The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-11-12

| lave GEJu legislation relating TO the
,.u!l'i" Io.4din provides for leasing
CO... ilnds in that territory. 1t es-
t.:n!iShcs the leasing system of public
lands. and, While the bill passed re-
lated only to Alaska and to coal lands,
the debates showed conclusively that
it is the intention to extend the leas'
ing system to other public lands in the
! United States.
The Alaska leasing law is in line
with demands Of conservationists, and
it is expected to be followed by SINH
lar legislation for other public lands
In fact, the house passed number OF
conservation bills which were not TAX
en- up in the senate.
Miscellaneous Measures.
A law was passed to promote medi
alton, conciliation and arbitration be
tween railroads and their employees
| 1t establishes n commission to 1nyeSti
gate labor troubles and to act as inter
mediaries in the settlement Of disputes
and diSagreements between employers
and employed.
Two bills were passed relating to
opium. One levies a prohibitive tax
Of $500 a pound on all opium manu-
factured for smoking purposes. The
other relates to the impOrtations OF
opium and is a much more stringent
law than heretofore existed.
An act was passed providing for the
election for senators under the new
constitutional amendment.
Congress has been quite liberal In
making appropriations for people III
distress. 1t appropriated S2.I5OOOO for
| the relief OF Americans abroad who
were stranded and without means OF
returning home as result Of the Eu'
ropean war, S500r000 for the relief and
transportation Of American citizens III
Mexico, $200,0)0 for the relief Of the
fire sufferers of Salem, Mass; $4,000
| for the storm sufferers in Alaska and
100000 for the eradication Of hog
| cholera
The total appropriations for the year
were S115.90S777.
Emergency Revenue Act.
The Sixty-third congress began with
revenue legislation. The first session
was called to revise the tariff, and the
second ended with the enactment Of a
law to raise $1OOOOO,0OO additional
revenue by an emergency measure. 1t
was entitled q war revenue act on ac-
count Of the European war causing a
| falling off Of importations. The Re
publicans, however, asserted that the
loss Of revenue caused by the war was
comparatively small and that the tariff
law would have created a deficit. A
| large part Of the money to be raised
by the emergency act will come from
| increased taxes on whisky, beer, wines
and tobacco In addition many Of the
taxes imposed by the Spanish war rev.
enue act Of 1893 have been imposed,
including most Of the stamp taxes.
The last revenue act, like the first,
provoked a great deal Of partisan de-
bate, the Republicans taking occasion
to criticise the former tariff bill for
failing to produce sufficient revenue
and also condemning the extravaganza
of the party in power. The Democrats
defended their tariff bill, asserting that
unlocked for and extraordinary condi-
| tions in Europe caused the falling of
in revenues and that previous Repub-
lican legislation made large appropria-
tions by the present congress neces-
sary.
Bills Which Go Over.
There are quite q number Of impor-
tant bills pending which have been
passed by the house, but have not been
considered by the senate. In addition
to the conservation bills and the rail-
road bin heretofore mentioned there is
the immigration bill, containing the lit
erary test. This Is considered an I'm
portant measure and passed the house
last winter. 1t has been on the senate
calendar for many months, but has
never been taken up. 1t Is one Of the
important bills which may be passed
during the short session.
The Philippine bill, giving the Filipi-
nos a larger share In their government
and promising more In the future,
which recently passed the house Is not
likely to pass the senate next session,
as It will be debated at length and
meet with more determined opposition
than in the house.
The La Toilette seaman's bill II one
measure which passed the senate and
has been hung up In the house for
long time. 1t he's been materially
amended in committee and IN going
over to the short session h likely to
fan.
The rural credits bill has been prom
issd consideration during the short SEES
sion, but as it has not been reported
from any committee nor received con-
sideratton In either house 1t Is not
likely to be passed next winter.
The house passed bill regulating
l~..A h1 10 f.oy