December 28 in response to an appeal from the president for legislation in relief of the treasury. All the house provisions, except the enacting clause, were recommended to be struck out, and a free-silver substitute inserted. The text of this substitute was given in full in the preceding number of this quarterly (Vol. 5, p. 843).

The senate substitute is entitled "An

Act to Restore the Coinage of Silver Dollars and for Other Purposes." In a word, it provides for the coinage of dollars of the weight of 4124 grains of standard silver upon the terms of law regulating the coinage and legal-tender quality of gold, and the issuance of treasury certifi cates therefor. The second section directs the coinage of the seigniorage on silver bullion purchased under the act of 1890, and the immediate issue of silver certificates against it. The third section provides for the retirement of national bank notes of a denomination less than ten dollars; and the last section demands that green backs and treasury notes of 1890 shall be redeemed in "gold or silver coins, or both, not at the option of the holder, but exclusively at the option of the treasury depart ment," the greenbacks to be reissued as under the

CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BANK- present law.

ING AND CURRENCY.

One sensational incident of the debate which followed was a bitter attack made by Senator Tillman of South Carolina, January 29, against President Cleveland as the wrecker of the policy and fortunes of the democratic party. The debate in the senate ended February 1 in the passage of the freesilver substitute by a vote of 42 yeas (21 democrats, 6 populists, 15 republicans) to 35 nays (22 republicans, 13 democrats). There were five pairs.

The struggle being thus transferred to the house, the ways and means committee of that body, on February 4, decided to recommend non-concurrence in the substitute

which had come from the senate; and on February 13 a committee of the whole house voted non-concurrence by 190 to 80. On the following day this rejection of the substitute bill was confirmed in the house by a vote of 215 to 90. The house majority against the substitute would have been increased by a full attendance of members. The majority comprised 184 republicans and 31 democrats; while those who voted for the substitute included 65 democrats and populists, 1 silver member, and 24 republicans.

This vote is generally considered as having practically decided the question of the possibility of free-silver legislation during the present congress. That a free-silver bill could be passed through the present overwhelmingly republican house, or that, if passed, it would escape the veto of President Cleveland, was an opinion entertained by few if any. The results aimed at in the agitation in congress were ulterior, not immediate. They concerned the approaching presidential contest, in which the effect of a demonstration of free-coinage strength might be to secure a candidate favorable to silver.

An analysis of the vote of February 14 shows every republican from the states east of Ohio and north of Virginia, besides Indiana, Iowa, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, opposed to free coinage; but a proportion of silver sentiment manifested itself in the votes of the representatives from Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Ohio.

Tariff Revision Checked.-The attempt at silver legislation having failed in the house, the further efforts. of the advocates of free coinage were confined to the senate, and consisted in presenting an immovable obstruction in the way of the passage of the emergency revenue bill, which had passed the house of representatives just before the New Year (Vol. 5, p. 837).

On February 4 the senate finance committee, on motion of Mr. Vest of Missouri, decided by a vote of 7 (6 democrats and 1 populist) to 6 (all republicans) to recommend that everything in the house tariff revision bill, except the enacting clause, be struck out, and that a freesilver substitute be inserted in the exact terms of the bill which the senate on February 1 had voted to insert in the house bond bill.

The republican managers in the senate, under the lead of Mr. Morrill, subsequently made two ineffectual attempts to have the house revenue bill considered. One attempt was made February 13, when Mr. Carter of Montana,

chairman of the Republican National Committee, and several other republicans who favor "bimetallism," voted against Mr. Morrill's motion to proceed to consideration. of the revenue bill. The motion was defeated by 29 to 21 votes. On February 25 Mr. Morrill renewed his motion, but it was again defeated-this time by 33 to 22. Νο further effort was made to press the house bill.

Appropriations.-Aside from the debates on the above important subjects of foreign relations, tariff, and finance, proceedings of congress were largely of a routine and formal character. The house devoted most of its time to shaping the great appropriation bills providing for the various branches of the public service. These were advanced toward completion much earlier than usual; and, before the quarter closed, most of them had either become laws or had advanced to such a stage as to determine their character.

