New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-06
IN THE HOUSE.
Members in Good Hum0r-No OBJ
iecti0n RAISED to Hefin.
IFroM THE TRIBUNr BuREAU. J

Washington. Dec. 5-As the hour approached
wher tue Speaker was TO call the House to
order, rnerriment and good natured chatting
reigned supreme in the chamber. Dignity was
discarded and decorum thrown TO the winds as
the members, like a noisy crowd of rollicking
schCoboys returning from vacation exchanged
cordial greetings and congratulations. with oc-
casionaI condolences and regrets thrown in. as
popular though defeated Democrats who were
caught in the recent landslide were discovered.
The roar that went up from the laughing, chat
ting. arguing groups furnished a good imitation
Of a bull market the New-York Stock Ex-
change. The Democrats did some pretty tall
explaining this morning before the session began
to why 1t was" and how it happened"
and more than thousand new reasons were uu-
corked by the argumentative. Everybody was
I'm a good humor, however, and even the most
ardent partisans shook hands and admitted that
it would be an the same a hundred years
hence" Skylarking was the order of the day
from 1890 until II o'clock and not a member
shirked his part in it. although here and there
on the floor and in the cloakrOoms could be seen
groups of members engaged il earnest CONVEX
sation. and the words tariff" revision ana
stand pat" indicated the nature of the subject
under discussion.
The galleries were comfortably filed in de-
cided contrast to the unwieldy crowds that have
demanded admission previous opening days
of Congress. This was due in a large measure
10 the adoption of a system which permitted
admission to the galleries only on cards ISSUED
in limited numbers by members. The new plan
worked to perfection. preventing the disconforts
which have heretofore characterized occasions
of this kind. The customary floral display was
much in eyldence-too much. was the consensus
of opinion, as leading members of the House
looked with disapproval on the useless and
Ct1lrft
growing tendency toward the suppression of
such offerings were to-day scattered pT0di-
gally through the chamber. and it may result in
the adoption OF a resolution restricting the
floral displays to the comparative se'lusion of
the lobby. 1t was evident that many of the
buZZng animated. CeaseleSsly moving gallery
crowd We're financially inter rested in the costly
floral desk coverings. and not Il few of them
looked as though the money could have been
spent to better advantage. The leaders and
veterans of the House were not lavlshly re-
membered but the omission did NOT seem 10
trouble them greatly, and they looked indu-
gently those more favored ON the Demo
cratic side Representative NTtm SULLIVAN was
the recipient of numerous tributes Ihfee m
mense punches Of roses and q protuslon OF otheF
flowers were piled in front OF him others were
added from time to time. until finally q page
stenped ua to him and remarked: There are
three baskets out there that won't come through
the door" ..
hfter the transaction of the ordinary routine
business Representative Clayton, Of Alabama,
arose and asked that J. Thomas Helm be sworn
in. At the mention of Mr.. Heflin's name silence
rciened and all eyes were centred on the Ala
hamian whose inceudiary utteranCes regarding
President Roosevelt have been so severely crltl-
Cised 1t was evident that there was an nm
Uression abroad that effort would be MADE
tu bar him from the House but no objection
was raised and he took the oath. Helm IS a
clean shaVen, mild hammered, ministerial look
ing man, who doesn't look bit like an an
archst" demure young woman said as Sne
gazed at the Southerner from her place in the
gallery His career in the House VIII be
watched with interest, but it is believed that
in the future he will be more temperate in his
language as his friends have advised him that
TO repeat his mistake would result not only IN
his complete ostracism in the House but would
mean his political ruin
The rollcall having shown the presence or
quorum. the credentials OF new members elected
in the recess 20 hll vacancies were read. The
nembers-eleCt were escorted to the Speaker
desk and subscribed to the usual oath The
new members are: Ira w Wood, 4th New
Jersey District; F. G. Crift 2d South Carolina;
Amos r. Webber 18th Ohio; ]. Thomas Hefin,
18th Alabama, and Joseph f. Knowland, ID
California
A resolution was adopted appointing the usual
committee to wait on the President ana inform
him that quorum was present and ready Tor
business. The Speaker named Messrs Burton
(Rep.. Ohio, Tawney (Rep. Minn0 and VIII
Jams Dem, Miss) as this committee. \ TeSo-
luton also was agreed to fixing IL o'clock as
tue hour for the moAting of the House.