The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-03
CONGRESS BEGINS ITS WORK.
CROWDS OF SPECTATORS IN THE
GALLERIES.


fuI Appearance of Large Percent
age of the New Members of the
House.
Washington, Dec 2.-The Fifty-fourth
congress began its sessions at noon to-
day with crowded galleries, and many
other manifestations of acute interest
in its proceedings. including, of course,
the inevitable floral decorations. For the
first time in the last twenty-five years
the popular will found expression ia
reversal of the political dominance, and
the new congress was called TO order
with democratic ascendancy in the Sen
ate on the point of disappearing, and the
House overwhelmingly republican. There
were fifteen new faces among the sena-
tors, not counting Mr. Chiffon OF Texas,
who reoccUpies the seat he once held be-
fore by appointment, and there We're in
addition thirteen reelected senators to
be sworn in by Vice President Steven-
son as their own successors. Of the hold
over senators whose terms win expire
two years from now some of the most
prominent, including Messrs. Blackburn,
Brice, Hill, VOORHEES,, Vest and PETER,
took their seats to-day with the shadow
hanging over them Of a strong proba-
bility that their places may be filed by
others when this congress expires.
In the House of Representatives, the
changes were still more marked. One of
the features which provoked comment
from the galleries was the youthful APP
pearance of many of the new members.
Several states have sent as representa-
tives men who are still in their twenties
Probably two score of others are under
forty.
In point of age the present House is the
youngest known to the history of Amer
lean legislation. These boyish appearing
% nnl
ing, Well groomed, well hammered, and
well dressed, college men most of them,
presented a striking contrast IN their
youthful appearance to their veteran as
sociates, such as Mr.. GrosvenOr of Ohio,
whose flowing white beard gives him a
venerable appearance dispropOrtionate to
his age to ex-SDeaker C5ahisha Grow of
Pennsylvania, hale, hearty and vigorous,
despite his seventy-odd years; to Mr..
his eleventh term and others Of the House
veterans, whose political prospects were
not temporarily submerged in the Novem-
Der elections of 1884.
The bright cheerful appearance OF the
Senate chamber in this, the opening day
OF the first session of the Fifty-fDurIh
congress, was in marked contrast TO
the drizzling, foggy weather outside. A
new carpet of an attractive green color
adorned the. floor. The desks had been
Scraped and newly vanished ami the
walls refrescOed. The unsightly cloth
covered doors leading to the lobby had
peen replaced by new ones of mahogany,
having long ground glass panels. Many
OF the desks were covered with flowers.
Mr.. Davis of Minnesota was the first
senator TO occupy his seat on the floor.
He came at 1870 o'clock. At that time
the public galleries had already quite a
sprinkling Of visitors, the ladies' gallery
IN particular being more than half
filled. The next to appear was Mr.. Stew
art of Nevada, followed close by the
venerable senator from Vermont, Mr..
North Carolina, Mr.. Harris Of Tennessee,
the. populist senator from Kansas, Mr..
Pe1er, and Mr.. Teller of Colorado, and
at IL O'Clock Senator Hawley of Connec-
ticut. After that they came in rapidly
ana at the noon hour of convening the
seats were generally filled and the gale
rfes were overlooking.
The cordiality with which Senator Cor
man of Maryland was received by his as
sociates on both sides Of the chamber
was one of the marked features of the
day. He entered the chamber closely fol-
lowed by Mr.. Brice of Ohio, and as the
Two stood talking and joking Mr. Frye of
Maine, others joined in the badinage, and
Mr.. Frye, in an audible voice, remarked:
They have not downed this man yet"
little part in the general congratulations.
Promptly at noon the blind chaplain of
the Senate Rev. Mr.. Millburn, tapped the
gavel and offered prayer
At the close of the chaplain's prayer
Vice President Stevenson laid before the
Senate the credentials of the senator
from Idaho, Mr. Shonp, which were read
and placed on file in the usual way Then
the Vice President called upon the sena.-
We're called by the clerk and take the oath
of office.
Following the usual custom the sena-
tors came up in patches of four, except
that Senator's Caffrey Lindsay and VOL
colt, failed to respond. Each was escort
ed by his colleague and they walked arm
dents dais where the oath was read in
audible tones by the Vice President. 1t
was in the same form in each case and
pledged the senator to duly support the
constitution of the United States. The
first to be sworn in were Mr.. Bacon of
Georgia. successor to Mr.. Walsh; Mr..
Baker of Kansas, who succeeds Mr.. Mar
tin; Mr.. Berry Of Arkansas reelected:
and Mr. Butler of North Carolina, who
succeeds MIR. Ransom.
In the next group were Mr.. Carter, sue
ceeding Mr.. Power of Montana, and Mr..
Chiffon, succeeding Mr.. Coke of Texas.
The third group consisted of McCullom
of Illinois, Reelected; Mr. El6ins of West
Virginia, succeeding Mr.. Camden Mr.
Frye of Maine, reelected, and Mr. Gear
of Iowa, succeeding Mr.. Wilson.
Afterward came Messrs. Harris and
Toar reelected. and Mr.. Mcbride, success
sOr of Mr.. DOlph, from Oregon
Then followed Mr.. Mcmillan of Michi-
gan, reelected; Mr.. Martin of Virginia
who takes the place of MT. Hunton: Mr.
Morgan of Alabama, reelected: and Knute
Nelson, who succeeds Mr.. Washburn, from
Minnesota
Afterward came Mr. Pettigrew. re-elect-
ed; Mr.. Sewell, Mr.. McPherson's success
sor IN New Jersey; Mr.. Shonp, reelected:
and Mr.. Thurston Mr.. Manderson's sue
cessor, from Nebraska.
In the last group were Mr.. Tillman, pop-
ulist senator from South Carolina. who
takes Gen. Buffers place; Mr.. Walthau
OF Mississippi who resumes the seat he
resigned in the last congress; and Mr..
Wetmore Mr.. Dixon's successor, from
Rhode Island
On motion of Mr.. Cockrell, dem, of Mis-
souri, the hour of meeting Of the Senate
was fixed at u O'Clock
Mr. Sherman, rep, of Ohio, offered
Gesolution to inform the House that the
mess, which was adopted.
ON motion Of Mr.. Villas, dem. of Wiscon-
SIN, a committee of two was appointed
10 join a similar committee on the nart OF
The House to wait upon the President and
wee President naming as such committee
Alessrs. Villas and Allison
ON motion of Mr.. Harris. DEM Of Ten
nessee. the Senate then, at 1890 o'clock.
took a recess for one hour
The Senate. at 1.35 o'clock adjourned un-
To tomorrow at l. O'Clock.
ROUTINE or THE HOUSE.
Speaker Reeds sueeeh IN Vntrfuor