The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-04-30
CONGRESS- DOES MUCH WORK
OUTLINE OF SOME OF IT'S I'M
PoRTANT TRANSACTIONS.
Total Of Over 81, 900 Bills and Resolu-
tions introduced, and 1,4oo
New Laws Are Enacted. !

Washington, April 25.-The important
legislative accomplishments OF the first
and special sessions Of the Fifty eighth
congress were confined to two subjects
Cuba and Panama. The reciprocity
treaty between the new island republic
and the United States, initiated by Presf-
dent Mckinley, was made operative by
legislative enactment. The ratifica-
ton Of treaty by the senate and tho
subsequent initiation Of legislation for
the government of the canal zone COM
NIT the United States to the construc-
tion Of the Panama canal connecting the
waters OF the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The special session, now denominated
the first session, was called for the ex-
press purpose of carrying out the pledge
Of the nation to Cuba. The Panama de-
velopment was one which arose suddenly
and received decisive and immediate ac-
ton at the hands of President Roosevelt
and the senate.
In the house there were 1893 bills, 349
resolutions, 152 joint resolutions and
81 concurrent resolutions introduced.
OF these 1888 passed the house. In
the senate there were 5.64S bills intro
duced.
Chairman Hemenway, of the house
committee on appropriations, in a state
ment compiled under his direction, gives
the total of all supply bills Subject to
slight changes in pending bills), as $751;
802, 1874, to which must be added 64,971,-
500 for interest on the public debt. The
estimated revenues are $704,472.o60. BY
these figures the expenses are $22, 900 900
less than the revenues. The estimates OF
the various government departments on
which the appropriation bills were
based, exceeded the total estimated reve-
nues by $42.845.s62.
While total of over 400 bills became
laws during the two sessions, less than
$50 of them were public" bills, and Of
this latter number one-half simply au-
thorized the bridging Of rivers. the dam
ming of streams. the regulation Of fed
eral courts and the ordinances Of the
District of Columbia. Several amend
mnts have been made to facilitate the
administration of the public land laws.
The allotment In severalty OF lands
owned collectively by Indian tribes in
various sections of the country has been
provided for in a number Of acts.
The only general pension legislation
which became law makes the pension
of those who totally lost their sight in
the military or naval service 500 per
month. Agitation for a service pension
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
evidence Of physical disability to per-
form manual labor was issued by the
secretary of the interior and recognized
by congress in deficiency appropria-
ton of $1,500.000 to make 1t effective.
The only direct dealings which con-
gress had with the postal scandals
was the investigation by the house Of
the connection of Its members with
clerk hire increases in third and fourth
class post Offices and representations
regarding leases This INVESTIGATION
cleared every member from any i'm
proper conduct in the matter.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition
company received loan Of $4,000, 900
from the government, of which 100000
Is to pay the expenses of the board Of
lady managers
The government is to participate in
the exposition to be held at Portland,
Ore, in 1905, for the commemoration
of the one hundredth anniversary Of
the exploration Of Oregon by the
Lewis and Clarke expedition. to the
extent of an exhibit to cost $45O,0OO
and an Alaskan exhibit to cost $25, 900.
The house, by Independent action,
directed an investigation of the alleged
beef trust" by the department of COM
merce and labor. The attorney general
was given the benefit of the unexpend-
ed appropriation made the last con-
gress for the prosecution OF the trust.
an amount aggregating $475,000.