These appropriation bills as passed by the house, aggregate $505,027,410, or slightly over half a billion. With the same allowance for the second session of the 54th congress, the aggregate for the entire congress would be in excess of one billion dollars. The detailed amounts appropriated are as follows:

Aside from carrying these various amounts, several of the appropriation bills embodied interesting features of general legislation, placed upon them as "riders." The Fortifications bill not only appropriates the amount mentioned for actual work on seacoast defenses, but it authorizes contracts covering further work in the development of a general plan of defenses. The aggregate of these contracts is about $11,000,000. The bill has not yet passed the senate, and is still open to further changes.

The Indian Appropriation bill aroused an animated debate in both the house and senate concerning the policy of appropriating government funds for the education of Indian children in sectarian schools. The previous policy had been to do away with these sectarian schools gradually, reducing the appropriations to them one-fifth each year for five years until entirely extinguished. This year, however, after a sharp debate in the house, a provision was inserted that no funds whatever should be appropriated for sectarian schools. In this form the bill passed the house and was pending before the senate when the quarter closed.

The Legislative Appropriation bill contained an important reform in the method of compensating United States district attorneys and marshals. These officers and their deputies have for years been paid by the fee system. It has been alleged that the fees were an inducement to the officers to stir up as much litigation as possible, and that widespread abuses resulted. The house changed the entire system, giving salaries in place of fees, the salaries ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. This reform was agreed to by the senate, although some of its minor details were open when the quarter closed.

The Naval Appropriation bill is mainly important in providing four new battleships and twelve torpedo boats. The battleships are to be of the largest type of naval vessels. With the six battleships already completed or in process of completion, the bill will give a fleet of ten of these most powerful vessels.

New Laws Enacted.-Although much of the time of congress was given to discussing bills in various stages of advancement, yet a large number of measures passed their final stages and are now enacted as laws on the federal statutes. Those of a general interest are as follows:

Prize Fighting Prohibited.-An act to prohibit prize fighting and pugilism, and fights between men and animals, and to provide penalties therefor, in the territories and the District of Columbia. This measure was made necessary by the preparations for a fight between James J. Corbett and "Bob" Fitzsimmons in the Southwest. The parties to the fight had threatened to enter Oklahoma or some other territory or government reservation. While most of the states had laws against prize fighting, it was found that the federal statutes had no adequate prohibition. As a result the bill was promptly passed in both house and senate, and became a law on February 7. Its provisions are as follows:

66

'Be it enacted, That any person who, in any of the territories or the District of Columbia, shall voluntarily engage in a pugilistic encounter between man and man or a fight between a man and a bull or any other animal, for money or for other thing of value, or for any championship, or upon the result of which any money or anything of value is bet or wagered, or to see which any admission fee is charged, either directly or indirectly, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years.

"Sec. 2. By the term 'pugilistic encounter,' as used in this bill, is meant any voluntary fight by blows by means of fists or otherwise, whether with or without gloves, between two or more men, for money or for a prize of any character, or for any other thing of value, or for any championship, or upon the result of which any money or any thing of value is bet or wagered, or to see which any admission fee is charged, either directly or indirectly."

Alaska Boundary Commission.-Joint resolution making an appropriation for a commission to locate the boundary line between the territory of Alaska and British North America. This measure was made necessary by troubles which have arisen along the British-Alaskan boundary (Vol. 5, pp. 340, 862). It was feared that the troubles might lead to some international complication, so that the resolution provides for the negotiation forthwith of a convention with Great Britain for marking the true boundary.

Daughters of the American Revolution Incorporated.— An act to incorporate the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This act names a woman incorporator from every state and territory in the Union, and makes them a body corporate. The objects of the society are defined as follows:

"For patriotic, historical, and educational purposes, to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence, by the acquisition and protection of historical spots and the erection of monuments; by the encouragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution and the publication of its results; by the preservation of documents and relics, and of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and by the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries; to carry out the injunction of Washington, in his farewell address to the American people, to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge,' thus developing an enlightened public opinion and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the duties of American citizens; to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom; to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty."

World's Fair Awards.—Joint resolution for the distribution of medals and diplomas awarded by the World's