Evening journal., 1904-04-25
CONGRESS TO
CLOSE THIS WEEK
Legislative Accomplishments Of
the Double Session.
CUBA AND PANAMA UPPERMosT

Labors Of the Fifty eighth Congress
Have Been Chiefly Concerned With
Treaties With island Republic and
lsthmian Canal Negotiations.
Washington. April 25.-It is expected
that congress viii finish its labors this
week and adjourn. Long day and night
sessions were contemplated by the
house in order TO complete the work
in hand.
The important legislative accomplish
ments Of the first and second sessions
Of the Fifty-eighth congress have been
confined to two suhiects-Cuba and
Panama. The reciprocity treaty be
tween the new island republic and the
United States. initiated by President
Mckinley. was made operative by a
legislative enactment. The ratification
of a treaty by the senate and the sub
sequent initiation of legislation for the
government Of the canal zone commit
the United States to the construction
Of the Panama canal, connecting the
waters Of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. The special session, now de
nominated the first session, was called
for the express purpose Of carrying out
the pledge OF the nation to Cuba. The
Panama development was one which
arose suddenly and received decisive
and immediate action at the hands Of
President Roosevelt and the senate.
The senate ratified the treaty nego-
tiated with Cuba to carry out the terms
Of the Platt amendment. 1t also rati-
fed the Chinese commercial treaty,
which provides for two open ports in
Manchurla.
Appropriations For the Year.
Chairman Hemenway Of the house
committee on appropriations in a state.
ment compiled under his direction
gives the total Of all supply bills Sub.
ject to slight changes in pending bills
as S59T 1902, ,324. TO which must be add
ed Ss4, ,971. $50 for interest on the public
debt. The estimated revenues are ST04,-
72.06O.
By these figures the expenses are
500, 100000 less than the revenues. The
estimates of the various government
departments on which the appropria.
tion bills were based exceeded the TO
tai estimated revenues by S42, ,S45,S62
No river and harbor bill making pro
vision for new projects Of Improvement
in the rivers and harbors Of the cOun-
try was undertaken. Likewise no ON.
nibus measure carrying provision for
new public buildings was allowed to
pass
While a total Of over 400 bills be.
came laws during the two sessions, less
than $50 of them were public" bills,
and Of this latter number one-half sim.
ply authorized the bridging of rivers,
the damming Of streams. the regulation
OF federal courts and the ordinances OF
the District Of Columbia.
Several amendments 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.
A step in the direction Of "world
peace" has been taken through the for
nation OF an American group affiliated
with the Interparliamentary Union
For International Arbitration and the
official recognition Of this group" by
the passage Of a joint resolution ex'
tending an invitation to the union to
hold its next annual meeting at ST.
Louis and appropriating $4,000 for
the expenses Of the same.
Pension Legislation.
The only general pension legislation
which became a law makes the pen
sion Of those who totally lost theiI
sight in the military or naval service
500 per month. Agitation for a serv-
ice pension bill resulted in the intro
duction Of many such bills. 1t was de
cided, however, that no such action
should be taken at the present session
after which the general order makine
age an evidence of physical disability
There IS a wise woman in German
town who saves herself a lot Of trouble
she never tries any Of the household
recipes which tell us how to make de
licious dishes out Of nothing.