Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-03
54th CONGRESS-.
Speaker Reed Again in the
Chair of the House.
Usual seems and Incidents at the
Opening of the Session.
The Presidents Message Will Occupy the
Attention Of Congress, Today.

gfess began Its public session at noon, to-
uay, with crowded galleries and maay
othef manifestations Of acute int st in
It's proceedings, including, of course, the
inevitable floral decorations.
For the third time in the last % year;
che popular will found expression in a
reversal of political dominance, and the
new Congress was called to order with
Democratic ascendancy in the Senate on
the point of disappearing and the House
overwhelmingly Republican.
There were Is new faces among the
senators, not counting Mr.. Chiffon of
Texas, who occupies seat he once held
| before ny appointment, and there were in
addition Is reelected senators. OF the
noiding-ovcr senators, whose terms will ex-
pire two yeats from now. some of the most
| prominent, including Blackburn, Brice,
Hill, Voorhees,, Vest and PETER, took their
seats, today, with the shadow hanging
over them of strong probability that their
places might be filled 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 ap-
pearance of many of the new members.
Several states have sent as representatives
men who are still in their COS. Probably
| two score of others are under 40.
In point of age the present House is the
youngest known to the history of Amcri-
can legislation. The boyish appearing,
bright faced, intelligent looking, well
groomed college men, most of them pre-
sented striking contrast in their youth
full appearance to their veteran associates
The opening of every new Congress has
always had the effect of bringing great
crowds of people, but never, perhaps in the
history of Congress has larger assem-
blage of spectators gathered in the gal
leries, halls and corridors of the great
marble structure. As usual, the princi-
pal attraction was the House The
knowledge that Mr. Reed of Maine, was
again to WELD the Speakers gavel and to
steer legislation through the storms and
tempests that rage on the floor of the
House, had powerful attraction.
An hour before noon the galleries were
packed The floral tributes, as usual
plentiful in number and unique in design,
added an attractive background to the
scene on the floor, and relieved to some
bunch of exquisite .Jacqueminot roses.
rising on long stems from an earthen jar
and tied with pink ribbons, was ole of
four dollhouse gifts resting on Mr. Reeds
desk.
At noon, the Rev. Mr.. Bagby, chaplain
of the last House, offered opening PRAYER
Ybcn Mr.. Kerr clerk of the last House,
called the members to order and directed
the clerk to call the roll of states alpha
betically. The roll call was called and
34l members responded. The clerk an
nounced that the first business in order
was the election of a Speaker to preside
over the leRiSlations of the House.
Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio, rose and pre-.
scented the name of Thomas Bracket Reed
for the Office of Speaker. Before he had
flushed handclapping was started
among the Republican members, and for u
minute or two the clapping was kept up
on the floor, and was repeated from the
galleries
Mr. Ssyrcs Of Texas, nominated Charles
f. Crisp of Georgia. The clerk asked
whether there were any other nomina-
tions, and Mr.. Kemp of Nebaska, nomi-
mated John c. Bell of Colorado.
Mcssrs. Hopkins (Rcp.) of Illinois,
Loud (Rep.) of California, and Catchings
(Dem. Of Pennsylvania, were appointed
tellers ard then the voting proceeded
The only break from the political traces
was when Mr.. Crane of Texas, Democrat.
cast his vote, not for Mr. Crisp but for
Mr.. Culberson of Texas, Democrat. When
the roll call was finished, the esult was
announced by the tellers as follows: For
Mr. Reed, 23i; for Crisp 95 for Bell 6 :;
for Culberson, total, 1886 votes.
The clerk therefore announces said
Mr. Kerr, That Mr.. Thomas Bracket
Reed, representative from the State of
Maine having received a majority of all
the votes cast, is duly elected Speaker OF
the House for the It'll Congress"
Messrs. Crisp, GrosveDor and Bell were
designated by the clerk to conduct the
Speaker elect to the chair, and. as the four
members marched up the aslts, Messrs
Reed and Crisp arm in arm, there was a
renewal of hand clApping on the floor and
in the galleries.
The oath of office was then administered
to Mr. Reed by Mr.. Harmer of Pensyl-
vania, Rep the member who has had the
longest continual service.
All those formalities having been OBJ
served, the new Speaker made his opening
address. He said:
Gentlemen of the House of Reprcsen-
tatives: 1t will not be unbecomiDg If l
express to this assembly and acknowledge
that it is very aqreeble to me to stand once
more in the place which left, four years
ago daughter and applause.) OF the
past, however, | shall not speak, fer the |
past can speak for itself in words more |
fitting and suitable than any which can |
come properly from my lips.
Nor shall / speak of the future, for we |
are not now putting eff the harne IS, but |
putting it on. Yea hope may say of |
the future in the light of the past, that If |
any time anything is done that may seem
inadequate, time, which has justified itself |
of use ON many occasions, may do so |
again. Those who have acted with wis |
dom in the past may be fairly expected |
to act with wisdom in the future.
1.-THE pleasure, associated with the |
honor you have bestowed upon me, an |
honor which every American citizen can |
and for which l give thanks. |
is but for moment, while the cares ard |
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