Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-12-04
Were the Proceedings In the Sem
ate and House ar the Open
ing Session.
r THE BUSINESS DONE TO-DAY
ReappOrtiOnment Leads All Other
Measures In Observation-Disclosures
pathy for Kruger.

!
the fenate this morning Jonathan
Printess Dolliver, who was appoints d
to succeed the late Senator Gear from
Iowa, took the oath of office. Fair<
banks, of Indiana, introduced a bill
to admit Oklahoma as q state with
two representatives. Among the
bills passed was one authorizing Hon.
George ID. Meiklejohn 10 accept the
decoration of chevalier of the first
class from the government of Sweden,
Norway.
The case of Senator Clark, of Mon
tana, came up for few minutes, but
at 2 went oyer until tomorrow. Frye
then moved that the senate proceed
with consideration of the shipping
subsidy bill; carried, 80 to 20. Frye
then took the floor and made speech
in favor of the bill.
When the house met Hepburn, of
Iowa, withdrew the credentials offered
yesterday of j. p. Connor, of Iowa,
who was elected 10 succeed Deliver,
and offered new credentials from the
governor of Iowa certifying to the
election of Connor. No objection was
made and Connor was sworn in. Hull,
chairman of the military affairs COM
mittee, reported the army reorgani-
Zation bill and asked unanimous con-
sent that it be taken up tomorrow.
Su'zer, of New York, objected.
Washington. Dec. I'm the senate
yesterday the work of the short ses-
sion of the Fifty-siXth congress was
successfully launched. 1t had been
the purpose of the senate TO announce
the death Of Senators Gear. of Iowa,
and Davis, of Minnesota. immediate
ly after assembling. aud then to ad-
journ. and to Eccrive the message of
the president today. but aS this had
been announced by the leaders of both
branches of congress to he "bUSi-
ness session" il was determined u
receive the message yesterday and
thus gain one day in Il session when
that much time may be OF immense
importance. Aside from the fCIdrf%-
OF the message ana tile administration
Of the oath Of office to William Il.
Dillingham;. the new senator from
Vermont. VIII succeeds the late Justin
S. Morrill,. no business was transacted.
The other new member OF Jne uuuy,
eH- Representative DolliVer. who sue
ceedS the late Senator GcOr, of Iowa,
was present throughout the session,
but his credentials We're not presenter
and he was not sworn in. because the
death of his predecessor had not been
formally announced. The air Of the
chamber was heavy with the perfume
from magnificent floral pieces. The
call of the roll disclosed the presence
of siXty-onc senators. After the
T.. Jbr7tlaro
of the secretaries to the president. was
recognized and presented the awaited
message of the president. II took Sec
retary of the Senate Bennett an hour
and tifty-fOur minutes to read il. Al
lisOn then announced the death of
Senator Gear. and offered the usual
resolution Of sorrow which was adopt
ed. He was followed by Nelson of
Minnesota. who announced formally
the death of Senator Davis. The sen
ate then at 30 adjourned.
Brilliant, but Sot Exciting.
The opening of the session in the
house was brilliant but not exciting.
There were the usual througs in the
galleries and the usual display of floral
pieces on the floor. but the proceedings
were purely formal. consisting Yf the
Tapping To order by the speaker. pray
er by the chaplain. the roll call or
mem bers. the appointment OF the for
NAL committees To wait on the pre>i-
dents MESA ge. Despite the fact that
a great presidential campaign had con
cluded within a month the best of feel
ing seemed 10 prevail between victorS
and vanquiShed. The reading of the
message. which naturally was the
feature of the day. occupied over two
hours. II was listened ~ with re
p,,I -, 1,x- F.-
When Speaker Henderson called the
house TO order at noon the desks Of
half the members We're freiChjed with
flowers from admirinG friends or con
stluents. and the profu>ion of the floral
pieces gave the vast hall more the ap-
pearance of a garden than legislative
assembly. After the roll call the speak
eT announced that 2tJ members had re
sponjed to their names: a quorum. and
the house was ready for business. The
following memberS-eleCt then appeared
al the bar OF the house and took the
cath OF allegiance: Albert y. Shaw.
OF New York: Allen F. McDermott. OF
New Jersey: Walter {. HoffeckeT. of
Delaware: Edward DeN. NorreIl. %
Pennsylvania: William Richardson OF
Alabama: ". H Jackson. az Mary
land: Samuel n. Woods. Of California.
TIE speaker announced the appoint
nelf OF BabcoCk or W lSCOH~lH Oh t4-'
committee on ways and means 10 sue
coed DoiEver. The deaths Of Repre-
een.at!ves Hoffecker. Of Delaware:
Daily. OF New Jersey. and Senators
Gear. OF Iowa. and Davis. of Mime
sofa. were then announced and after
the adoption Cf resolutions OF regret
the house. 4 : A further mark OF respect
n the memory Of the dece ISed states
tnen a i 90 y. m. adjourned
PLANS An ORDER OF BUSINESS.
snd Democrats Consider tho
Question OF Bills.