Evening journal., 1910-12-05
CONGRESS
OPENS AT NOON
Closing Session Bes n Without
Special Incident at the
Capitol
SMALL ATTEN ANCE
GREETED Mr.. CANNON

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. Dec. when Vice
President Sherman tapped his marble
stand with his gavel and Speaker Can
non swung his mallet with his good
left hand at noon to-day. the final
session of the sixty-frst congress was
under way.
Uncle Joe swung his gavel with the
same abandon. and Vice-President
Sherman handled his with the same
care. as II they were opening the first
session instead Of last
Fur coats and wraps we're in much
demand and the members and spec
tators hustled into the capitol we'll
powdered with snow The first heavy
snowfall OF the season greeted the
opening of the session, and gave a.
/ touch OF real winter TO the OCCASION
/ The leaders are waiting to pursue
carefully President Taft's message,
which will go to Congress tomorrow
before they settle on a program. Tho
/ insurgents are also taking a watt
/ ing attitude. They plan TO make n
demonstration In the interest Of what
they term progressive legislation, but
they are waiting 10 see what the
others DO.
Small Attendance In House.
A comparatively mcagre attendance
of members was on hand for the OPEN
ing session of the House. Many or
the Southern Democrats win not come
to Washington until after the holt
days
Washington society was out TO SEQ
the beginning of the end of tho Con-
gress. Beautiful gowns and triumpbs
of the milliners' art made the elOping
galleries banks Of beauty.
When the hustling figure of Uncle
Joe" appeared from the speakers Of
fice there was a buzz of murmuring,
and then loud round OF applause
from the floor and the galleries.
Heavy silence hung over floor and
galleries as the blind chaplain OF the
House, the Rev. Henry n. Couden. rose
and prayed that the assembly be
r guisiRd Alright in it's legislative activi-
ties.
AT the conclusion of the prayer the
speaker ordered a call of the House
by the States TO ascertain the pres
j. ence of a quorum.
n Resolutions were adopted depIoring
A the death of the following members OF
! the House.
i Charles Q. Tirfell OF Massachusetts.
Walter 7. Brownlow. OF Tennessee.
William w. Foulkrod. of Pennsyl-
vania.
Samuel L. Gilmore, Of Louisiana.
After the resolutions had been or
dered transmitted to the Senate tho
House adjourned out of respect TO tho
dead members.
Tho Senate galleries were packed
as usual for the opening day OF ses-
4 sion. There was no lack of the cheer,
{ as IA as appearances were concerned.
2 among those who had gone down IN
d the November battle but deep regrer
b was expressed on all sides by the gap
o caused by death in the Senate ranks.
- Four senators. McEnery, of Louisiana:
Daniel, of Virginia; Clay. Of Georgia,
n and Dolllver Of Iowa, had passed away
9 since the adjournment In June.
d Vice-President Sherman entered tho
] chamber smiling and his ruddy face
r glowing with health. Prayer was of
c fered by Rev. u. G. b. Pierce, the chap
lain Of the Senate. The Vice-President
directed the calling of the roll. This
is procedure that was formerly dis
. pensed with but was observed from
4 the days of the late Senator Hoar. OF
. Massachusetts, who regularly insisted
. that the roll should be called to re-
I cord the members present The cause
l. of absence of a number of senator's
n was explained by their colleagues
(. With the necessary routine business
disposed of. the senators listened ia
2. announcements of the death of their
u four colleagues, and adjourned out Of
respect