The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-12-07
Fifty-Fourth Congress Assembled
Monday Noon.
ALL EYES ON THE FORMER
Senate Opening an Animated and Bril-.
liant Occasion, but the Proceed
ings Were Routine.


that character. is notable for the num-
Der of faces that are missing and the
number of faces that appear for the
first time. and many Of the owners Of
which, up to the closing of the polls
in their respective localities, had
scarcely the slightest hope that they
would figure in the organization of the
present house.
AS the members strolled in by ones,
and twos. and threes this morning,
the occupants of the press galleries,
who have seen congressman come and
go, could not fail to be struck with the
fact that this was a decidedly new"
house. and to further note the large
number of old stand-bys that were
among the absent. The seat so long
occupied by Richard p. Bland of Mis-
souri,, was appropriated by a new
conner, so with Breckenridge of Ken
lucky, Bryan of Nebraska, Bynum of
Indiana, the eloquent Bourke Cochran
of New York, the economical Holman
OF Indiana, Kilgore of Texas, Springer
of Illinois, Wilson of West Virginia,
leader of the democracy in the last
house, Hooker of Mississippi, Harter of
son. ex-idol of the populists. All Of
these are alive and in the flesh, but
were turned down year ago. and may
reappear some day in the future when
democracy is once again IN the sad
die.
While the democratic side of the
house had dwindled to about half of
its former size, few Of the old members
of the former republican minority were
missing. There was one vacant chair
on that side Of the house, and the bow
of crepe that was attached to the desk
gave silent token that one Of the most
honored and respected of the old re-
publican members, General Cogswell
of Massachusetts, had passed to an
other land. or the new members, Lor-
inner Of Illinois, who carried a dyed-in-
the-wool democratic district, mainly
owing to Governor McKinley's speech
In Chicago a year ago last October,
John Patrick Tracey and Joel d. Hub
bard from Missouri, H. II. Culp of the
Seventeenth Pennsylvania district,
hitherto democratic from the day of it's
organization, William Alden Smith of
Grand Rapids, Mich. Corliss of De-
troit, Crump of Bay City, Miner of
-Coldwater. and Charles p, Taft Of Gin
cinnati, who has made the Times-Star
of that city one of the most influential
opponents OF republicanism in the mid
die states, were conspicuous. Many of
the old members were heartily greet
ed on making their appearance, while
cordial welcomes were extended to
many Of the best known representatives
of the new blood"
SPEAKER REED THE STAR
The house of representatives passed
today into control of the republicans
and Thomas Bracket Reed of Maine
again triumphantly assumed the speak
ership gavel. The open session was, as
usual, an animated and brilliant occa-
sion. set off with crowded galleries in
holiday attire, intoxicating with the
perfume of hundreds of floral tributes
to popular members and pervaded with
a spirit of jubilation and good nature.
Old familiar faces were absent, but
there were plenty of new ones to take
their places. Still the proceedings
themselves, as usual with opening ses-
sions, were OF routine character and
devoid of sensational features. The
house simply organized, adopted the
usual resolutions to notify the presi-
dent and the senate that the house was
ready for business and wound up by
INDUCING in the biennial lottery or seat
drawing contest.
Speaker Reed was beyond question
the star Of the occasion. His appear
ance was the signal for a most fiat
tering and enthusiastic demonstration
His inaugural was modest and full of
good feeling, but non-committal as to
policies However, it was not expected
that the speaker would touch upon
questions to be dealt with
PAYNE AS LEADER.
Ex-Speaker Crisp assumed the lead
ership of the minority and 1t was sig
nifcant that Mr.. Payne of New York
made the motion which usually de-
wolves upon the leader Of the majority.
This is taken to mean that he is to
be chairman of the ways and means
committee and recognized leader of the
republicans on the floor.
CALLED TO ORDER.
BY 10 o'clock the marble corridors of
the hall OF representatives were throng-
ed with sightseers and place hunters.
and before IL o'clock the galleries, pub
lie and private. were packed to the
doors. Flowers were conspicuous on
the desks Of various members. As the
hands Of the clock pointed to u, Clerk
Kerr called the F'ifty-fourth house of
representatives. to order. Rev. Bagby
OF this city, chaplain Of the house, Of
fered the invocation. Under the direc-
tion Of Mr.. Kerr, the roll of members
elected to the Fifty-fourth house was
called. Mr.. Reed, for whom every one
was inquiring, had not made his APP
pearance. Mr.. Kerr announced that
AL Of the 356 members Of the house