The National tribune., 1907-12-05

islature of Oklahoma elected them to
come to the highest legislative body in
the world, and they stepped back. Fat
faced. 1ong-haired JEFF Davis, nevvy
of his uncle of Confederate fame, was
there, and he will rattle round in the
seat of old Senator Berry. of "Arkan-
saw" He will make a heap more noise,
too, than that nice old Confederate,
who had but one leg and went on a
crutch, but he won't be half as well
liked, nor is it probable that he will be
half as much regretted in his going.
But he may reconsider, and not 60
around splitting red fire and blue blazes.
Coming to the United States Senate
| sometimes works wonders in otherwise
impossible men.
No Flowers In the Senate.
There were no flowers in the Senate,
either, and no hustle. The old Senators
came in with soft tread and confident
air. and possessed themselves of their
seats and the new Senators We're most
of them piloted by the senior member
from their States, and made no breaks
at all. 1t would be unseemly, indeed,
| to make breaks in the United States
Senate Chamber. You mustn't even ap-
plaud the entrance Of the presiding Off
Ger. tho he be the Vice President of the
United States and a mighty nice gentle
man. 1t might not be really unparlia-
mentary, because Tom Reed and Rob-
erts and Gushing do not so rule, but ir
would shock Senator Hale and Senator
Allison and Senator Cullom. They have
been there nearly forever, you know,
and they know the proper thing to do,
and cheering, clapping, expression of
| JOY of any kind isn't.
VIM. Jennings Bryan Enters.
But over in the House-well, that is
3orter different, you see Bryan came in
shortly before the ancient hOrologue
beat IL m. Now, Bryan is just an ex-
u. G. and an eX-prospective p. G. and
not pretty, not nearly as pretty as he
was 10 years ago, when he had just
sufiixed NJ. c. to his name; but his smile
is more expansive, if possible, and he
weighs at least 100 pounds more than
he did then, and he is a marked man.
AS he came in a small woman up in
the Democratic gallery squealed. "Oh,
| see Mr.. Bryan" (she had a right to
say Colonel, but she didn'D, and the
Isqdeal ran around the galleries. accom-
from the predominating female contin-
gency in shirt-waists and chicken
feather trimmings. 1t was taken up on
the floor second later, and the Ne
braskan received a decided ovation,
| lasting full two minutes, from the Dem
ocratic side. and the Republican mem
| bers who We're sitting all arose. tho
must have been q proud moment for
| Mr.. Bryan, for his welcome was gen.
| uine and spontaneous. He was soon
surrounded by his friends, and held Il
reception lasting fully Is minutes be-
fore he could drop into a seat.
Then the Clerk of the House pounded
| the desk with mighty thwscks, and
yelled that the 'House will please come
to order" The House didn't want to.
| for it was having an awful nice time
visiting and fixing up plans for Win
ter campaign on bills. but that insiStent
| Clerk kept banging things with that
noisy gavel. and the House had to come
| to order in self-defense. The blind
Chaplain prayed for grace and honest
endeavor and righteous legislation. and
all that sort of thing; then the clerks
called the roll by States, and it was
found tha. quorum was present.
EIectine the Speaker.
Then the election of Speaker was
broachedi AS this had been cut and
dried since before the adjournment of
Congress and was just the same thing
over again for both majority and minor
| ity, Cannon and Williams. the cheers
that followed the nomination were per-
functory. Representative "Pcte" Hep
burn, of Iowa, nominated Mr. Cannon,
and somebody nominated John Sharpe
Williams for the Democrats, and your
Uncle joseph won in a saunter, of
course. Williams was OH the floor, but
Cannon wasn't. and SO Williams and
somebody else were sent to bring him
in. He came down the main aisle wear
ing carnation and sheepish sort of
smile. but his countenance looked un-
familiar. 1t lacked the adornment of
a cigar. AS he appeared at the main
door of the House he was greeted with
an outburst of applause, cheers and
rinnG nn6aDrinp anithafS ha
Democrats We're kinder to him than
the Republicans We're to Bryan, for
they were as enthusiastic as anybody.
The applause lasted for full five min
uteS, and it wasn't put on, either. Every
note of it was meant, for the members
of the lower House of Congress, ire
sDective of party, are genuinely fond of
Mr. Cannon
Speaker Cannon's Speech.
After the tumult had ceased Mr. Can
non made one of his characteristic
speeches. He said in part:
Gentlemen of the House of Repre-
sentatives: We are to-day organizing
the Goth Congress, marking the 120th
milestone in the history of government
by the people under the Constitution
Cur predecessors in the years that are
passed have left to us an example of
wisdom, moderation and courage that
has never failed to preserve the ideals
and the interests of republican govern
ment in many crises, whether of peace
or war, adversely or prosperity.
Each generation of statesmen has
had its own peculiar problems and its
own particular embarraSSmentS. No
problems of government ever recur in
exactly the same way. The formulas
of action in one eXigency may never be
applied safely in another. Government,
SO far as it relates to courses of action
has no fixed precedents, and no Venera-
ton for these who have gone before
justifies living men in approaching live
problems with purpose or with vision
circumscribed by the limitations of the
past.
But the fundamental principles of
free government are eternal and un-
changing, resting on the will and re-
sponsibility of the people, and put in
action thru the deliberations of con-
scient:ous and Jealous representatives
of that will. This House is the only
institution under our Constitution where
that will of the people may be eX-
pressed with a fairness approximating
to scientific accuracy. Other depart
ments of the Government have lofty
and important functions, but to this
House alone belongs the peculiar, the
delicate and the all-surpassing function
of interpreting and putting in definite
form the will of the people. This duty
we must perform ourselves The prin-
ciples of the past may help us to the