New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
CONGRESS- ENDS WORK.
DELAYS IN LIST HOURS.
Houses and President Uait fo,
Enrolment of Bills.
- 80 -. -

lFrOm The Triouue Bc1c1u.T
Washington June 20.-In an atr1osrr,a-s s.,
torrid as 20 suggest the future oe the unjust
Congress literally melted away to-day orlv a
few OF the more faithful remalnin- to fnlsh The
routine business when the savels of fae vicS-
President and of the Speaker feu for ts- iasr
time this session. at 10 o'clock Tonight.
Rarely, II ever. before IN the history a. ts@
nation have the last hours OF a session ha.n
maFred by SO many errors and such vexaflous
delays. and Il is declared that never before hss
President been compelled twice % visit the
Capitol TO await the final enactment of 1sgisIa-
ton for upward OF seven hours and chen %
afiN his signature 90 the helated measures Iong
after dark at the White House.
When last evening the important work cf tns
seas'"~ -'ih the single exception of a rnal
agreement on the Public Buildings Bin vas COM
pleted it was supposed that adjournment sine
die could be taken not later than O'Clock to-
day. and. with the wish 20 AFFORD every assist
ance to those who sought 20 expedite affairs ta>
President and his Cabinet reached the Capitol az
noon The President. occupying Ms room al. the
Senate end. signed several bills. but after sew
eral short recesses. it was determined that the
enrolment Of helated measures could not be
accomplished before y m. and he went sor a
drive. returning at that hour. He then waited
hour. as did both houses for the arrival OF
the engrosssd copies Of several bills but at S Is
II was learned that some one had blund>rsi and
that IT would be necessary 70 take a recess until
after Z. Then the President became weary and
returned to the White House. where he signed
the last of the bills before starting for Oyster
Bay.
GREAT LAWS ENACTED.
The dominant feature OF the session lust end
ed has been the broader Interpretation placed on
the clause Of the Constitution which confsrs on
late commerce between the states and with for
eign nations Three great laws. based on this
clause. have been enacted, and it Is strikuglv
TO the credit OF the President and Of the Repub-
lican party that in every Instance these meas
ures have had for their purpose the protection
of the people from the exactions OF corporate
greed and unrestrained monopoly.
First in point Of importance and breadth OF
effect comes the Railway Rate bin. whereby
Congress DEGREES that all common carriers mus.
not exact for any service a charge which Is not
just and reasonable and delegates TO the Inter
state Commerce Commission the authority 10
examine into every rate and practice O. a COM
mon carrier engaged in Interstate coumerce
with view to determining what Is Just and rs8-
sonable and prohibiting any charge or pracflce
which is not both. Important provisions or this
measure are the declarations that sleeping car
companies express conparlss and owners o.
pipe lines are common carriers and must there
fore submit to the authority conferred en- me
Interstate Commercs Commission.
PURE FOOD AND MEATS.
Second in Importance only TO the Railway
Rate bill is the Pure Food biz. whereby inter-
state commerce IN foods drugs and liquors.
which either adulterated or misbEanded. IS
prohibited. and authority Is conferred on the
Secretary Of Agriculture to enforce it's pro-
visions. BY the operation Of this law the con
sumner will be protected from every aduIterate1
and spurious article intended for human con-
sumption. The enactment Of the bin after a
campaign which has lasted for fourteen years
reflects exceptional credit on the Republican
party. which able, because OF it's large ma
jOrities in both houses OF Congress and its &C.
termination to conserve the interests Of the great
majority Of the people. TO place the measure On
the statutes
The third important measure OF the session -
the meat inspection amendment to the Agricul,-
ural bill. It is distinct law 20 all intents and
purposes which provides that government in-
spectOrs shall watch the killing OF food animals
and the production of meat products. but shan
see that the animals not unhealthy OF The
meats prepared under unsanitary conditions
While the law specifically applies only prod
Ucts entering into interstate commerce II VIII
in practice operate on almost all meat products.
THE PRESIDENTS PART.
President Roosevelt was the first TO give frn-
petus to the proposition that the iron Highways
Of the country should be subjected to the full
measure Of federal control. SO that unjust prac-
tices and extOrtiOnate rates should os made ills-
gal and federal commissions should have tho
power to enforce the law. while bis ardent aS-
vocacy OF the Pure Food law was chiefly instru-
mental in accomplishing its enactmsnt. Tho
history Of the inception OF the Meat Inspection
law is too recent to call for repetition here. but
the energy with which the President devoted
himself to the correction Of existing evils IN ths
preparation OF meats and meat products may
be said to have been wholly responsible for the
comprehensive and effective law which the -s'1G
Congress. in its first session. has placed on the
law books.
OF less Importance only by comparison Is ths
Free Alcohol bill. whereby alcohol for use in ths
arts may be denatured and then exempted from
the internal revenue tax. which has hitherto
worked a hardship out Of all proportion % tho
revenue produced
The disposition of the statehood question.
which has occupied an extraordinary number q,
legislative days and perplexed and harasseo both
houses OF Congress for the last few years. win
prove OF fncalcuIabe benefit 70 the million Amer
leans living in Oklahoma and Indian TsrFitoTys
and renders optional the acceptance or rejection
OF like benefit 70 the great number Of residents
OF Arizona and New Mexico.
The enactment Of a uniform and carefully de-
vised naturalization law. whereby immigrants %
this country are 70 be registered on their admits
sion and their applications for citizenship ccCl-
pared with the records viii make for the uuril-
cation Of elections and Ohviase the corrupt ur1c-
tices which have attended the naturalization g
foreigners especially IN the large centres On the