The times., 1897-03-16
CONGRESS IN SESSION
Continued from First Page.

This was followed by the ceremony of
swearing in the members.
The delegations from Arkansas, Cali
fornia, Colorado, and Connecticut formed
the second batch or members to whom the
oath was administered. And so 1t went
on until all had sworn to support and
defend the Constitution of the United
States against all enemies, foreign and
domestic, and to discharge the duties of
their office well and faithfully.
The three delegates from Arizona, New
Mexico, and Oklahoma, closed the process
sion, except that four members who pre-
ferred to affirm rather than to ''sweaT, "
came forwa and qualified In that man
ner.
-Four Representatives, whose names had
not appeared on the clerks list were by
unanimous consent permitted TO take the
oath. They were Messrs. McMilin, Demo
crat, Tennes see; Doliiver, Republican, Iowa;
Pierce, Democrat, Tennessee, and Bell,
Democrat, Texas.
On motion Of Mr.. GTosvenor the appoint
mcnt OF the officers was made as voted
by the Republican caucus Saturday and
they were swornin.
Resolutions to notify the Senate and
President OF the organization OF the House
were passed, and three members, to join
a comnlittceon on the part OF he Senate, were
appointed 10 wait upon the President.
Mr.. Henderson offered resolution that,
until otherwise ordered, the rules OF the
House OF the Fiftyfourth Congress be
adopted as the rules OF the House in the
Fifty-fifth Congress, and on this he moved
the previous question. To this another Re
publican member from Iowa, Mr. Hepburn,
proposed IN amendment limiting the con
ttnuance of those rules TO Thirty days from
this date.
Mr.. McMillin of Tennessee asked Mr. Hen
derson. indirectly. whether 1t was the pur
pose of the Committee on Rules 10 report a
code of rules, and to let the House have
an opportunity u vote upon them
There is no doubt" said Mr.. Hender-
son, that that win be done Tile House
viii have the fullest opportunity to offer
amendments to the rules that will be
presented
The House was counted on Mr.. Hen
derson's motion for the previous question,
and the Speaker reported the close vote
of lo7 ayes and 1873 nays, q majority of
| against the Republican managers, the
minority voting solidly.
The Speaker announced an addition of
one vote to the ayes {making it a tie)
but that was Immediately followed by
an addition OF one to the noes The vote
was thereupon taken by yeas and nays
and resulted in ordering the previous ques-
ton on Mr.. Henderson's resolution by 50
yeas and 152 nays, several Republicans
having changed their votes from no to
aye.
When ready to draw seats there was a
rattling of ivories in box that was Il
strong reminder of games OF chance. MIR.
McMillin. of Tennessee, asked the usual
unanimous consent for MI. Grow and MIR.
Holman the oldest members on each side,
to have preference without lot. Mr.. W. A.
Stone asked that Mr.. Harmer be added. and
a Democrat asked that Mr.. Bland be put
with him. Then Mr.. Cannoa said the chair
man of the Ways and Means Committee
should be put on the list Mr. McMilliu
RESPONDED that he was willing for this and
for the chairman of Appropriations TO 60
with him.
There was considerable confusion over
this. Finally Mr. McMillin attempted to
clear the situation by restatement OF
the several proposals, and in closing said,
inadvertently, Mr.. Cannon proposed to put
himself on the preferred list. This raised
a laugh, in which Mr. McMiliin tried to
correct himself, and Mr.. Cannon added to
the merriment by throwing him a kiss
When Speaker Reed put the question
upon the two named by Mr. McMillin Mr..
Adams objected unless Mr., Harmer was
included As a result Father Holman
was among the last allotted and found a
seat in the Cherokee Strip" far on the
Speakers right.
Three hundred and sixty small ivory
cubes, each bearing number, were placed
in a box on the clerks desk and were
shaken up, and one of the pages, blind
folded. stood by the box and drew out
these dice, one by one, handing each to
clerk at his side, who thereupon called
out the name of the member corresponding
to the number
The winner of the first prize was Mr..
Sullivan, DEM, Mississippi, and of the
second, Mr.. Belden, Rep, New York.