The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-09-16
many BILLS
PASSED IN
SESSION
LEGISLATION OF IMPORTANCE
ENACTED BY CONGRTSS DUR
ING LONG SITTING

defense.
When the gavel fell congress HAD
directed reorganization and re-
eqipment of the army and navy :or
defense of the country at the un-
p~recedented cost of sos 900 600
with authorizations that will in
crease the total in three years to
nearly $500, 900, 200. With al
other expenditures. appropriations
were brought to the grand total
of ~s1,637,5S3,6 $50, the greatest ag-
cregate in the country's history and
exceeding that for the last fiscal
year by more than half 2 billion
dollars.
Expenditures, necessitated by pre-
~paredness and the calling into &C
ton of military forces to meet the
Mexican emergency, demanded re-
venue legislation in the closing days
of the session. Congress responded
by doubling the normal tax on in
comes, creating an inheritance tax.
munitions tax and miscellaneous
excise taxes to raise 1905, 5000 900
and by directing sale of $130,000,-
600 Panama canal bonds.
Congress established a tariff COM
mission: a government shipping
board to rehabilitate the American
merchant marine; a workmen's COM
pensation commission to administer
q new uniform compensation law;
a farm loan banking system: a
child labor law; enlarged the system
of self-government in THE Philip
pines and enacted many other i'm
portant laws which had been con-
templated by the administration.
The session was disturbed
throughout by frequently recurring
threats of foreign complications
from the European war and i'm
minence at one time OF a diplo-
matte break with Germany; inter
ference with American mails and
commerce, invasion of American
soil and killing Of Americans by
Mexican bandits, and danger of
actual war with Mexico.
Later in the session trouble arose
in the senate over the nomination
of Louis d. Brandeis, of Boston,
to succeed the late Justice Lamar
Ts a member of the supreme court.
Weeks of investigation and DELHI
Grafton by the judiciary committee
ended in confirmation of Mr.. Bran
deis by a large majority.
Most important legislative enact
ments of the session, exclusive of
laws for national defense, included
the following:
Railroad S-Hour Day Law: Es-
tablishing 8 hours as the standard
for reckoning the compensation of
railroad employees operating trains
in interstate commerce after Jan. l.,
1917 and providing for a commits
sion of three to investigate the
effects of the S-hour standard pre-
sent wages not to be reduced dur
ing the investigation nor for thirty
days thereafter and work in excess
of 8 hours to be paid for at pre-
rata.
Government Ship Law: Appro-
priating $4,000, 900 to operate
ships in foreign and coastwise trade
when unable to lease them to in
dividuals or private corporations.
Child Labor Law Denying inter
state commerce to products Of
mines and quaries employing child
rem under 16 years of age and OF
factories, mills, canneries amid other
establishments employing children
under IA years.
Rural Credits Law: Establishing
a farm load board in control OF Il
system of farm loan mortgage
banks.
Workmen's Compensation Law;
Providing uniform sick and accident
benefits for employees of the federal
government and benefits t o depen-
cents in case of death.
Emergency Revenue Law: Pro-
viding for dubling the normal in
come tax on the lowest class; max
ing an additional surtax ranging
from one per cent on that portion
of incomes exceeding $4,000 to 13
per cent on amount of incomes in
excess of 100000.
Good Roads Law: Providing for
cooperative federal aid to the
states for construction of highways,
and appropriating $4,000. 600 to
be spent in five years.
Postal Savings Law: Amendment
increasing the amount which in
%dividuals may deposit from $500 to
$1,000 with interest and an addi-
tional $1,000 without interest.
Federal Reserve: Amendments,
including amendment to the Clay
ton antitrust law, permitting Off
GERS and directors of member banks
to become officers and directors of
not more than two other non-com-
peting banks.
Railroad Legislation: Creation of