The record-union., 1897-03-16
Other Officers Selected by the Repub'
lican Caucus Also Installed.
The Speaker Announces the Members
of the Rules, Ways and rleans
and rli!eage Committees-Senat
Does Little Business Except to
Hear the Presidents Message
Read.

WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE
fifty-fifth House of Representatives or
Eanized to-day for the work before it.
Although the proceedings were per-
functory, the scene was brilliant one
Crowds were attracted to the galleries
hours before noon. but the general pub
lie had small opportunity to view the
proceedings. All the galleries but one
We're reserved for ticket holders.
The most striking feature of the scene
on the floor was the number of new
faces. Familiar figures, conspicuous in
the shock of many parliamentary
battle, had disappeared, and in the lists
We're new and untried knights. The
Change of the personnel was very great.
BY IL O'Clock the reserved galleries,
except those for the diplomatic corps
and the Executive, were walled in, tier
on tier.
At II o'clock Major Mcdowell, the
Clerk, raped the House to order. Rev.
Couden, the blind chaplain, delivered
the invocation, appealing for Gods
blessing on the work of the new Con-
gress and new administration. The
Clerk read the Presidents proclamation
cCnvening Congress, after which the
roll was called.
There was the usual preliminary
scuffling, the clearing of the floor and
the rapping for order. Then it was
announced that the first business was
the election Of a Speaker.
The vote on Speaker, which resulted
Reed Ca) 1919, Bailey CD ia, Bell (Pop)
y and Newlands (SilveD l, aligned
several unclassifed members. OF the
ST
nois and Marshall Of Ohio voted for
Bailey; one, Maxwell of Nebraska, vot-
ed for Bell, and three, Jones and Lewis
of Washington. and Todd Of Michigan,
old not vote. Two of the silverites,
Newlands of Nevada and Shafroth of
Colorado did not vote, and Hartman Of
Montana voted for Newlands.
Speaker Reed was enthusiastically re-
ceived on his appearance in the House
after his election, and made a graceful
and dryly humorous speech in assum-
ing the gavel.
According to the time honored Gus
tom, Harmer (R) of Pennsylvania, the
Oldest member in continuous service
administered the oath to the Speaker.
After the new members had been
sworn in by the Speaker the oath was
administered by unanimous consent to
Messrs. Dolliver of Iowa, Bell of Tex
as and Pierce and McMillin of Tennes-
see, whose credentials had not yet ar
rived.
GrosvenOr then presented a resolu-
ton, which was adopted, for the cleo
ton Of the candidates for the other
officers of the House selected by the
Republican caucus, as follows: Clerk
Alexander Mcdowell of Pennsylvania;
Sergeant alarms, Benjamin F. Rus
sell of Missouri; DoOrkeeper, William
j. Glenn of New York; Postmaster, J.
y. Couden.
The usual formal resolution of notifi-
cation of assembling was adopted.
When Henderson Q2) of Iowa of
fered the usual resolution for adopting
temporarily the rules of the last House
an Intellectual attempt was made. under
the leadership of Hepburn, to limit the
operation of the rules of the last Con-
gress, which We're adopted temporarily
to thirty days. The Democrats Popu-
lists and fourteen Republicans sup
ported him, but they were defeated
1S3 to 152
This was the only incident out of the
ordinary with the proceedings to-day.
The Presidents message was applauded
vigorously, as was Dngley, when he in
troduced the new tariff bill.
The Speaker appointed the Republican
members Of the old Committee of the