The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-07-05
59thCONGRfSS CLOSED
The First Session of the Fifty-Con-
gress Closed June 3O--Somo In
portdnt Laws Passed.

|
gress Closed June 3O--Somo In
p0rtdnt Laws Passed.
What congress did:
Regulated railroad rates.
Passed meat inspection bill.
Provided for lock type of Panama
canal.
| Passed pure food bill.
| Revised consular service.
Provided relief for San francisco
earthquake.
Doubled militia appropriation.
Turns down plans for larger navy.
Hits Standard Oil by providing for
manufacture of alcohol.
Appropriated $90G,0O0,00O.
The first session of the fifty-ninth
congress went into history June 80. 1t
has been strenuous session from start
to finish. The measure which caused
the greatest debate was the railroad
rate bill. Begun with the session, it's
discussion continued throughout.
The pure food enactment, and the
meat inspection provision are also i'm
portant changes in the federal attitude
towards both the producer and the con-
sumer of the country. A uniform and
more strict method of naturalizing
aliens was enacted.
The immunity Of witnesses from pros
ecution who give testimony before gov
ernment tribunals was made the subject
of an enactment which clearly states
when such immunity obtains and when
otherwise.
A bill removing the internal revenue
tax on denatured alcohol also passed.
The type Of Panama canal was thus
fixed, thus settling question which
has perplexed both the professional and
lay mind. The president is to build a
lock level canal and was given total
of $39,00O,000 for the year for that pur-
pose. 1t was required that material for
the canal should be of American manu-
facture unless the president shall find
the price excessive, in which he is given
authority to buy abroad.
The consular service was given a
complete new legal status, which will
permit of an entire reorganization.
When the appropriations for the ses-
sion are totalled it will be found that
their aggregate has reached nearly nine
hundred million dollars. This is a great
er sum than has been made available
since the war congress of 1898. OF this
amount s25,OOO,O0O will go into the new
public buildings in various parts of the
country. The legislation on appropria-
tions bills has the characteristic
throughout of being restrictive upon
the government department heads in
the matter of making their expenditures
and in submitting their estimates to
congress. 1t has been the desire of
congress to put an end, as far as posi-
BILE, to deficiency appropriations.
The naval increase which has been
going on annually received somewhat Of
a setback. The "largest battleship
atloat" was authorized, but congress
required that before bids for it's con-
struction could be submitted the plans
must be sent to congress at it's next
session.
The annual appropriation for the
state militia was doubled and hereafter
S2,00O,000 will be spent from the federal
treasury for the purpose of keeping the
state military organization in touch
with the regular army.
Congress gave great care to the draft
of bill intended to preserve the scenic
beauty of Niagara Falls and the measure
was passed.
The tariff to be collected by the Phil
ippine government on goods entering
the island trade was revised.
A measure of Importance to railroad
and other employees engaged in hazard
GUS employments, known as the employ
er's liability bill, became law.
The government will participate in
the Jamestown tercennial exposition
and 81 1,325,000 was authorized expended
out of the federal treasury for that
event.
Speedy appropriations for the San
Francisco sufferers resulting from re-
quests by the president, two and hall
million being donated directly and sup.
plies from the stores of the government
nearly equaled that amount.
BurdoCk Crusade.
During the month of July the school