Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-12-06
Meeting OF Congress.

Congress met on Monday, of this week,
and the most interesting preliminary 10
their meeting was the caucus OF the he
nubI;can members Of the House on the
preceding Saturday to select their candl-
date for Speaker. The fight was between
Reed Of Maine and Mckinley Of Ohio, and
Reed won. receiving Sc Of the l69 votes
present
Pennsylrania gave Reed ID votes on the
first ballot and 16 in the second. Ihe
member from this district, Mr. Townsend;
roted for him. Mr. Adams of Maryland
was selected for Doorkeeper; and MI
Holmes oe Iowa for Se-geant-at-Arms.
Mr.. Reed, or Tom Reed as he Is gener-
H.xrlM.ss ~ 5as 5ass essg ttfr W lse..ss e..ssSsd ss 'as u
a giant both physically and mentally.
Monday was a beautiful day in wash
inrton. and the galleries Of the House anu
Senate were filed to overfowing to see
the opening Of the fifty-frst Congress. On
the floor of the House old friends were
chatting and joking and the ''tumult OF
voices was like the roar Of "a Dakota biz
Yard
MIR. Reed was congratulated to the ex-
tent Of being bored; 32l votes were cast
for Speaker. Reed receiving 166 and Car
Isle 154-
ROUTINE oF THE OPENING.
of the routine of calling the House to
order bv the Clerk of the last House, Mr.
Clark. of Missouri, the calling Of the roll,
the election Of the Speaker, the swearing III
Of the members, the election of Clerk,
Door-keeper, Sergeant alarms and fost-
master, there IN little or nothing TO say.
1t vas the traditional nonsense OF taxing n
great big oath 10 support the Constitution
and law. etc, IL was only broken slIghty
bv four Pennsylvanians, wha refused 10
swear i'm the ancient and orthodox way
and were allowed to affirm. or these,
Darlington. Of Chester, Is Quaker, ard
lev and Rife. Of the Seventh and -Four
teenrh districts and Brosius, of the Tenth,
simply did not want to swear that way
The first big break in the routine was
the defeat Of the Republican caucus nomi-
nee for chaplain, and it is the first instance
ON record when a nominee OF the caucus
Of the majority suffered defeat
The blind preacher, MiIburn, who did
the praying for the last House, and i
dred in the wool Democrat, would proba-
Div have been nominated for Chaplain by
the Republicans had not his record oi - M
pafhy with the Southern Confederacy been
bruited about Ramsdell, who was nomi-
mated. had been a brave Union soldier.
Nilburn sympathized with the Confederacy
In very recent years, delivering in Virginia
speech eulogizing General Robert i. Lee.
Notwithstanding this he had many warm
friends among the Republicans, aud there
was lively effort to bring about hIs nom
inafion.
When il was discovered that several
Republicans were inclined To support Mil
burn. who, il was thought, would be nom
mated by the Democrats, great etior
was made to whip the schismatics into
line. but without avail. In the election
OF officers be was separated from The
others.
Aftsr RaTlIams9saIL. Soniezs LII -. hfsI
HoTse ~ Massachusetts, Lehlback and
Ewart voting with the Democrats. But
terworth and fosney were paired, and
Grosvenor, Harmer and ONiel, of Penn
sylvania; Owen, Of Indiana, himself q
preacher; Paysun, OF Illinois; Stuart, o.
Vermont; Bnckner, McCord and Browne,
Of Virginia dodged. If these had voted
party, would not have succeeded in elect.
fne Democratic Chaplain.
The only other episode that amused the
galleries was the drawing for seats. This
IN always fnnr-. Dignity and ability 90
for nothing. A new member from way
back IL Just az likely to get the pick and
choice Of seats a. the leader Of the House
Of dozen years. Numbers are placed on
the roll opposite the names Of members,
and balls are put IN . box, having on them
corresponding numbers. A page is blind
folded, and he draws the balls from the
box. When bali In drawn its number il
announced. and then the name Of the
member having the corresponding number.
Hr motion, the three ex Speakers Of the
HouIse, Banks, Randall and Carlisle, with
Kelly, Of Pennsylvania, the Father Of the
Honse," were excepted from the chance OF
drawing. Kelly put his hat on his old
desk, To hold il sacred. A page was plac
ed In RandalPs old chair, as the ex- Speak.
or was not able TO come out, aud Banks
and Carlisle each chose n seat, the former
close 10 the ieff Of the Speaker, and Car
lisle well up TO the center Of the Demo
cratic gide, just across the aisle from the
old seat of Mills But II he expected Mill'
20 get his old place he was disappointed,
for the Texan was left until all the good
at bis ill-luck, squafted down in an oh
scure place in the back row, from which
his friends with difficulty persuaded bin to
come 10 a somewhat better seat, one row
farther down. Right under the eye Of the
Speaker. Scull, Wright; Townsend, Atkin-
son, Brosius, Craig, Rayand and Watson
got pretty well punched, little back OF
the center Of their side.
The most brilliant spot in the House,
however, is that on the Republican side,
where, in one row, well back and next the
center aisle, commanding good view oi
the House, are Mckinley. Hit, Henry Ca.
bot Lodge. Adams, OF Illinois. and back Of
them HOuk, McComas, Bayne, Butter.
worth and Burrows This spot win doni.
nate the House Of the Fifty-iirst Congress
The committee appointed By Speaker
Reed 10 wait on the President and inform
him that Congress was in session, and
awaited a message from him consisted d
Messrs. Cannon, Mckinley and Carlisle.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The first mersagc nf President Harrison
was read To Congress. Tuesday, and il wa
a carefully prepared and conserTativ,
document
II commenced by assuring Congress that
good will and cordiality have characterized
our relations with other governments, and
the year just closed leaves few interna
tional questions Of Importance remaining
unadjurtsd. The pas American and mari
time congresses are approvcd.
There u not subject OF even passing
national interest that Il not touched upon
and the message may be called one Of the
most comprehensive signed hy president
during the lavt decade
The revolution In Brazil il referred To-
and IL Is shown that SO lar as the United
States ir-conccrncd II IL entirely satsfac
tory. Our representative In that country
has been requested 90 recognize the pro
yisionAl government a. soua as IL is IN
d0rred by the people. Our relations will
the new republic are peaceful aud satisiac
tory, and there is every reAsun to suppose
that they will continue 10 be- So
The estimated surplus IN the trca ary foi
the coming fiscal year ia estimated at --i3,
100000. The president recommends con
gress 90 take steps 10 reduce this surplus.
He intima;es plainly that II has no right u
make provision for possible receipts IN the
future. with In. result ~ continued In
GREASE In the surplus. He thinks that tod
much has been given 10 the banks iu the
handling of government iuuda lie says,
very pertineutly. that 4 present they rrae.
tcally get interest both upon the bond
and their procred.
a.. s.V. the tariff .honld a. r.,.,sad