Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1891 — THE NATIONAL SOLONS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL SOLONS.

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Oar National Lawmakers and What They Are Doing for the Good of the Country— Various Measures Proposed, Discussed, and Acted Upon. The Immigration bill was taken up on tho 25th. The bill as passed directs the Secretary of the Treasury to provide rules for inspection along the Canadian frontier so as not to Impede travel between the two countries, and provides that nothing in the act shall be deemed to exclude persons convicted of political offenses, notwithstanding such offenses shall be denominated as felonious, Infamous crimes, a turpitude of the laws of the land from which the immigrants come or by the court convicting them. The clauses relating to the admission of other classes of convicts and of paupers and Incurables are even more stringent than in the existing law. Senator Gorman announced the death of his colleague In the Senate as soon as the journal was read and offered resolutions expressing the great sorrow with which tbs Senate had heard of the death of Mr. Wilson. The Senate, out of respect, adjourned until the following day. In the Senate, on the 25th, Ihe House amendment to tho direct tax bill was presented and was laid on the table for the present. Among the papers presented and referred were numerous protests from the northwest portion of Nebraska against the neglect of the Government in the matter of disarming the hostile Sioux and asking protection irom Indian depredations. The sundry civil bill was then taken up and Its consideration resumed. All the amendments were agreed to, and the bill was then passed. The legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation bill was taken up. In tlie House there were less than twenty-five members In attendance. The Senato bill authorizing the construction of a railroad bridge at Little Rock, Ark., was passed; also the Senate hill for the relief of the assignees of the late John Roach. The House then proceeded in committee of the whole (Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, in the chair) to general debate on the shipping

The Vice-President, on the 57th, laid lie fore the Senate a message from the President returning without his approval the bill to establish the record and pension office of tho War Department. The President states his objection to the bill at some length, to the effeet, generally, that it is not competent for Congress to nominate a particular person to fill an office created by law. The message was referred the Committee on Military Affairs. In the House the Senate bill was passed amendatory of the law providing for the selection of school lands. A bill was passed authorizing the Fort Gibson, Talilequah and Northeastern Railroad Company to construct a road through the Indian Territory. The House, then in committee of the whole, resumed the consideration of the shipping bill. The House substitute for the Senate hill was read by paragraphs for amendment. The Senate on the 28th agreed to the conference reports on the bills to establish a United States land court, and to define and regulate the jurisdiction of courts of the United States. Tho House substitute for the Senate tonnage bill was laid before the Senate, ahd Mr. Frye moved for the appointment of a conference committee. This motion was resisted on both sides of the chamber. In the House Mr. Caswell, of Wisconsin, supported the conference report on the hill to define and regulate the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States, and after a short debate it was adopted. The conference on the bill establishing a private land claim court was also agreed to. Conference held between Republicans and Democrats resulted in a tacit agreement that none of the contested election cases should be called up, and that the Democrats should not place any obstruction In the way of the appropriation bills. In pursuance of this agreement the sundry civil and legislative appropriation hills were sent to confrencee without objection.

On the 2d the conference committee on the sundry civil service bill reached a conclusion on world’s fair matters. The committee preserves secrecy, but Senators told Mrs. Palmer that the committee gave the ladles all they ask for, except the one item of $15,000 for a meeting In 1891. Both houses met at 9:30 o’clock and began business with a rush. The first business of importance was the adoption In the Senate of the postal subsidy bill passed by the House. The Senate also passed the postoffice appropriation after adding on an amendment appropriating $1,250,000 for the transportation of ..foreign mails,, Xjyhat Is known as the “army reorganization bill” was unexpectedly passed by the Senate. The bill Is one of great importance to the army. It reorganizes tho artillery and infantry arms, adding two regiments to the former and giving the latter three battalions, with a range for each, thus adding two Majors to each of the twenty-five regiments of infantry and providing- for the promotion of fifty captains and twice that number of lieutenants. The House amendment to the Senate bill for a public building at Saginaw, Mich, (reducing the amount from $259,000 to $200,000), was concurred In. House hill relating to the treaty of reciprocity with the Hawaiian Islands was passed. Also, House joint resolution appropriating $1,000,000 for the improvement of the Mississippi River, to he immediately available. ' Also, Senate joint resolution authorizing the State of Oregon to construct a railroad at the cascades of the Columbia River. The House has agreed to the conference report on the bill to repeal .the timber culture law. The conference report on the Indian depredations bill has been agreed to by the Senato. 'Senate bills were passed for the erection of a new custom house at New York, and a new mint building at Philadelphia, the latter not to cost mote than $2,000,000. .