Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-05
Nearly All the Members Were
Present.
TT WAS A JOLLY CROWD
REPRESENTATIVE WERE ALL IN
THE BEST OF SPIRITS.
Many Were Remembered With Floral
Tributes-New Members Sworn
ina Brief Session.

"A bowling mob in a florists shop was
the way Speaker Cannon described the
House of Representatives at noon today a
moment before his gavel fell calling the
House to order. moment later. while the
chamber still resembled a flower store, the
members sank into their seats behind their
floral tributes and so far as the House was
concerned the third session of the Fifty
eighth Congress had begun.
After roll call and the swearing in Of six
new members the House adjourned.
There was an unusually large attend
ance of members. the republicans showing
practically unbroken ranks, while there
were but few absentees and most of them,
according to their friends, were merely
delayed in transit" And 1t was the jol-
Iest House that has skylarked on the floor
of the chamber for many day.
AS early as 1880 o'clock members began
to appear on the floor, wandering around
aimlessly, glancing at the clock and retir-
ing to the peaceful seclusion of their cloak
rooms, and from that hour on until II
there was continuous season of hand
shaking and congratulation-With occa-
sional regrets and condolences scattered in
between for the benefit of several somber-
browed members of the minority who were
caught in the recent landslide.
Everybody in Good Humor.
As the clock moved around toward 12 the
roar that went up from the laughing, chat
ting, arguing groups furnished a pretty
good Imitation of bull market on the New
York stock echange. The democrats did
some pretty tall explaining this morning
before the session began as to why it
was" and how it happened" and more
than a thousand new reasons were un-
COrked by the argumentative. Everybody
was in a good humor however, and even
the most ardent factions of both parties
shook hands and admitted that 1t would be
''all the same hundred years hence"
OF course the usual floral display was in
evidence, not particularly extensive when
compared with the assortment of blossoms
seen in the chamber at the beginning of a
new Congress. but pretty good for an in
between" House.
The floral tributes, as we'll as the MEM
hers, were more numerous on the repub-
lican side. Almost every member sat be-
hind floral offering, large or small, from
G modest bunch of chrysanthemums to a
big basket of dozens of American Beauties.
On the desk of Representative Reeder of
Kansas was a basket of pink tea roses,
and the card attached was inscribed, From
Smith county. Kansas, home grown, and
the best ever
Representatives Hedge of Iowa, Haskins
Of New Hampshire, Boutell and Mann of
Illinois and Palmer of Pennsylvania Jared
exceedingly well. Representative Dovener
OF West Virginia was hidden behind
stand of American Beauties taller than
himself.
on the democratic side Representative
Tim" Sullivan of New York was the IA
vored object of floral tributes. Three i'm
mense punches of roses and profusion of
other flowers were piled in front of him.
Others were added from time to time, until
finally page stepped up to him and re-
marked: There are three baskets out there
that won't come through the door"
While the galleries of the House were
comfortably filled, the crowd that was at
tracted to the Capitol to see Congress con-
vene for the short session was not large,
and the usual trouble in handling the Wis
itors was not noticed The fact that
every seat in the galleries was reserved
admission being by card only-probably con-
tributed largely to the satisfactory result.
Speaker Cannon, attired in black frock
coat and wearing red carnation, mounted
the rostrum promptly at II o'clock and
raped the House TO order.
A Brief Session.
The session of the House was brief,
lasting less than an hour. After the
prayer by Chaplain Couden and the roll
call the six members of the House ap-
pointed to fill vacancies caused at the last
session were sworn in. They were Rep
resentative Knowland of the third Cali
fornia, who succeeds Representative Met
calf, now Secretary of the Department of
Commerce and Labor Representative
Weber of the fourteenth Ohio district,
who succeeds Representative Skiles, de-
ceased; Representative Thomas of the
nineteenth Ohio district, who succeeds
Representative Dick, elected senator in
place OF the late Marcus A. Hanna; Rep
resentative Wood of the fourth New Jer-
sey district, who succeeds Representa-
tive Lanning, appointed federal Judge;
Representative Craft of the second South
Carolina district, who succeeds Repre-
sentative Craft, his father, deceased; and
Representative Heflin of the fifth Ala
bama district. who succeeds Representa-
tive Thomas, deceased.
In view of Mr.. Hefin's utterances against
President Roosevelt some time ago. there
was a stir in the galleries when his name
preston among the spectators that objec-
tion would be made to him taking his seat.
He was sworn in however, without Incl
dent.
The House then received a message from
the Senate stating that that body had con-
vened and was ready for business, and an
other resolution reporting adjournment out
or respect to the memory of the late Sena-
tors Hoar OF Massachusetts and Quay of
Pennsylvania. resolution also was
agreed to fixing until further notice II
o'clock the hour for convening the
House
Upon the request of Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio)
the House extended until January ! the
time when the merchant marine commission
shall submit its report.
The House. after the appointment of
Messrs Burton Tawney and Williams as a
committee to proceed with a Senate com
mittee to inform the President that Con-
adjourned out of respect TO the memory of
he los fnTG