The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-05
Scenes and Incidents Attending the
Opening OF the Fifty-Sixth
United States Congress.
HENDERSON MADE SPEAKER
AND GIVEN REEDS FORMER POWER
TO RULE THE HOUSE.
Drawing of Seats-New Senator'S
sworn In-Adjournment Out Of Re-
spect to Mr. Hobart's Memory.
WAsHINGroN. DEC. 4-rhe Fiftv-sixt


WASHINGTON. Dec. 4-The Fifty-sixth
Congress was opened at noon to-day. The
corridors of the Capitol and the galleries
Of both houses were thronged with people,
The principal Inter- centered In the dis
position by the -iouse OF the case of Mr..
Roberts. the Mormon representative from
Utah. Those who anticipated sensational
denouement were disappointed. The pro-
gramme outlined by the Republican leaders
at their conference of Friday night was
partly carried out. The objection to the
administration of the oath to Mr.. Roberts
was entered by Mr. Tayler. of Ohio. as pre-
dicted. and he stepped aside without pro-
test. except to ask If by doing so he waived
any Of his rights. To this the speaker re-
sponded in the negative. There was not a
protest from any quarter against the OBJ
lection to the administration OF the oath to
Mr.. Roberts. But. on the contrary, the
only voice raised, except that Of Mr.. Tay-
lers, was that oil Mr.. McRae. Democrat,
of Arkansas, who Joined with Mr.. Tayler
IN his protest. Mr.. Tayler offered his reso-
luton to refer the case to a special COM
mittee, but by mutual arrangement consid-
Grafton OF the resolution was postponed
until tomorrow I'm order hat the routine
business In connection with the organiza-
tion might be transacted to-day.
For hours before noon. the time for the
House to meet. people streamed through
the corridors to the galleries which looked
down upon he arena where the statesmen
were congregating. BY II O'Clock brilliant
gathering had assembled The galleries
were black with people. and through the
swinging doors could be seen pushing ..un-
dreds who were unable to gain admission
Entrance was only obtained by card for
which there was an enormous demand
The ladies' and members ga.-eries
were filed with brilliantly gowned
women. the wives of representatives. and
their friends The executive gallery was
filled with high dignitaries of the govern
ment. and the diplomatic gallery resplend-
ent with the representatives of foreign gov
ernments. Scattered through the galleries
were people prominent in the political, So
cial and financial world.
Very early In the day monster petition,
said to consist of seven million names. pro-
testing against the seating of Mr. Roberts,
was brought into the hall. II had been coll
1ected by a New York newspaper. 1t con-
sisted Of twenty-eight rolls of Names each
about two feet In diameter, incased in the
American flag. These rolls were stacked up
in the arena in front OF the clerks desk
and were viewed with great curiosity.
Later Major Mcdowell, clerk OF the House,
oroeI Ell All except two or the roils taken
out into the lobby. Mr. Roberts came into
the hall shortly after clock, but he was
not generally recognized and he retired to
the cloakroom almost Immediately At IL 80
q shrill-voiced clerk directed those not en-
titled TO the floor to retire. and officers and
pages rapidly cleared out those already In.
ROBERTS GETS A SEAT.
Although Mr.. Roberts was not sworn In
to-day he secured a seat This, however.
was by an accident pure and simple. In the
seat-drawing lottery no provision had been
made for Mr.. Roberts. but when the draw
ing was completed two others, as well as
himself. had not been provided with seats
and the speaker asked and secured from
the House general permission for those
members who had not drawn seats to make
such selections as they could. Under this
authority Mr.. Roberts got a seat in an
obscure portion OF the hall. His daughter
sat In the gallery and watched the proceed
ings from beginning to end. The election of
Speaker Henderson and his induction into
Office. the appointment OF the usual COM
Il,
seat-drawing contest. with the usual anus
ing features. went of without a hitch. The
only other feature out Of the ordinary was
the adoption OF the Reed rules for the
present Congress. The Democrats knew II
was futile TO more than protest against the
adoption OF these rules after the Republic
ans had decided upon this course in caucus
and the debate upon the resolution TO adopt
them was very brief. They were adopted
by q strict party vote
In the Senate appropriate tribute was
paid TO the memory OF late Vice President
Hobart to-day. The session lasted only
thrty-three minutes and only the most
formal and necessary business was trans
acted. After the adoption OF the usual rou-
tine resolutions ana the administration 70
the new members OF the oath Of office
Senator SeweiL OF New Jersey. presented
fitting resolutions on the death OF the Vice
President: the resolutions were ordered 70
be communicated to the House OF Repre-
sentatives. and the session. on motion of
Mr.. kean. or New Jersey. was suspended
AS usual on the opening days of a ses-
sion OF Congress the Senate chamber was
veritable conservatory. The odor Of the
rarest and ioveliest OF blooming plants was
heavy on the air. Scarcely a single sena-
tor was forgotten In the lavish floral dis
play and particularly notable was the Of
fering OF flowers to the new members OF
the body. The desks to which they had
been assigned were loaded with the choic-
est selections from the public and private
conservatories OF the city. Attention was
called to the fact that no emblem OF
mourning appeared on the Vice President's q
desk This apparent omission was explained