Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-12-12
SESSION Is BEGUN.
FIFTY-NINTH CONGRESS CALLED
TO ORDER.
Both Senate and House Convene
Monday with Large Crowds Pres
ent-Scenes Attending the Open
ing of the National Legislature.
Washington correspondence.


House was called to order by Clerk
Mcdowell. 1t was familiar scene
when the Vice President called the
Senate to order with two strokes of
the gavel. There were few changes in
the membership. Death had taken
away Senators Bate of Tennessee and
Platt of Connecticut. There were no
changes among the Senate officials. Iu
the audience were the families of
many Senators and men in public life.
The hum of voices ceased when the
Vice Presidents gavel sounded and
Chaulain Edward Everett Hale made
the opening prayer. He referred brief
ly to the months since the Senate had
been in session and to the work be-
fore the members. He concluded by
asking the Senate to join with him in
the Lords prayer. SiXty-eight Sena
tors responded to the roll call and the
Vice President announced that the
Senate was ready to transact business.
At 1890 the Senate adjourned as a
mark of respect to the late Senator
Platt of Connecticut.
Proceedings in the House.
Exactly at noon Major Alexander
MacDowell, clerk of the House, called
that body to order, standing in his
place directly in front of the Speakers
chair, which was vacant. Declaring
the House ''in order he announced
prayer by the chaplain, the Rev. DIR.
Henry n. Couden. The invocation
comprehended a review of the peaceful
and prosperous condition of the nation,
plea for patriotic and wise legisla-
ton and concluded with a repetition of
the Lords prayer" A roll-call by
States to show the presence Of quo
rum was at once begun.
For an hour preceding the opening
of the Congress there were scenes of
increasing animation on the floor and
in the gal rries of the House. Legisla-
tive veterans exchanged cordial greet
ings and newly elected members made
acquaintances. AS early as 10 O'Clock
the galleries began to fill. Admission
was by card only and the many who
came to the capitol unprovided throng
ed the corridors in vain efforts to gain
admission.
An index to the business of the ses-
sion was the industry of members in
introducing bills. AS many as 100 pub
lie bills had been placed in the basket
on the clerks desk before II O'clock
these measures of legislation affecting
the general government.
Speaker Cannon arrived in his office
early and for an hour and half be-
fore the session began he held an en-
thusiastic reception in his Office adj
joining the hall of the House. Mem
bers of both political parties went to
see him and extend congratulations
Half an hour before noon there was
not an empty seat in the galleries and
long lines had formed in the corridors.
Regular attendants at the opening
sessions of Congress missed the usual
tributes of flowers with which friends
of members have testified their adj
miration and esteem. These offerings
frequently had been made with such
generosity that, piled high upon the
desks, they hid from view the states
men receiving them. A year ago
resolution was adopted prohibiting the
bringing of flowers into the Senate
chamber and the rule has had the
effect also of s0pping the sending of
such testimonials t. the House
Legislative Battles Predicted,
The first session of the Fifty ninth
Congress has been looked forward to
as one likely TO be more than ordinari-
ly eventful. Pending matters of com
merciaI and political interest have
proved intensely attractive during the
long recess. Columns of newspaper
space have been devoted daily for
many weeks to predictions of legisla-
tive battles that may be fought by fac
tons interested in the outcome of de-
mands for railroad rate regulation or
legislation or on any one of a dozen
public questions of equal Importance
The matters to be urged upon the at
tention of Congress include the ques-
tons of protecting the interests of pol-
icy holders in insurance companies,
statehood for the remaining territories
Panama Canal construction, immigra-
ton and the treatment of Chinese I'M
der the present exclusion law, raising
revenue against a possible deficit, CON
trJl o., corporations engaged in inter-
state business, corrupt use Of money at
elections, the Philippines, Sauto Do
mingo and other Western republics.
tariff questions and commercial com
petition with Germany, as well as the
usual diversified subjects which the
various executive departments annu-
ally present to be reviewed by Con-
gress.
Rarely has the nations lawmaking
body been called upon to deal with
such a diversity of important issues
as confront the Fifty ninth Congress.
Some of these issues, involving the
foremost economic problems of the
powerful corporate interests arrayed
against the advocates of regulatory
legislation. AS many of the other top
les to be considered are also subjects
of earnest contention the session will
not lack for excitement.
Cannon Chosen Speaker.
Joseph g. Cannon, of Illinois, was
chosen speaker of the House to sue
coed himself. His popularity among
the members of the lower house was
amply demonstrated by the ringing
applause which greeted his appear
ance in the speakers chair, follow
ing his election over John Sharp
Williams, the minority leader. He
responded by speech, in which he
warned the legislators of their great
responsibility to the country.