Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-02
CAR REED RULES,
Once More Holds the Cavel in
the National House.
FIrTY.roURTH CONGRESS Is OPEN.

Many New Members Take Their Seat, IN
Both Legislative Chambcrs-soms Men
Of Uncommon Note Come Into the .su-p.
Per House," While n Number Who
Have Made Their Marks in the Popular
Chamber Give place 20 Othe-s-"Larr,"
MoGann's Unusual Action.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-As the clocks In
thc two legislative chambers In the na.
tional Capitol pointed TO Il noon today the
gavcl Of Vice President Stevenson In the
senate chamber and Clerk Kerr in the
house came down with sharp thuds and
the several hundred statesmen who are to
lcgislatc for the welfare Of the people OF
the United States and who had been scat.
tered about the chambers talking politics
and other subjects sought their seats and
came To order. 1t was the first act-those
Ravel thumps-of the Fifty.fourth con.
gross The clerk called the house to order
bccausc there was no speaker to do that
duty, Crisp's term Of Office expiring with
the Fifty.third congress.
New House Officers Elected.
Supplying the house with n presiding
4.
notion. Tho Republicans had caucused
and chosen their men, Reed Of course Se
Ing the speaker, and their majority is so
great that the election Of the tickes was
"a very dry formality. Crisp was the man
the Democrats In caucus had selected for
their complimentary vote, and when this
duty was done and Reed declared elected
he was escorted to the speakers chair
amid loud applause and "thc car wns
once more whore he can "sit down." if
he chooses, on those who for couple of
years have had so much fnn with him.
some Old Face. Are Missing.
AS the speaker took his place to make a
brief addrcss Of thanks for the honor con /.
fcrrcd. etc, he saw sea Of new faces in
the place OF many of the familiar ones.
Among those whom he missed were
springer. Holman, Bourke Cochran, vii.
son COT the tariff bill), Hatch, Kilgorc (ho
of the tremendous kicls) and many Others.
As soon os Reed WIS formally installed
the drawing of seats. which is known rs
the congressional 'rniflc," began. This Ia
u somewhat tedious but amusing affair
nnd Will occupy the remainder Of the af.
tcrnoon Tho first week Of the Fifty.fourth
congress promises nothing Mt either end
OF the Capitol In the way Of actual lcgisla.
ton In the house nothing can be done
until the committees arc appointed.
Spcnkcr-clcct Reed says that the commit
tees viii rot bc announced this week. with
pcrhap' single cxccption-thc committee
ON rr,.es
Mctsann win Make n Record.
Representative Lawrcncc McGann, of
Chicago, who held u sea; In the Fifty-scc.
ond and Fifty-third congresses. and was
chairman of the committee ON labor in the
last congress, will furnish To the house
the unusual spectacle of member max.
ing avoluntary rclinquishment Of n seat
To- which he holds the certificate As soon
as he Is able to secure recognition from the
speaker McGann will make statement
To the house to the effect that he think,
that his Republican opponent. Hugh X.
Bclknap. Is entitled to the seat, and that
he tMcGann) valves all claims thereto.
This step will make It possible for the
committee on elections, ns soon rs II il
organized, to report in favor Of seating
Bclknap and will relieve that gentleman
of the necessity Of making u contest before
the committee.
Officers of the House Elected.
The full roll Of house officers elected is
ms follows, all those named having been
selected at the house caucus Saturday:
Speaker. Thomas B. Reed. Of Maine;
clerk. Alexander Mcdowell. of Pcnnsyl.
vnnia; scrgcant-at arms, Benjamin +
Russell, ~ Missouri; doorkecpcr. William
j. Glenn. of New York. postmaster, Jo-
scph {. McElruy, Of Ohio; chaplain. Rev
III y. Condcn, OF Michigan.