The National tribune., 1908-12-10
CANNON And SHERMAN.
The Representatives. Give Them an En-.
thusiastic Reception Scenes at the
Keassembling Of Congress.


there. Not in Congress. perhaps. but
among the congressman. The talk
about the barbarity of the rules of the
touse is a pretty warm number-with
the minority. The talk about electine
I somebody other than Mr.. Cannon
Speaker of the next Congress is also
pretty warm-with a minority of the
Republicans, a very small minority, In
fact.
The rules will not be changed any
this session, and the Speaker won't be
changed any next session. That Is the
prediction of this writer.
Stick a pin in it, please, and a year
from this date see how near it comes
to being truth.
The opening of Congress was just
about as marked for flowers, fuss and
feathers as tho, It was the beginning
of new Congress. The galleries were
packed, the corridors were packed, and
the overflow nearly filled the Rotunda
Cards were only necessary for the usual
reserved galleries, but bless goodness!
why, the people who had cards couldn't
half OF them get inside the doors of the
capitol, If they came as late as II
o'clock. What do you suppose they
wanted to get in for? Simply to be
within sight and hearing of the ova-
tons that were to be rendered to two
or three men in particular.
For instance, there was Mr.. Speaker
cannon. Now. every member of the
House, excepting. perhaps, the handful
who lay at his doors all their woes as
silent" members of the House, had
called on him in the Speakers room
and had greeted him with an affection
which is remarkable among men, but
everybody knew that the thing to see
on the opening day of the second ses-
sion of the Goth Congress would be
the reception that certain noted men
would get from the floor of the House
as they came in.
The ovation was there right on time
with the Speaker. He came in on the
stroke OF IL, as he always does, and
then the enthusiasm broke loose. If
there is dissatisfaction with Speaker
cannon, there was none of it visible as
he stepped upon the white marble ros-
trum of the National House of Repre-
sentatives last Monday. The men over
whom he holds that mighty gavel love
MIN as man, however much they may
scrap with him as the Speaker, and the
greetings he received had no party,
partisan or political brands on Them
The cheering and applause was long
and loud
One would have supposed that no
more noise could have been made by the
members on the floor and the people in
the galleries, because it seemed as tho
all the noise had been made that could
be made when Speaker Cannon came
in. But, shucks!
Why, it wasn't marker to the ear
splitting racket that greeted Sherman
when no came in. Sherman, of New
York-Jim Sherman-Hon. James
Schoolcraft Sherman, Vice President
elect! T
Mr.. Sherman has been an honored
aI,xy- 81
more. He pays no attention to frills
and fluffy ruffles Of society etiquet, and
he probably never stopped to think just
what was going to happen to him when
he came in little late and slid into his
seat right in front of the Speaker, but
he soon found out that being a member
for 20 years and being Vice President
eject OF the United States for one month
are two different things. The members
of the House Were not content with lust
simply appiaudins; they pounded their
desks. they shouted, they clapped. and
then they just yelled again.
Mr.. Sherman, just little surprised,
glanced about him to see what the noise
was all about, then. smiling pinkly,
like the well-tubbed English-looking
gentleman that he is, he rose and bowed
and dropped into his seat like a lump
Of lead. He was just plain surprised;
that's what he was. Five minutes of
this rather tired the members, and they
finally quieted down.
There were many flowers-out in the
lobby. The rule against flowers in
either House of Congress was rigidly
enforced, so the fair, frail beauties
wasted their sweetness in the cigar
smoke out there until the wagons cart
ed them off to the homes of members
1t is pity that so much money and
so much sweetness should be thus vast
ed. The flowers usually come from poor
Government clerks to their "iufluence"
In the House. The cards on them tell
that story.
The Democrats early showed their
teeth.
Investigations will be the order of the
session. Mr.. Rainey, of Illinois, intro
duced resolution calling for an inves-
tigation of the whole Panama Canal
scheme, from purchase to now. Mr..
Clark, of Florida, introduced a resoIu-
ton to investigate the District Govern
ment
Lots of other bills went into the hon
per, but this was the starter of fun on
the investigation line.
In the United States Senate cyery-
thing was as sedate as usual There
was occasionally soft clapping of glovcd
hands in the galleries, which brought
a reproving frown from Vice President
! ali usthhs ana Rentle tapping OF the
Ivory cube which does duty for a gavel.
There were no spectacular features. Mr..
Tillman was not present. Mr. Platt was.
He was helped in by a Senate attend
ant, and many of his colleagues came
over to speak to him. Senator Depew
came in breezy and smiling as usual |
md looking mighty well. He had a lot
IF friends around him till the gavel fell |
Senator Allison's seat was vacant. |
Once before. in long life in the SEN
ite, when failing health detained him. |
senator Allisons seat was vacant but |
,nly once. 1t Is vacant now for all time |
ind his friends felt this severely.
The Presidents gallery was vacant |
lot member OF the Roosevelt family
,r one of their friends being present in
t. Mrs. Fairbanks and Mrs. Julius G..
wife of Senator Burrows. |
llone occupied the Vice Presidents
gallery. ambassador Bryce was in the
diplomatic gallery, and Tang Shao vi.
Special Envoy of the Chinese Empire:
Prince Tsaf and others of his suite. In
he House private gallery Mrs. Nicho-
as Longworth, accompanied by DR.. and
1rs. Alexander Lambert, of New York.
White House guests, were interested
pectators. @g
The venerable Edward Everett Hale,
chaplain OF the Senate, in his long
'lack silk robes, was present, and Of
cred a feryent prayer:
Rather, may every example of pa
riotism, Of purity, OF truth, of Justice,
4 unselfishpess be reflected In the lives
L Thy servants who are here; that this
nay ne gatnering together of Thine
'@n chiioreh IN our Fathers work,