Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-07-05
CONGRESS FINISHES
EVENTFUL session

The first session of the fifty ninth
congress went into history Saturday.
1t has been strenuous session from
start to finish. The measure which
caused the greatest debate is the rail
road rate bill. Begun with the session
its consideration continued through.
out.
The pure food enactment and the
meat inspection provision are also i'm
portant changes in the federal attitude
towards both the producer and con-
sumer of the country.
A uniform and more strict method
of naturalizing aliens was enacted.
The immunity of witnesses from
prosecution who give testimony before
government tribunals was made the
subject of an enactment which clearly
states when such immunity obtains
and when otherwise.
y bill removing the internal revenue
tax on denatured alcohol was passed.
LOCK-LEVEL CANAL SELECTED.
The type of the Panama canal was
fixed, thus settling a question which
has perpleXed both the professional
and lay mind. The president is to
build a lock-lcvel canal, and was Civ
en- total of $39, 600, 600 for the year
for that purpose. 1t was required that
the material for the canal should be
of American manufacture unless the
president shall find the price excessive
in which case he is given authority to
buy abroad.
Tne cDl;uur service Hl5 given a
complete new legal status which will
permit of an entire reorganization.
When the appropriations for the ses-
sions are totaled it will be found that
their aggregate has reached nearly
nine hundred million dollars. This is
n greater sum than has been made
available since the war congress of
1898 OF this amount S2j, 600, 600 Will
go into new public bu. u.ldings in var
ious section of the country. The leg
islatiOn on appropriation bills has the
strictive upon the government depart
ment heads in the matter of making
their expenditures and submitting
their estimates to congress 1t has
been the desire of congress to put an
end, as far as possible TO deficiency ap-
preparations.
SET BACK FOR NAVAL INCREASE
The naval increase which has been
going on annually, received somewhat
of a setback. The largest battleship
afloat' was authorized, but congress
required that before bids for its con
struction could be submitted, the plans
must be sent to congress at its next
session.
The annual appropriation for the
State militia was doubled and here
after 81, 600. 600 will be spent from the
Il tdViaL tlChSuAN Aoi til' uillONt VI
keeping the State military organiza-
tlons in touch with the regular army.
Congress gave vent to the draft of a
bill intended to preserve the scenic
beauty of Niagara Falls, and the mea-
sure was passed.
The tariff to be collected by the
Philippine government OH goods en-
tering the island trade, was revised.
a measure of Importance to railroad
and other employees engaged in hazard
Gus employments, known as the en-
ployers' liability bill, became a law.
The government will participate in
the jamestown centennial exposition
and 81, 800, 600 was authorized expeud-
ed out of the federal treasury for that
event.
Speedy appropriation for the San
Francisco sufferers resulted from re-
quests by the president Two and a
half million was donated directly and
supplies from the stores of the govern
ment nearly equal that amount.
Private pension legislation for the
benefit of the old soldiers who are un-
able to receive a pension under the
statute laws kept up its usual heavy
pace.