Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1906 — CONGRESS WINDS UP ITS BUSINESS [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS WINDS UP ITS BUSINESS

Close of an Eventful Session of the National Lawmakers. STRENUOUS FROM START TO END Railway Rate Bill Wat the Suh ject Which Demand Most Attention. - • Next In Importance Came the Pure Food Bill and the Meat Inspection Amendment to Agricultural Bill. Washington, July 2.—The first session of the Fifty-Ninth congress has gone into history. It had been a strenous session frpm the start to finish. The measure which caused the greatest debate is the railroad rate bill. Begun with the session, Its consideration continued throughout. The pure food enactment and thf* meat inspection provision are also important changes in the federal attitude towards both the producer and consumer of the country. A uniform and more strict method of naturalizing aliens was enacted. The immunity of witnesses from prosecution who give testimony before government tribunals was made the subject of an enactment which clearly states when such immunity obtains, and when otherwise. Type of Panama Canal.

A. bill removing the Internal revenue tax on denatured alcohol also was passed. The type of the Panama canal was fixed, thus settling a question has periaxed both the professional and lay mind. The president is to build a lock-level canal, and was given a total of $39,000,000 for the year for that purpose. It was required that material for the canal should be of American manufacture unless the president shall find the jlrice excessive, in which case 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 session are totaled it will be found that their aggregate has reached nearly nine hundred million dollars. This is a greater sum than has been made available since the war congress of 1898. Of this amount, $25,000,000 will go into new public buildings in various sections of the country. Legislation Restrictive.

The legislation on appropriation bills has the characteristic throughout of being restrictive upon the government department heads In the matter of making their expenditures and in submitting their estimes to congress. It has been the desire of congress to put an end as far as possible, to deficiency appropriations. The naval Increase which has been going on annually, received some what of a set back. "The largest battleship afloat’’ was authorized. hut congress required that before blds for its construction could be submitted the plans must be Sent to congress at its next session. The annual appropriation for the state militia was doubled, and hereafter $2,000,000 will be spent from the federal treasury for the purpose of keeping the state military organizations in touch with the regular army. Congress gave great care to the draft of a bill intended to preserve the scenic beauty of Niagara Falls, and the measure was passed. Philippine Tariff Revised.

The tariff to be collected by the Philippine government on goods entering the island trade, was revised. A measure of importance to railroad and other employes engaged in hazardous employments, known as the employers liability bill, became a law. The government will participate in the Jamestown ter-centennial exposition, and ,$1,325,000 was authorized expended out of the federal treasury for that event. Speedy appropriations for the San Francisco sufferers resulted from requests by the president. Two and a half million was doiiated directly and supplies from the stores of the government nearly equalled that amount Private pension leglisatiou for the benefit of the old soldier, who is unable to receive a pension under the statute laws, kept up Its usual heavy pace.