New-York tribune., 1896-12-08
CONGRESS MEETS AGAIN.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE READ.
UNUSUAL LISTLESSNESS AND APATHY
MARK THE OPENING OF THE SESSION.

MARK THE OPENING OF THE SESSION
A LARGE ATTENDANCE OF sENAToRs-oNLY THE
CUBAN PART OF THE MESSAGE LISTENED TO
WITH INTEREsT-THE DEATH OF EN-
SPEAKER CRISP ANNOUNCED IN
THE HOUsE-BoTH BODIES
ADJOURN EARLY.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. Dec. I-Unusual listessness and
| apathy marked the ceremonies-in themselves
brief and unirnpressive-with which the second
session OF the LIVth Congress opened at noon
to-day AS a rule little political or spectacular
interest attach to the hurried sitting OF
/ twelve or thirteen weeks with which an expir-
ing Congress turns out the fag ends of its term
Of power and life. Reassembling fresh from the
submission Of it, own record and policies to the
verdict of National election. to exercise func-
tions almost semi -posthumous. Congress at
It's final session can be expected to show signs
of either legislative courage legislative fool
hardness The shadow Of sterility and inaction
lies heavily over the reassembled houses; after
the heat and passion Of great political cam
paign. party spirit is disposed to seek relief in
the amenities OF purely routine legislation: vic
tors and vanQuished in the November struggle
are alike eager to call truce and leave to the
newly chosen Congress the burden Of contin-
ing and directing serious party warfare. In
Presidential years especially 1t has been the
fate of Congresses returning to Washington Tor
the short session to find themselves confronted
with an impending change Of political power In
one branch or the other or the advent OF n hos
tile National Administration. Rarely. under
such conditions has anything but routine legis-
lation been undertaken; and the interest excited
by the work Of the two houses has never passed
the bounds OF commonplace curiosity.
The LIvth Congress, like many Of its prede-
cessors has gone to tho people on its record and
seen that record-in so far as II has been deter
mined by the free sver-coinage majority in
the Senate-emphatically condemned and re-
pudiated at the polls 1t gathers again in
Washington to await the inauguration of
President chosen on the very issue which
the silver managers in the Senate per-
sistcnty and fanatcally forced to the front
and it Will see with the Inauguration of Major
Mckinley. March 1 next. the return to power
not only Of n Republican House Of Representa-
tves but OF a Senate not nominally but gen
uinely Republican-a Senate In which revenue
and tariff measures cannot be held up by high
way fanatics nor the wheels OF legislation
stopped perpetually at the behest of a combina-
tlon of silver-mne owners. That the tone of the
ruling majority in the upper branch Of Congress
this winter should be one Of humility and mild
ness Is not to be wondered at: certainly no
cent session. except perhaps that of 1S9i-'9J
has opened with a more quiescent air or with
more pointed signs of political asstude and leg
islative dulness.
Both houses were kept waiting a little longer
than usual for the Presidents message. and both
adjourned until tomorrow after listening to it.
n
Despite the extreme placidity notable in
to-day's proceedings. the Senate has probably
never had so large a proportion OF its member
ship present any single occasion except n
Presidential Inauguration Senator Allison is
i'll AT home In Dubuque. Senator Teller has
not returned from Colorado, and Mr.. Perkins is
at present on his way to Washington from Call
fornia There only few other absentees
The bright warm sunshine. ain ost like an
October morning. had brought gayly dressed
crowd 10 the Capitol. and the new seats In the
Senate galleries. which now replace the awk-
ward and obsolete benches. were early taxed
to their normal capacity. The senseless and ex-
travagant custom Of hiding the desks Of the
returning lawmakers with floral tributes
seemed to be pushed to greater extreme than
ever Twenty more Senator's sat uncom-
fortably behind huge masses of roses and
smallest man in the Senate hidden from
view by the larges. and most funereal piece
in the chamber Chairman Jones' of Arkansas.
drew the smallest bouquet. but Mr.. Jones is ac-
customed by this time to misfortunes. and
smiled unrufiled at his favored competi-
tors Senator Palmer of illinois, the Presden-
tiaI candidate OF the Sound Money Democrats,
was worse off even than Jones' not being re-
membered either by Chairman Bynum or the
White House gard drner.
The confused condition Of party lines in the
Senate was emphasized by the fact that Messrs.
Gray, Villas IIill and Palmer all sat calmly In
their accustomed seats In the Democratic quar-
ter-circle while scattered among the Republi-
cans were Pettlgrew. Dubois, Cannon and the
other boilers from the St. Louis Convention.
The customary formatles opened the short
winter session. Mr. Sherman. the Oldest
member OF the body IN point of service. offered
the resolution for a committee to walt upon
the President and Senator Smith. OF New-Jcr-
scy. was selected by the Vice-President to ac-
company Senator Sherman to the White House.
This unusual departure from precedent, which
would have dictated the choice OF the Oldest
Democrat I'm service. was accounted for on sev-
eral grounds 1t was said that Mr.. Harris who
generally goes on this errand. did not care to
perform the duty this year. Again, 1t was sug-
gested that Mr.. Smiths appointment was in
tended as n compliment to the state which Mr.
Cleveland has chosen for his home on retiring
from the Presidency
LISTENING TO THE MESSAGE.
The only feature Of interest in the days pro-
coedngs was, Of course. the Presdents Mes
sage with its expected statement OF American
policy I'm Cuba. Many diplomats had gathered
I'm the Senate gallery to hear the Message read
among them the British Ambassador. Lazy
Pauncefote and the Misses Pauncefote: the
French Ambassador and Nine. PGten0tre. the
ChIlian Minister Mustapha Bey. the Turkish
Minister and several attaches OF the Spanish