The Red Cloud chief., 1905-12-08
CONGRESS- CvNVENES
SENATE Is IN SESSION ONLY
TWENTY MINUTES.
Rules Of Last House Adopted and
Cannon Elected Speaker--Resl
Work Of Lawmakers viii Begin
After Message Of President 10 Heard.

bling of the members OF the Fifty
ninth congress for their first session
was marked by no unusual incidents,
but It attracted to the capitol crowds
of spectators, who took a lively inter
est in the proceedings. In the SEN
ate the proceedings were brief. but
most Of the spectators seemed to find
quite as much to interest them In OBJ.
serving the senators who remained
ON the floor after adjournment as
they could have experienced had the
session continued longer.
The house was in session for more ]
than three hours and while the pro-
ceedings followed the program that
has marked the opening Of congress
for many years, there was enough OF
interest to hold an exceptionally large
audience during the entire time. One
noticeable feature was the absence
of flowers, which heretofore have
been commcn to both chambers. On
opening days the display had been SO
great that this exhibition alone would
have been sufficient to draw great
crowds, and the absence of floral trib-
utes, due to a resolution adopted
unanimously by the senate and to ar
order Of the speaker In the house.
robbed the occasion of much of its
picturesqueness.
Senators Allison and Morgan were
appointed by Vice President Fair.
banks as n committee to notify the
president that congress was ready for
any communication he desired to
make. The senate was in session
only twenty minutes. Senators Aid
rich Or. ID, Knox (Pa.), Warner
tMo) and Frazier (Tenn) took the
oath of Office and an adjournment was
taken as n mark of respect to the
late Senator Plat of Connecticut.
Speaker Cannon Reelected.
The preliminary steps to %organiza-
ton were taken by the house. Jo-
seph G. Cannon Ull.) was reelected
speaker, the members of the house
took. the oath of office, the officers
and floor employees Of the body were
reelected, the rules of the last con-
gross were adopted and members
went through the formality Of drawing
for seats, all of which was enlivened
by the presence of crowds in the gal
leries, the animation of the reunion
of veteran members and interest OF
new ones.
In a brief speech against the adop-
ton OF the rules, the minority leader,
Williams (Miss.), touched on the in
tersst of the country in tariff legisla-
ton, and told of the new Republican
ideas" which were being waited to
Washington on breezes from every
part of the country" These, ne said,
might be properly legislated for
should the minority of the majority"
stand with the Democratic members
In opposing the adoption OF the old
rules and forming new ones, which
would permit consideration of such
legislation as popular opinion might
dictate.
A committee was appointed to act
with the senate committee In notify
ing President Roosevelt that con.
Gress was ready to transact business,
the rules committee and the commit.
tee on mileage were appointed and
the house adjourned after a session
which lasted three and a half hours,
In compliance with resolutions an,
%nouncing the death of Senator Plat
of Connecticut and Representative
Marsh of Illinois.
A large number OF bills and joint
resolutions were introduced in the
house. They cover a large variety o.
subjects, including Philippine tariff
statehood, pensions, regulation of The
hours of employment in the eXecutiv,
departments, merchant marine, in
crease of salaries of the vice presi
lent and members of the cabinet, re
quiring corporations to make reports
of their affairs to the commissions
of corporations, increasing the power
OF the interstate commerce commits
sion, investigation of campaign funds
of expenditures on the Panama cana.
of insurance companies doing an In
terstate business, of cotton reports, @
the condition OF child labor, provision
for a six.year term for the presiden
and the election of senators by a d
rect vote of the people.
Summary Of the Message.
Washington, Dec. 6.-The annui
message of the president was read I