The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-07

Of any character The formalities at
tending the Inauguration of the session
are dry and except as a spectacle hard
ly repaid the crowds which thronged
the public and private galleries. Yet
with few exceptions the visitors sat
through the whole proceedings. Mr..
Dingley. the floor leader Of the ma
jorfty; Mr.. Bailey, the recognized lead
er Of the minority, and Mr.. Grosvenor,
of Ohio, enjoyed the distinguished
honor Of being appointed to wait upon
the president, whose message was, Of
course, the event Of the day. It's read
ing was long and tedious but it was fol-
lowed with close attention by the men,
bers and the spectators in the galleries.
There was no demonstration until the
reading was concluded when the Re-
publicans joined in hearty expression
OF approval. Immediately after the
reading Of the message the house adj
journed out Of respect to the memories
Of Senator George CMiss.), and Repre-
sentative Wright (Mass), who had died
during the recess.
The floral tributes for the members
were numerous and in some instances
imposing. One, which attracted prob
ably more attention than any other on
account Of it's unique character, graced
the desk Of Gen. Grosvenor, Of Ohio. 1t
COASlSltu VI d huge Tree OIL yellow
chrySanthemumS and American Beauty
roses under the nodding branches Of
which stood an innocent looking toy
lamb. 1t was a tribute from the Ma
tional Wool Growers association.
Some one discovered that under the ad-
ministration of pressure to portion Of
the lambs anatomy it would give forth
a sound resembling bleat. Much
amusement and merriment followed
6icn1nC1Irn "a tot 0f
a huge gavel in red and white carna-
ticns stood upon the speakers table.
Among others who were remembered
with floral offerings were Gen. Wheeler,
of Alabama, Mr.. Dovener, of West Vir-
ginia; Mr.. DalZell, of Pennsylvania; c..
K. Stone, of Pennsylvania; Mr.. Hender-
son, of Iowa; Mr.. Lacey, of Iowa, and
Mr.. Dayton, of West Virginia.
At fifteen minutes before noon the
floor was cleared of all persons eX-
cept 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.. Dingley, 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 II, Speaker
Reed, attired in a black cutaway coat
and wearing a red tie, pushed through
the green baize doors from the lobby
and assembled the rostrum. One crack
of the gavel subdued the din on the
floor and the conversation in the over
hanging galleries. The gavel with
which the speaker called the house to
order was presented to him by J. C..
Groner, sheriff of Knox county, Ten
nessee, who sent it in the name of
the "stalwart Republicans of East
Tennessee. 1t was formally present
ed to the speaker through H. Clay
Evans, the commissioner of pensions.
The gavel is made of apple tree wood
which grew beside the log house in
which Farragut was born. This house
stood at Loves Ferry on the Tennes-
see river, six miles below Knoxville.
In the deep silence which followed
the calling of the assemblage to or
der, the prayer Of the eminent divine,
Rev. Charles A. Berry, of Weaver
hampton, England, who delivered the
invocation, was solemn and impress
sive. The roll call showed the pres
ence of sol members. There were five
vacancies from death or resignation
during the recess, and the credentials