Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-12-07
Meeting of Congress

The preliminaries OF the meeting OF
what promises to be an interesting ses-
sion Of Congress were remarkably
quiet The Republicans met in caucus,
last Saturday, and continued Joseph Il.
Cannon of Illinois as speaker, and the
Democrats met and continued John
Sharp Williams Of Mississippi as their
"fioor-leader"; and Speaker Cannon
made but few changes in the Com
mites, selecting Mr.. Tawney OF
Minnesota to succeed Mr.. Hemenway
as chairman of the Committee on Ap-
preparations. A part of Mr.. Cannon's
address to the caucus was as follows;
1T would be bold man or party that
would do anything by legislation or
threat thereof that would tend to de-
stroy or check the progress OF our
people and their universal and success
full achievements in all branches of in
dustry in the country.
1.-THE changes in tine methods OF pro-
duction and commerce, so salutary and
beneficial, involving as they do the ex-
traordinary use of combined capital,
emphasize the necessity for preventing
agreements in restraint of trade. and
the regulation of commerce among the
States and with foreign nations.
THE consensus of opinion of the
people is that Congress has the power
by amendment to the law to-provide
better remedies for real abuses exist
irg, SO that the prod ucers and consum-
ers can find more speedy and less ex-
pensive remedy than we now have. In
this opinion I for one concur. The
burden is upon Congress, and our party,
having power is primarily responsible. :"
Both Senate and House will run
along for the next two years under
about the same leadership as in the last
Congress. The large number of new
men will take the places that are
assigned them and will probably adapt
themselves to the legislative harness
without much kicking or baking. In
the House the whole number of repre-
sentatives has been increased from 356
in the last Congress to 1856 in this. The
Republican majority in the House has
been increased from "a in the last Con-
gress to ia in this.
Gen. J. Warren Kiefer of Ohio has
returned as a member of this Congress
after an absence of twenty two years.
He was Speaker of the 47th Congress;
and at the meeting Monday was allow
ed to select his own seat
The Senate in the coming session will
run along with three empty seats.
Mitchell Of Oregon. and Burton, of
Kansas, will remain away from the
sessions, because Of the little difficulties
they have become involved in with the
legal branch of tie Government.
Neither of them will venture to show
himself in the Senate because they are
aware if they do SO, their right to be
there will be challenged.
The third vacant seat will be due to
the failure of the Delaware Legislature
to elect successor to Senator Ball. II
is the expectation that Senator
Burton will soon relieve the Senate OF
its embarrassment concerning him, by
resigning.
On Monday, at noon, Clerk Nc
Dowell called the house to order,
! Messrs Cannon and Williams were
nominated for Speaker, Cannon receiv-
ing 243 and Williams 1913 votes, AL
the old clerks and officers were re
elected and sworn in; and the old rules
adopted, after humorous discussion,
but those hide Bound rules are said te
be no joke
Vice President Fairbanks opened the
Senate. the newly elected members
were sworn in and committee appoint
ed to wait on the President, with the
House Committee.
On Tuesday the Presidents Message
was read in both houses. 1t is a long
and able document. synopsis of which
appears on our first page
Yesterday Mr. Townsend Of Michigan
introduced an amended form of the Esh
Townsend rate bill, which passed thu
last House, in the House. The bill
embodies the Presidents views on thu
subject, empowers the Interstate Com
merce Commission to examine thu
books and accounts of the railroads. ant
establish maximum and minimum rates
with appeal to the Supreme Court.