The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-03
THE FIRST SESSION OF THE
FIFTY-SEVEN1H CONGRESS
The Opening Day Finds the House Galleries
Crowded With Eager Spectators of
the Proceedings.
THE RULES OF THE LAST HOUSE ADOPTED

ing storm of applause. Mr.. Richardson
then introduced him in half dozen
wpords The Speaker addressed the House
briefly, saying:
Gentlemen of the House of RepTesen-
tatives this high honor which you have
conferred upon me, / profoundly appre-
ciate. All the more do | appreciate it,
coming as it does with this generous cX-
preston from both sides of the cham
ber. There is yet left another method
for a presiding officer to express his ap-
probation OF such an honor that is, by
a kindly, firm and faithful admission Of
the law and the rules that govern this
body 1t will be my aim to discharge inn
partially the duties of this office. AS said
at the opening of the last Congress no
presiding officer can successfully admins
ter the duties of his office unless he has
the support of the body over which he
presides. / asked for it then; you gave
it to me throughout the entire Congress.
Permit me once more to invoke that pa
tience kind consideration and splendid
support which was accorded to me in the
last Congress.
ssThe maker of laws should not be d
breaker of laws. We proceed under law
and rules; and the duties devolving upon
each and all of the membership or this
house will be far better conserved II tins
principle is kept in mind and acted
upon
After oaths had been administered Mr..
Cannon Qlls.l, presented a resolution Tor
the election of the following officers OF
the House:
Alexander Mcdowell, Of Pennsylvania,
clerk: Henry Casson, of Wisconsin, SCR
geant- at arms; William ]. Glenn, Of New
York. DOOR keeper; Joseph c. McElroy, OF
Ohio. postmaster, and that of ii. N. Cou-
den, of Michigan, chaplain.
Mr.. Hay (Va.), on behalf of the minor
ity presented a substitute resolution
containing the names of the caudiaatea
selected by the Democratic caucus last
Saturday. The minority resolution was
voted down and Mr.. Cannon's resolution
was adopted without division.
The usual formal resolutions to rotlfY
tho president and the Senate of the or
ganizationo cf the House were a,ioaicd-
Mr.. Dalzell then offer ID tie rcso:stion
agreed to b the Seoi)''-in Caucus on
Saturday for the abortion Of the rifles
oof the present House.
This drew the first fire from the other
side. Mr. Dalzell was proceeding 70
legislation of the nature OF THESE
amendments when Mr.. Richardson in
terrupted to ask whether opportunity
was to be given to offer amendments,
and on receiving negative reply he pro-
tested against such action. He SAID ne
desired TO offer some amendments, which
he thought would prevail if the gentle
man from Iowa (Hcpburn) could deliver
the forty votes which the newspapers
had said he had in the Republican cau-
Gus last Saturday.
Mr.. Dalzell pointed out that the rules
were practically identical with those OF
the 51st, 54th and succeeding Congresses
and practically identical with those OF
the intervening Democratic Congresses.
He yielded five minutes to Mr. Richard
son, who occupied the time in denouncing
the rules He said he would move to
commit the rules to the Committee on
Rules when appointed.
While Mr.. Richardson was speaking Of
Mr. Hepburn's forty followers. Mr..
Steele Qnd.) countered by asking il the
Mcclellan resolution offered at the DEM
ocratic caucus last Saturday would COM
mand forty votes on the Democratic side.
To this Mr.. Richi( dson returned am
evasive reply.
Mr.. Hepburn said he had attempted ia
secure modification of the rules in the
53rd Congress, which was Democratic,
and upon that occasion Mr.. Richardson
himself had bitterly opposed the change.
This sally raised shout of laughter on
the Republican side.
Mr.. Dalzell moved the previous ques-
tion, whichu was ordered-176 to 14S.
Mr.. Richardson moved to commit the
resolution to the Committee on Rules,
which was lost, 142 to 1S5.
The resolutions then we're adopted
The Speaker assigned the contested
election cases from Alabama, Kentucky
and Missouri to the Elections Committee
No. /; those from North Carolina, Ohio
and South Carolina to No. 2. and those
from Virginia to No. 8. On motion OF
Mr.. Elliott IS. CO. resolution was
adopted to allow the Importation free
of payment of duty of all articles from
foreign countries, and the transfer of
foreign exhibits from the Pan American
Exposition at Buffalo, for the purpose OF
exhibition at the South Carolina Inter-
State and West Indian Exposition at
Charleston, S. G.
At 4:30 p. m the House adjourned.