The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-29
WORK DONE BY
Review Of the Legislative Activity
of the Short Session.
More Than One Hundred Laws Affecting
the General Public Have Been Passed E
by Both Houses.

washington, D. C.-The Fifty-eightt
Congress anne to an end at noon. A:
all important legislation had been com
pleted the night before, there was little
save important business to be trans
acted during the two hours both houses
were in session. D.
Senator Allison, explaining the var.
ious items of appropriation, said that
$31,0O0,0O0 Of the total appropriations
was for deficiencies and over 5000, OOO
Of a miscellaneous character. OF the
permanent appropriation $4,000, 600
was for redemption purposes and ST..
100000 for the sinking fund, neither
being expenditures in the usual sense
of the word. Making other legitimate
reductions and placing the revenues at
S2G,0OO, 600, he figured out a small sur.
plus at the end of the next fiscal year
upon the supposition that there would
be no more appropriations.
$50, upon the whole" he said, II
think we may fairly congratulate our
selves upon the treasury situation, al
though it is not as desirable as most Of
us would like. I think it may be safely
said that during the next fiscal year
there will not be a deficit any greater
than the n for the current year, and
this I hope will not be as great as ap-
pears at this time"
More than 100 laws affecting the gen.
eral' public were enacted during the
session Of Congress just closed. More
than 1000 private pensions and relief
bills were passed.
The Senate devoted more than two
weeks Of the three months to sitting
as a court to try the impeachment
charges against Judge Charles Swayne,
who was acquitted.
A joint session of the two houses was
held to count the electoral vote, and
formally announced the election of
Roosevelt and Fairbanks.
Ceremonies were held appropriate for
the acceptance of statues presented to
he Government by Illinois, Kansas and
Texas.
A revision of the Philippine tariff
laws was accomplished.
A bill was passed providing for i'm
portant internal improvements in the
Philippines.
The laws of Alaska were codifed, an
additional district judge authorized,
and better provision made for public
schools, the building Of roads and ear
ing for the insane.
Two new battleships were author
lied.
An international copyright law was,
passed and the trademark laws re-
vised. -.:
Investigations were ordered into the
Standard Oil and Tobacco Trusts.
Steamship lines are now compelled
to furnish complete passenger SITS lin
order that the immigration laws may
be better enforced.
Interstate and foreign trafice in OBJ
Gene literature was prohibited.
All the Confederate battle flags cap
tured during the Civil War were or
dered returned to the regiments from
which they were taken. .
The American National. Red Cross So
aiety was incorporated.
An investigation of the, railroad rate
problem was. authorized i'm order that
legislation for the regulation Of trans
9~ortation may be accomplished at the
lext session.
The collection of data On tariff, reve-
nue and coinage by the Senate Finance
Committee was authorized. This was
used to prevent discrimination against
American exports, and may be Of value
IN connection with future tariff re-
visions.
Authority was given the President to
grant medals for heroiSm displayed IN
train wrecks.
Extravaganza in the printing of pub
lie documents was checked. ~
The %extradition laws of the Unitel
States were extended to the Philip.
pines.
A law incorporating the American
Academy at Rome was passed.
Of the public acts, t~wenty-three are
authorizations to construct bridges,
twenty-three have reference to the Dis
trict of Columbia, and four to the Ju-
ficiary.
Ten general arbitration treaties were
ratified by the Senate.
While Statehood and canal govern
ment' bills failed, their preparation n
consideration required much time.
The House passed a railroad rate bill,
but it was not placed before the Senate.
Jurisdiction of the forest reserves has
been transferred from thc Interior TO
the Agricultural Department.
An amendment to the general detc-
lency bill providing for an increase OF
S25, 900 per annum in the Presldents
salary and for an annual life pension
roN So1 IN nnto n Ittn0