The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-12-08
CANNON REELECTED SPEAKER BADGER LEGISLATURE MEETS
OPENING OF NATIONAL LAW
MILL ATTENDED BY NO UN-
USUAL INCIDENTS.

Washington, Dec. 5. - The as
sembling yesterday OF the members OF
the Fifty-ninth congress for their first
session was marked by no unusual in
cidents, but it attracted to the capitol
crowds of spectators who took a lively
interest in the proceedings.
In the senate the proceedings were
brief. but most of the spectators
seemed to find quite as much to inter-
est them in observing the senators
who remained on the floor after adj
journment as they could have expert
enced 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 D, Congress.
for many years, there was enough Of
interest to hold an exceptionally. large
audience during the entire time.
One noticeable feature was the alb
n of flowers, which heretofore
have been common to both chambers.
Senators Allison and Morgan were
appointed by Vice President Fair
banks as a committee to notify the
president that congress was ready for
any communications he desired to
make. The senate was in session only
twenty minutes. Senators Aldrich
Or. ID, Knox CPa.), Warner (Md.)
and Frazier (Tenn.) took the oath or
office and an adjournment was taken
as a mark of respect to the late Sena-
tor Plat of Connecticut.
Cannon Is Reelected.
The preliminary steps to organize
were taken in the house. Joseph e..
Cannon of Illinois 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 n
gress were adopted, and members
went through the formality of drawing
for seats.
In a brief speech against the adop-
ton of the rules the minority leader,
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi. touched
Oi IAC ltClCSt vi tlC CoullIIS III
legislation. and told of the
New Republican ideas"
which were being waited to Washing
ton on breezes from every part of the
country" These. he 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 per-
NIT consideration of such legislation
as popular opinion might dictate.
A committee was appointed to act
with the senate in notifying President
Roosevelt that the house was ready to
transact business; the committee on
rules and the committee on mileage
were appointed, and the house adj
journed after a session which lasted
three and a half hours, in compliance
with resolutions announcing the death
of Senator Platt OF Connecticut and
Representative Marsh of Illinois.
Many Bills in House.
A large number of bills and joint
resolutions were introduced in the
house. They cover a large variety of
subjects, including Philippine tariff,
statehood, pensions, regulation of the
hours Of employment in the execu-
tive departments, merchant marine,
increase of salaries of the vice presi-
dent and members of the cabinet, re-
curing corporations to make full re-
ports of their affairs to the commits
sioner of corporations. increasing the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission, investigation of campaign
funds, of expenditures on the Panama
canal, of insurance companies doing
an Interstate business, Of cotton re-
ports. and Of the condition of child
labor, provision for a six-year. term for
the president and the election OF sen-
ators by a direct vote of the people.
Williams Has Some Bills.
Representative Williams of Missis-
sippi, the leader of the minority in the
house, yesterday introduced a number
of bills and joint resolutions affecting
the tariff and campaign contributions.
These contemplate free trade with
the Philippines, a reassembling Of the
United States and Canadian joint
high commission with a view to freer
trade relations between the United
States and Canada; and minimum tar
if FOR the United States.