The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-04-28
Over 1,4o0 New Laws Placed on the
Statute Books-Total of 21,6O5
Bills and Resolutions Were Intro
6uced-The Appropriations.

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 &C
ton at the hands of President Roosevelt
and the senate.
In the house there were Is, 1898 bills, 349
resolutions, 152 joint resolutions and
81 concurrent resolutions introduced.
Of these 1888 passed the house. In
the senate there were 5,645 bills intro
duced.
Appropriations.
Chairman HemeDway, 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;
8O2, 1884, to which must be added S64, 971,-
800 for interest on the public debt. The
estimated revenues are $704, 472 ,0C0. 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, S45, 1862.
More Than 1,4OO New Laws.
While a total of over 1,40O bills became
laws during the two sessions, less than
$50 of them were public" bills, and OF
this latter number one-half simply all
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
ments 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.
Pension Legislation.
The only general pension legislation
which became a law makes the pension
of those who totally lost their sight in
the military or naval service $100 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
which the general order making age an
evidence of physical disability to per
form manual labor vas issued by the
secretary of the interior and recognized
by congress in a deficiency a%ppropria-
ton of ST. 00 900 to make it effective.
The Postal Scandals.
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.
Aid for Expeditions.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition
company received a loan Of 81. 900, 00C
from the government, of which $1,000 0(
is to pay the expenses Of the board Of
lady managers.
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 s450,00G
and an Alaskan exhibit to cost $25, 600.
Beef Trust Investigation.
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 by the last con-
gress for the prosecution Of the trust,
an amount aggregating s475, 900.
The Swayne Case.
Impeachment proceedings were be-
gun in tine house against Federal Judge
Charles Swayne, of the northern dis
trict of Florida. but after a majority
report from the committee ~favoring
Impeachment, the matter was sent
back to committee and made a special
order for the rext session.
Labor Legislation.
Legislation directly affecting the L.
Dor interests of the country received
consideration in the committee of the
two houses, but final action was not
taken. The eight-hour bill was referred
to the department of commerce and labor
for investigation and report, and the
anti-injunction bill was postponed by
the committee until the next session.
New States.
The creation of two additional states
in the union was provided for in a bill
which passed the house, but not the
senate. Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory were united as Oklahoma, Arizona
J snd New Mexico - Arizona,