporated
in the legislative, executive and JUDI
cial appropriation act is provision
which places at the immediate as
posal Of the attorney general the sum
of $500. 900 to better equip him Tor the
enforcement of the antitrust laws
now existing. A further provision IS
made in the general deficiency bill Tor
two assistants to the attorney general
and additional clerks.
The house also passed the Littieneld
antitrust bill, which contained publi-
city feature as well rs an anti-rebate
clause. The bill failed Of passage in
! the senate.
One Of the first acts of this session
was the suspension Of the tariff on
coal of all kinds coming from any FORK
eign country.
Legislation Of Importance TO the
army and navy was enacted. Ageneral
stan corps has been provided for the
/ United States army, the duties Of
which are to prepare plans for the de-
Tense Of the country and for the mob
ilization Of the armies of the United
States in times Of war, as well as TO
render professional aid TO the secre-
tary OF war and the general officers Of
the army. This measure was proposed
by the secretary of war.
The militia bill, introduced by Rep
resentative Dick, of Ohio, and which
passed the house during the first ses-
sion, passed the senate during this SEES
sion and has become a law. This act
provides for the general organization
Of the militia OF the United States and
makes it available when its services
may be required by the government.
The naval appropriation bill, which
has passed both houses, provides for a
material increase in the personnel Of
the navy % meet the growing demands
for officers and men; also for an in
crease in the number Of war ships.
Measures Of great Importance to
the Philippines have been adopted at
this session. An appropriation Of
SO ,0o0, 900 was made to relieve the dis
tress and suffering caused by the raw
ages Of disease among the water buff
falo in the islands, upon which the
natives are almost wholly dependent
N the pursuit of agriculture, and dig-N
tress resulting from the shortage OF
crops due to war and other causes.
currency system has been provided for
the Philippine islands The house
passed bill TO reduce the Philippine
tariff, and the senate has been urged
/
The sundry civil bill soon to become
law makes appropriations for carry
} ing forward river and harbor work
! and federal buildng reconstruction, while
the omnibus public building bill now
pending. authorizes a large number Of
new buildings throughout the United
States.
The anarchy bill, providing for the
. protection Of the president, has passed
, both houses and conferees have agreed
upon it.
Among the acts Of the Fifty-seventh
congress which were adopted at the
first session are the following:
) Authorizing the construction of an
isthmian canal; providing civil govern
I ment for the Philippines; providing
? revenue for the Philippines; extend
: ing Chinese exclusion laws, repeal OF
! war taxes; extending charters Of ma
: tional banks; creating a permanent
. census bureau; providing a system for
! the irrigation OF the arid lands Of thf
! west; providing a consular and diplS
! matte service for Cuba ~
Five of the general appropriation'
bills have been signed by the president
and two others-the Indian and thi
army-have passed both houses. Witt
4 one or two exceptions all the other
have been sent Go conference. Thos
approved are the pension, the legsla-
tive. executive and judicial, the dips
: matte and consular and two urgent de'
: ficiency bills. Those in conf,Ance are
= the District Of Columbia, tISyagricul-
= ture, military academy post Office, sum
" dry civil, naval and fertilization bills
in Disastrous Explosion.
~ Easton, Pa, March 3.-SiX men are
he thought 10 be dcud, and 25 or 30 Others
a. | n m I'm iurpI caVarol a tkny,, porfpuslN.