The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-06
CONGRESS OPENS
Divine Blessing ION the House
Of Representatives
Is Invoked by Visiting Clergy
man From England.
NO CAUSE FOR DELAY
One Crack of the Gavel and All
Ready For Business.
Number, Variety and Beauty OF
Floral Tributes
Were Unusual in Both House
and Senate.
Fl
Were Unusual in Both House
and Senate.
MESSAGE is HEARD.
The Reading Began at 1885
This Afternoon.

washington. Dec. 6-At noon today
the first regular session of the 55th
congress began. simultaneously at
both ends of the capitol Speaker Reed
in the house and Vice President Hobart
in the senate called to order the re
spective bodies over which they pre-
side. The weather was prOpitious- The
sun shone brilliantly from a cIOudless
sky. The crowd swarmed into the cor
ridors at an early hour and choked the
marble steps as they ascended to the
galleries from which they were to view
the show.
The hall of the house of representa-
uiVes before the hour of noon arrived,
was filed with jOstling, moving croWQS
and before II O'Clock the enclrcnnS Sal-
leries which overlooked the floor, were
black with people.
Chairman Hit, of the foreign al
fairs committee and Chairman Walker,
of the banking and currency committee,
whose positions will probably bring
them much into the public eye during
the session, were early on the moor,
mingling with their colleagues The
floral tributes for the members We're
numerous and in some instances 1mpOS-
ing One, which probably attracted
more attention than any other on ac-
count of it's unique character, graced
the desk of Gen. GrOsVenOr of Ohio. 1t
consisted of q huge tree of yellow
chrvsanthemurns and American beauty
roses under the nOdding branches OF
which stood an innocent looking toy
lamb. 1t was a tribute from the Ma
tionaI Wool Growers association Some
one discovered that under the admins
tration of pressure to portion OF the
lambs anatomy it would give forth
sound resembling a bleat and much
amusement and merriment followed
this disclosure.
The representation of a huge gavel in
red and white carnations, stood upon
the speakers table. Among others
who were remembered with floral Of
ferings were General Wheeler Of Ala
bama; Mr.. DOvener, of West Virginia;
MIR. DaIzell, of Pennsylvania; Mr.. c.
w. Stone, Of Pennsylvania; Mr. Hen
derson. of Iowa; Mr.. Lacey, of Iowa,
and Mr. Dayton. OF West Virginia.
At fifteen minutes before noon. the
floor was cleared of all persons except
members and officers. soon afterWard
Mr.. Bailey of Texas, the leader of the
minority and SILVER Dollar" Bland of
Missouri. entered the hall together. Mr.
DinEley, the floor leader OF the house,
smiling and affable as ever came in
just before the speaker appeared. As
the hands OF the clock pointed to y
o'clock. Speaker Reed. attired in a
black cutaway coat and wearing a red
tie pushed through the green balSe
doors from the lobby and ascended the
rOstrum- One crack of the gavel sub
dued the din Of the floor and the con-
versation in the Overhanging galleries
The gavel with which the speaker
called the house to order was presented
to him by J. c. Groener, sheriff Of Knox
county, Tennessee, who sent it in the
name of the .Stalwart Republicans of
East Tennessee"
1t was formally presented to the
speaker through H. Clay Evans, the
commissioned of pensions. The gaveI
is made of apple tree wood, which grew
beside the log house in which Farra-
gut was born.
In the deep silence which followed
the calling of the assembIage to order
the prayer of the eminent divine, Rev
Charles A. Berry OF Weaver Hampton.
Eng, who delivered the invocation.
was solemn and impressive. The speak
er then immediat tely directed the clerk
to call the roll and this consumed
The roll call showed the presence Of
SOl members. There We're five VaCan-
cies from death or resignation during
IHe recess and the credentials of the
members elect were read by the direc-
tion of the speaker who then admins
tered the oath of office to them. They
were F. NJ Gritth (Dem), successor to
the late Judge Holman in the Fourth
Indiana district; H. s. ROuteue (RepD
Of Chicago, who succeeded Edward D.
COOK. deceased; James Norton (Dem)
of the Seventh South Carolina district
who succeeded John L AIcLaurin now
a senator; George p. Lawrence. CRepO,
of the First Massa sachusetts who sue
ceeded Ashley 3. Wright. deceased.
and J. n. Griggs (Dem.). of the Third
New York district who succeeded
FRANCIS U. Wilson. who resigned to ac-
Brooklyn.
The latter's credentials had not vet
arrived but the oath was administered
70 nlm by unanimous consent.
ON motion of Mr. Hopkins ReD TII)
the clerk was directed to notify the
senate that the house was ready for
business and on motion of Mr. Dfngley
the moor leader, a resolution was adopt
ed Tor the appointment of a committee
OF three to join the committee of the
senate TO wait on the president and in
form him that congress was ready to
receive any communication he desired
10 make The speaker selected Messrs
Dingley, Maine. Grosvenor. Ohio and
Bailey, Texas, for this honor
ON motion of Mr.. Henderson of iowa
member of the committee on rules the
rule at the extra session for three dsvs5
adJournments, was vacated and dai}v
sessions to begin at noon each dav were
ordered There being nothing to do l7l1t
await the reception of the presidents
message, the house recessed until I.2O
D.
When the house recOnyened at 1:4O n
m, the committee appointed to await
upon the president come down the cen
ter aisle and Mr.. Dingley reported that
the committee had performed its mis-