The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-01
THE WORK
 OF CONGRESS 57th Session Nearing
 an End. MANY IMPORTANT LAWS New Cabinet Office EStab-
 liShed by Statute. Anti-Rebate Act. Known as tho Elkin Law, Among the Meas
 ures of Interest Which la Were Passed.
 

Washington, Feb. 2s.-Ths work of'xhisl session of Congress, the closing of which marks the expiration of the Fifty-sevsnthi Congress. is practically at an end ex- cept for the passage of the appropxiaftonl | 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. A summary of the legislation enactsd during the two sessions making an inter- esting shown. The Fifty-seventh has been busy Congress and important re- | sultsf have been obtained. Among the acts of this session is that creating the Department of Commsrce and Labor and adding another cabinet officer to the Presidents official family. That department. with George B. Cortei- you. late Secretary to the President, at It's head. is now in process of organixa-s ton. The bill creating this Department was passed by the Senate at the Isst session, passing the House during the present session, when amendment was Incorporated containing publicity clause. Another important piece of legislation enacted at this session is the anti-rebate
 
 To Expedite Suits.
 Another bill was passed which enables the Attorney General to expedite suits brought under the Sherman anti-trust law. and incorporated in the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation act Is provision which places at the im- mediate disposal of the Attorney General the sum of s5Oo.ooO to better equip him for the enforcement of the anti-trust laws new existing. A further provision is made in the general deficiency bill for two assistants to the Attorney General and additional clerks.
 The House also passed the IAttiefleid antitrust bill which contained publicity feature as we'll as anti-rebate clause. The bill failed of passage in the Senate.
 One of the first acts of this session was the removal of the tarfn on coal of all kinds coming from any foreign country.
 Legislation of importance to the army and navy was enacted. A general stan corps has been provided for the United States army, the duties of which are to prepare plans for the defense of the country and for the mobilization of the armies of the United States in times of war as we'll as to render professional aid to the Secretary of War and the genaral officers of the army. This measure was proposed by the Secretary of War.
 
 during the first session passed the Senate and has become law. This act provides for the general organization of the mflitia of the United States and makes 1t ava4la- hIe when its services may be required bY the government.
 The naval appropriation bill, which had passed both Houses provides for ma- terial increase of the persopnal in the navy to meet the growing demand for officers and men; also for an Increase an the number of warships.
 Aid to Filipinos.
 Measures of great importance to tho Philippines have been adopted at tnis session. An appropriation of $S.000O00 was made to relieve the distress and suf- fering caused by the ravages of disease among the water buffalo in the islandsA upon which the natives are almost who'll ly dependent in the pursuit of agriculture and distress resulting from the shortage of crops due to war and other causes. A currency system has been provided for the Philippine Islands.
 Another act promoted the efficiency of the Philippines constabulary and stflt another provided for extraditton of crin1i- nals to and from the islands. The House passed a bill to reduce the Philippine tariff and the Senate has been urged by the President to complete the act.
 Of importance to Hawaii is the ace passed at this session for the redemp- tion by the United States of the Hawaiian silver money and the appropriation to pay Judgments growing out of the sup@ precision of bubonic plague.
 The anarchy bill providing for the pros tection of the President has passed both Houses and conferees have agreed upon it.
 r,- al a number of bills affecting public lands were passed.
 Private Pension Bills.
 In addition to a large number of billa of interest to different localities have been passed together with consider able number of private pension bills. A new building to cost S,500,0O0 has been authorized for the Department of Agrf- culture.
 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 ment for the Philippines: providing for revezAae for the Philippines: extending ChinEse exclusion laws: repeal of war taxes: extending charters of national banks: creating a permanent census bu- reau: providing a system for the irriga- ton of the arid lands of the West; pro- viding a consular and diplomatic service for Cuba.
 Five of the general appropriation bills have been signed by the President and two others, the Indian and the army, have finally passed both Houses. With one or two exceptions all the others have been sent to conference. Those approved are the pension, the legislative. exccu- tive and judicial; the diplomatic and con- sular and two urgent deficiency bills. Those in conference are the District of Columbia. the agricultural. military acad- emy, postofice, sundry civil, naval and fertilization bills. Owing to the differ ence between the figures in the bills as passed by the House and amended by tho