The Bourbon news., 1904-04-26
OF CONGRESS.
A Total of Over 1,4OO Bills Be-
came Laws.
In the Senate There Were 5,645 Bills
Introduced-One Senator and SeY-
en- Represe entatives Died Dur
ing the Two Sessions.


ing the Two Sessions.
Washington, April 25-The impor-
tant legislative accomplishments Of
the sessions of the 5Sth congress were
confined to two subjects-Cuba and
Panama.
The senate ratified the treaty negO-
tiated with Cuba to carry out the
terms of the Platt amendment 1t al
so satisfied the Chinese commercial
treaty which provides for two open
ports in Manchuria
Chairman Hemenway, of the house
committee on appropriations, in
statement compiled under his direc-
ton, gives the total of all supply bills
(sUbject to light changes in pending
bills) as $597 1923 to which must
be added $S4,791, ,S2O for interest on
the public debt. The estimated reve-
nues are $704,472,O ,O60. By these fig.
ures the expenses are $22,O00,OO0 less
than the revenues. The estimates of
the various government departments
on which the appropriation bills were
based exceeded the total estimated
revenues by $42,S45,862.
While total of over 1 400 bills be
came laws during the two sessions,
less than $50 of t1em were public"
bills, and of this latter number, one
half simply authorized the bridging of
rivers, the damming of streams, the
regulation of federal courts. and the
ordinance of the District of Columbia.
1t was made a crime to "crimp' sea-
men of the United States, by soliciting
them as dodgers or charging a fee for
shipping them.
The only general pension legislation
which became a law makes the pen
sion of those wno lost their sight in
the military or naval service 500 per
month Agitation for a service pen.
sion bill resulted in the introduction of
many such bills. 1t was decided, how
ever, that no such action should be
taken at the present session, after
which the general order making age
an evidence of physical disability to
perform manual labor was issued by
the secretary of the interior and recOg-
nized by congress in a deficiency ap-
preparation Of 81 500, 600 to make it eff
fective.
The house, by Independent action.
directed an investigation of the alIeg-
cd beef trust" by t1e department Of
commerce and labor. The attorney
general was given the benefit Of the
unexpended appropriation made last
congress for the prosecution of the
trust, an amount aggregating $475,-
BOO.
The extension of the east front Of
the capitol building was provided i'll
the sundry civil appropriation bill AMI
provisions were made for an Office
building for senators to correspond
with the proposed Office building for
members of the house Of representa-
tives. These buildings are to cost in
the neighborhood of $5,0OO,O0O each.
The creation of two additional states
in t1e union was provided for in a bill
which passed the house, but not the
senate Oklahoma and Indian terri
tory were united as Oklahoma. Ari.
1Ona and New Mexico as Arizona.
Legislation directly affecting the labor
interests of the country received con-
sideration in the committees of the
two houses but final action was not
taken. The eight-hour bill was refer
red to the department of commerce
and labor for investigation and report,
-,
poned by the committees until the
next session.
In the senate the confirmation of
Gen. Leonard Wood as a major general
was accomplished after much inquiry
and objection.
Senator Hanna and seven members
Of the house have died, namely, Rep
resentatives T. H. Togne (Ore), Vim.
cent Borering (Ky), r. H. Foerderer
(Pa) Henry Burk (Pa.), W. w. Skiles
co., G. W. Craft Is. CO and c. W.
Thompson (Ala.). T. H. Ball (Tex.)
resigned. His place is filed by j. M,
Pinckney. George B. Mcclellan IN.
" resigned and was succeeded by w.
Bourke Cochran. Charles Dick co..
resigned to succeed Senator Hanna id
the senate. George Howell (Pa) was
unseated in favor of William ConneN
and j. F. Shafroth (Col) resigned in
favor of R. w. Bonynge, who contested
his election.
In the house there were 1898 bills,
349 resolutions, 152 joint resolutions
and 81 concurrent resolutions intro,
duced. Of these 2,253 passed the
house. In the senate there were 5,64i
bills introduced