The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-05
NATIONAL LAW MAKERS
MEET AND SOON ADJOURN
Sixty First Congress in Session at Noon Today -
Uncle Joe Cannon and Champ Clark Given Ovations
Annual Message of President Taft Will Be Read
at Joint Session Tomorr ow Noon.

Washington, Dec. 5.-SceneS that
were familiar but none the less in
terestilg greeted the eyes of the Wis
itoTs who packed the galleries OF the
House today at the opening of the
final session of the SiXty-first Con-
gress. The crowds came early, and
when the Speakers gavel fell prompt
~ on the stroke of twelve, the gal
lcries were filled with gayly dressed
women, who added much to the pic
turesqueness of the scene.
The most of the members also put
in an early appearance and for two
hours before the House was called to
order the chamber resembled some
what an exciting day on the Stock
Exchange in New York. Victors and
vanquished were there to congratu-
late and sympathize with one anoth-
er over the results of the November
ballot. To the onlooker it was diff
Everybody was jovially slapping
everybody else on the back, and all
the members were acting like lot
of boys at the beginning of school
The appearance of Speaker Can
non in the chamber, was the signal
for hearty round of applause from
both members and the gallery,
though. if the truth must be told,
Uncle joe had to stand for a vast
amount of kidding" during the day.
Seated at his old desk and sur
rounded by a bevy of friends was
Champ Clark. leader of the minority
in the present session and the prob
able speaker in the next. From the
manner in which his colleagues were
laughing, Mr. Clark evidently had
brought back with him a new stock
of stories.
Walking up and down the aisle
greeting old friends was Gen.. H. H.
Bingham. of the First Pennsylvania
district, whose continuous service of
over thirty years has entitled him to
be called The Father of the House
When Speaker Cannon, with two
sharp faps of his gavel, had called
the Hause to order, the buzz of con-
versatiOn was pushed while the chap
lain offered the opening prayer. A
few minor formalities were disposed
OF and attention was called to the
deaths of three members of the House
during the recess. In accordance
with custom a resolution to adjourn
was then offered and adopted as a
further mark of respect to the mem
DRY of the deceased.
In the Senate the initial session
was equally short. The public gal
leries were filled when Vice Presi'
dent Sherman called the body to or
der in the audience were the fam
lilies of many senators ana men in
public life Several members of the
displomatic corps were present. 4
few changes were noticeable in the
membership of the Senate. Death
mad removed Senators Daniel of Vir
ginia. Clay of Georgia, Dolliver of
Iowa, McLaurin of Mississippi and
McEnery of Louisiana. The success
ors of most of these, by gubernator
ial appointments, were on hand ready
10 take the oath of office.
When the two houses reassemble
tomorrow the annual message of
President Taft will be received and
read. Then both House and Senate
will be ready to take up the regular
grind Of business.
Many members, Speaker Cannon
among them, are Of the opinion that
the session will witness little legis-
lation beyond the passage of the ap-
propriation bills. The session, which
vii end March i by constitutional
limitation, will be broken by the
holiday recess OF usually two weeks
duration, putting further limitation
upon legislative activity. Three days
each week arc to be set aside under
special rulc5-the reforms inaugur-
atcd by the ProgressivcG and Demo-
Gratis at the last session-and it is
the general opinion that the resi-
duary time will be little more than
sufficient FOR careful consideration
o. the appropriation bills, especially
as the administration demand for
economy in expenditure IS TO be met
as far as possible.
There is plenty of work at hand,
II Congress chooses to take it up.
The committees are organized and
overwhelmed with bills, if they care
to report any new measures. In the
Senate the unfinished business is the
ship subsidy BILL 1t has the right
of way until it is decided to si1etrack
1T for something else.
But the Senate chambers, though
we'll filled, are not loaded down as
are those of the House. There are
104 bills on the calendar Of the COM
mittee of the whole; 81 on the
House calendar; 1873 on the pri-
vate calendar and on the calendar
for unanimous consent, while there
are about 40 motions pending to dis
charge committees from c0nsidera-
tiou OF bills not yet reported.