Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-21
THE NEW CONGRESS.
Preparations at the Capitol for the
Coming Gathering.
FORMS THAT ARE FOLLOWED.
How Members Are Sworn In and the Speaker
10 Chosen-Ihe Way Seats Are Assigned by
Lottery In the House-senafors and Mem
hers Already Assembling in Washington.

o.iee Evervthirg il now in readiness for the
assenbIage of statesmen who are TO be the
legislature of this government for the rext two
Years The credentials Of the members-elect
are in and the roll has been made up by the
clerk Upon this roll are many names which
have never before appeared there and many
that are familiar are now there no more.
Signs Of the approach of Congress are visible
on every hand. The new hotels that have been
builr during the summer are open and ready
for their reception; old ones have been re-
painted and repaired, bits of cardboard have
appeared in the windows of hundreds of houses
dssirabiy located; the advertising columns of
The STAR announce in MANY different tones of
praise beautiful furnished apartments for
rent. with or without board suitable for mem
bers or Senators. The Capitol. in its best bib
and tucker. has finished all preparations and
awaits the coming of the expected guests.
MEMBERS ALREADY on HAND.
The familiar faces of Senator's ard members
who have served before are met on the street
and about the hotels. while some who have
been elected to serve their country in the
capacity of statesmen for the next two years
are waving the public buildings and the sights
OF the capital for the first time-walking
through the marble halls Of the Capitol, tread
ing the soft carpet. trying the vacant chairs
anu ruDOlN4 UcI store Clothes dStlIst inc
clean paint, or feasting their eyes the fresco-
ing which 'sdorns' the ceilings OF the commit
tee rooms The Representatives who have
been chosen by their constituents have been
members OF the House with the privilege
Of drawing pay since March 4. but they have
yet 20 take the oath which qualities them to
sat in the House and help make Laws.
The organization of the House is somewhat
more complicated than that of the Senate.
The Senate continues over with the same pre-
siding officer-the Vice President-and when
they meet there will be some new Senators to
be sworn in. and later on there will be some
committee assignments to make.
THE FIRST DAY IN THE HOUSE.
In the House a Speaker and other officers
are to be chosen and an entire new organiza-
ton effected A little before IL o'clock the
members-elect will be assembled in the House.
sitting down in the most convenient seats to
await the gavels summons to silence while the
hold-over doorkeepers clear the floor Of hold
over habitues whom they have approached in
the same way under the same circumstances
each day that there has been a sitting Congress
during their term of Office The galleries and
corridors are always crowded on the opening
day of Congress. and there will be a special in
terest about this Congress which Will be apt to
draw a crowd larger than usual
While the House Il Overwhelmingly DEM
ocratic. the majority will have TO submit to be
presided over by repubiican-that is. for
short while.
The credentials of the members-eleet. with
the possible exception of one two cases
where elections have occurred recently to fill
vacancies which have occurred since the gem
erai election. are already in the hands of the
clerk From these credentials he makes up the
roll of the House. and the men named on that
roll are members of the House, those whose
seats are contested being liable to be super
seeded by the Contestants by vote of the
Horse.
CLERK VI PETERSON IN THE CHAIR.
At - o'clock Clerk Mcpherson will call the
House 70 order with blow of the gavel. which,
in the hands of Speaker Reed has hammered
laxative democrats into a condition of silence.
lie will then read over his roll of the House.
the members present responding as their
names are called
II quorum is found to be present he will
announce that il Is in order to proceed with
the election Of Speaker After a motion to
that effect IS put and carried. four tellers will
be appointed, two from each party to keep
record of the vote The nominations will then
be made. and the roll Will be again called for
votes on the speskership. The democrats will
nominate-there several gentlemen who
are very confident, but very anxious 20 know
WHOM the democrats viii nominate.
The republicans are expected to give the
empty honor Of a minority nomination TO Mr..
Reed. though 10 Is lltImared that there viii be
some kicking against Mr. Reeds being further
hCnored- IL may be that a third candidate
Will be nominated by Hon. Jerry Simpson. II
20 the tsird candidate may get as many as ten
votes
When Mr.. Crisp-MillsL Mc1Iilian-5pringer-
Hstch-Bynum is elected by the votes of the
united democracy he will probably be handed
u brand new gavel. which has not been fitted
to the iron hand OF the car" and with it he
will hammer his dear colleagues into a condi-
ton OF comparative quiet. He will then de-
liver 10 them an address. probably brief. and
then take the oath OF office. After the proper
time has been allowed for cheering. &c, the
eierk will be requested to call the roll, and. as
each members name is called. he will step into
the space IN 'front.' CT the Speakers desk.
SWEARING IN.
When as many there as can conveniently
stand in that space they viii be requested to
hold up their right hands and the oath will be
administered to them. and after them to an
other block in the same way. This oath having
been TAKEN they are ready for the business OF
looking after the interests of themselves and
their constituents and incidentally voting on
national legislation
The next thing in order is 20 appoint com
mittee to act with committee OF the senate
10 notify the President that Congress il sitting
and ready to hear from him. In due course of
time the Presidents message il received and
the clerk proceeds TO read II, while members
chatter in a convivial way the floor As a
rule, about six men listen to hear the prasi-
dent message read. and they cannot hear i.
because OF the noise made by the other 526
members. Up to this time each member takes
any seat he can get into before some ether
member. but after the message has been read
The drawing Of seats begins
THE PROBLEM OF SEATING.
Al the members retire outside the bar of the
House. A broad field of empty seats spreads
out before the Speaker. A box containing 1892
little marbles with numbers On them is placed
On the clerks desk, with q blindfolded page
beside il, and the great congressional lottery
drawing begins When the boy takes a marble
from the box the humber n ID compared
with the roll Of members and the member
whose number corresponds with that the
marble Il permitted 10 take any seat he wants
not already taken
This drawing is attended with considerable
excitement and little amusement for the
man whose name comes Last gets a Door seat
and II at a disadvantage Ia the matter of get
unx the speakers eve daring the session.
The drawing WI. De particularly interesting
tins time. because all those democrats whose
names come toward the end will have 20 u,
on the republican side, q thing not considered
desirable
There are 30 few republicans that there rs
considerable perpiexity to how they NAV be
seated 50 as 10 give them good seats all in a
bunch and yet not TO divide the democrats hike
the too pieces Of bread in a sandwich.
Mr.. Deanes Death and the Ls0islafure
h. rawu Of Senator n.,ra-s ao..A