Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07
USUAL SCENES ABSENT
Opening Of the Regular Ses-
sion of the House.
NO FLORAL TRIBUTES
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE LIST oF
CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
Committee Appointed to Wait Upon the
President-Receiving
Message.
NO FLORAL TRIBUTES

The opening of the first regular session ot
the Fifty-eighth Congress in the House OF
Representatives today at noon was marked
by the transa ction of an unusually large
amount of routine business preceding the
receipt Of the Presidents message. From
II until O. clock the House was scene OF
activity, the Speaker being upon his feet
most of the time.
The opening Of the regular session today
was robbed of the picturesque scenes usu'
ally attending the assembling Of the Con-
gress These scenes were enacted the eth
of last month, when the extraordinary scs-
sion was called to order. 1t was then that
the members Of the House received the
floral offerings which once year choke
the Speakers lobby with fragrant bios
SONS. to be later placed upon the desks Ok
the representatives remembered by their
friends or constituents.
The only flowers in evidence on the aoor
of the House today rested upon the black
draped desk Of the late Representative
Burk of Pennsylvania. who died Saturday.
Calling the Roll.
The members Of the House having been
formally sworn in for the entire session
during the extraordinary sitting Of the
body, the only ceremony attending todays
opening was the calling of the roll by states.
Over 200 members responded, and quorum
being announced as present. business was
proceeded with Representative Babcock,
chairman of the committee on the District
of Columbia. offered a resolution author1z-
ing the committee to have such printing and
binding done during the session as may be
required for the transaction of its business.
Mr.. Pinckney (Texas) was sworn in.
A telegram from the governor of Texas an
q w election X
ney was conceded by his opponent yet
under the laws of that state the vote could
not be canvassed until forty days after the
election, which was held November II.
Unanimous consent was given that the oath
be administered.
The Speaker announced the presence of
quorum. 3O3 members having responded
to the roll call
To Wait on the President.
The Speaker appointed committee con-
sisting Of Messrs. Hepburn Qowa), Hemen-
way Qnd.), and Williams (Miss.), to Join a
committee from the Senate to wait upon
the President and notify him that quorum
Of the two houses was present and ready
to receive any communication from him.
resolution was adopted providing that
the clerk notify the Senate Of the presence
of quorum in the House
A message from the Senate announced
the appointment by that body of a like
committee.
The Contests.
The list of contests filed and announced
to the House by the clerk was read, and is
as follows:
California, fourth district Illinois sixth
district; Massachusetts,, ninth district; Mis-
souri, eleventh and twelfth districts: North
Carolina, tenth district Pennsylvania, tenth
district; Oklahoma, delegate at large; South
Carolina, first and seventh districts: Ten
nessee, eighth district; Colorado, first dis
trict.
The House at 1 pm. took a recess until
1:30 pm
Upon reassembling Mr.. Hepburn reported
that the committee appointed to join a
committee from the Senate to wait upon
the President had performed that duty
and that the President advised the commit
tee that he would speedily send a communi-
cation to the House in writing.
Hearing the Message.
At LAO pm. Mr.. Barnes, assistant secre-
tary to the President, bearing the Presi-
dents message to Congress, was announc-
ed. The message was read to the House
Printed copies Of the Presidents message
were placed on the desks Of members Rep
resentative William Alden Smith GIich.)
was called to the chair by the Speaker to
preside temporarily while the reading was
in progress.
Another message from the President
transmitting rules and regulations pre-
scribed In connection with the public lands
in the Philippines, was received by the
House.