Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-03
SCENES IN THE HOUSE
SHORT SESSION BUT MANY BILLS
INTRODUCED.

Uncle Joe Cannon got the warmest kind
Of a reception when he entered the cham-
Der Of the House of Representatives TO-DAY.
He was probably pleased to death, but IL
couldn't be told from his appearance, Tor
he scowled as he mounted to the Speaker
chair, and a moment later, on the stroke
of noon, brought his gavel down with
crack that nearly put the sounding board
out of business.
Everybody of Importance in the House,
and a good many that are not, was on
hand at noon, when the two branches or
the national legislature met for the second
and short session of the Fffty-ninth Con-
gress. The members of the carnation br1-
gade sported the only flowers visible upon
the floor, for the Speakers order re.atlnS
to the idiocy in changing the chamber into
a conservatory once every year still holdS
good.
There were fewer flowers brought to the
doors Of the Capitol, for the government
clerk Is gradually losing the idea that he
has to spend the price OF a pair of shoes In
flowers every December in order to hang
on to his job, and the rural congressman
with a vain streak in his system is happy
because nowadays he does not have to send
flowers to himself.
Throng in Galleries.
But a typical opening-day throng in the
galleries more than made up from the lack
Of color on the floor. In the reserved Sec
ton the wives and daughters, uncles and
aunts, relatives Of all degrees, admirers and
friends of members. sat to see the show; in
the diplomatic section a few European
diplomats new to the game, and a couple OF
secretaries from one of the more active Of
the South American republics looked on
with interest; in the executive galleries Mrs.
Nicholas Longworth and Miss Belle Hagnec
h. IL. OH oil rynft hn oil 10 n
hand from his colleagues and in the public
sections the folks that came early hung on
to their seats and took stock of the peo-
pies own
Things were trife slow in getting start
ed on the floor of the House, and it was
fully IL o'clock before the scene resem-
bled a congressional first night perform
ance. But from that time on 1t was the
same old story. Those members Of the
House who got what was coming to them
at the polls in November had something to
say to those who didn't, and the roar Of
congratulation and coincidence made the
chamber sound like the New York stock
exchange under a bull market.
Scenes on the Floor.
Serene Payne of New York. the floor
leader Of the House republicans, as large
Of girth and as placid of countenance as of
yore, drifted into the House about II
o'clock arm in arm with Gen. Grosvenor
of Ohio, better known, perhaps, as odd
figures who will say goodbye to the
House this session, after a couple Of dec
AIDES of active service. 1t wasn't long
before Payne and Grosvenor found some
other choice spirits, among them pete"
Hepburn and Cushman of Washington.
They formed one of about hundred
groups scattered around over the floor.
And in every group somebody was explain
ing how 1t happened.
There will be quite number Of changes
in the House after this session, and every
one of those who are going to say goodbye
or perhaps just au revoir. was made by his
colleagues to feel that 1t was a doggone
shame. Hot air doesn't cost a dollar, par
ticularly around the Capitol, where every
body has a supply, and some Of the unfor-
tunate ones who went up to the Capitol
this morning feeling as glum as February
day in Washington went away wondering
If it wasn't worth the price of defeat just to
find out how popular they had been without
ever realizing it.
Aside fro mthe prayer Of the chaplain, the
calling of the roll and the swearing in of
new members chosen to succeed members
of the House who died during the recess of
last session, there were few formalities.
Speaker Cannon got rise out of every
body when in the course Of routine bust
ness he presented to the House a request
from Representative Bourke Cochran of
New York for IAN indefinite leave Of alb
Sence, owing to important business" At
least, that Is the way the Speaker read it,
and as every member of the House knew
that Mr.. Cochran had started some little
time ago for a -way-round- the-world
tour with his bride, they gave the modest
request from the eloquent gentleman from
New York a good round of laughter and
applause.
After the House adjourned there was the
usual crowd on the floor to resume remi-
nisences where they had been cut off by
the Speakers gavel Speaker Cannon was
kept pretty busy making the rounds with
visitors, and when he finally managed to
get away to his private office he announc-
ed that he had not thought yet about
whom he would select to fill the vacant
committee chairmanships and memberships
caused by death and other reasons. The
Speaker indicate that it would be two or
three days before he would make up his
mind as to just what he would do.
Mr.. Cannon just laughed when he was
asked about the Craftsmanship of the House
committee on the District of Columbia
which will become vacant at the expiration
of the present session.
You have made a slight mistake" said
Mr.. Cannon to a Star reporter. you
meant to ask me about that In December,
1907"
Although the House was in session only
50 minutes quite a stream Of bills, both
public and private, poured into the hopper.
Between 400 and 800 private mea sures and
couple of dozen public bills were thrown
in the basket during the morning.