The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-06
BATTLE BEGINS
IN CONGRESS
Insurgents Plan Change OF
Rules
AND REVISION OF TARIFF
BY chedules-Murdoch Says Country
Demands Immediate Cut in the
Tariff on Wool and Then Re-
auctions by Schedule.
AND REVISION OF TARIFF

Washington, Dec. 6,--The final session
of the sixty-tirst Congress opened yes
terday with many portents OF important
events ahead. While it is expected that
there will be little legislation achieved,
the air is full of politics. Politics of the
biggest kind is seething, Democratic and
Republican, insurgent and regular. On
all hands the politicians are looking for.
ward to the 1912 presidential campaign,
and the lines are going to be laid for
that campaign, to a large extent, in the
session now beginning
While it is not believed that there will
be any tariff revision in this session,
there is no concealing the fact that talk
of this kind is in the air, The House
insurgents are bent on doing two things
One is to compel change in the rules
so as to provide for committee on conf
mittees, the other is TO set the ball roll
ing for revision of the tariff, schedule
by schedule. Insurgent leaders are talk
ing strongly that the wool schedule must
be overhauled. Representative Murdoch,
the red.headed insurgent leader from
Kansas, had barely got to town before
he declared war on the wool schedule, and
said the people were expecting Congress
to sit up nights, get the appropriation
bills out of the way, and then get after
the duties on wool and woolens.
Mr.. Murdoch says the people are
watching Congress as never before, are
not deceived by any talk about party
lines, and they are likewise keeping a
sharp eye on the higher courts.
Champ Clark, who will be the next
Democratic speaker, was given an ova-
ton as he entered the House chamber at
noon. So was Speaker Cannon. The
Democrats were wildly enthusiastic. The
Republicans were bent on showing that
they knew how to take their medicine
and were good losers, and that, though
beaten, they were not down and out.
Despite the brilliant picture presented
by the galleries with their crowds of Wis
itors, distinctly sombre air pervaded
the Senate chamber when that body was
called to order. Hundreds of handsome
" gowned women occupied seats in the
galleries and looked down upon the SEN
ators as they entered the chamber, greet
ed each other and took their seats pre-
paratory to the opening.
But nothing in the brilliancy of the
picture could efface from the minds of
those acquainted with the Senate the
fact that four familiar faces and forms
were missing, having been removed by
death since the close of the last session.
The brilliant Dolliyer was gone and
many expressions of regret were ex-
pressed at his loss. Senator Daniel who
has represented Virginia for so many
years; Senator McEnery of louisiana,
and Senator Clay of Georgia, all promi-
nent Senate figures, were missing. In
their places were new men.
Not only was it borne in upon every
body who witnessed the proceedings that
the hand of death had rested heavily
upon the Senate in the few months since
the close of Congress last summer, but
likewise that there had been momentous
political changes. Nobody could look
upon the senators in their places and not
reflect that this is the final session for
such veterans as Senators Aldrich and
Hale and Depew and Kean and Carter
and Beverage and Burkett. Senator
Dick is another who is serving his last
session, and so is Senator Scott of West
Virginia.
But if the men who are serving in the