The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-04-07

FEEL THEIR
0ATS,BYGING
The Great COmmOner and Uncle
Jed Were ON Hand TO See How
the Old Thing Worked.
TaftS Extra Session Of Congress
Starts, and He'll Soon Know
There's SOmetIn' DOM.

A Washington dispatch of April 4
says: Democrats today stormed the
House end of the Capitol, the prize of
their November victory.
Stalwart Champ Clark was the star
feature Of the occasion, so joyous to his
party brethren. As he sank into the
high-back chair, the Cannon throne,
the climax of party triumph seemed to
! have been reached.
Since March 4, 1895, when Charles f..
Crisp, of Georgia, laid aside the gavel,
there had been no Democrat in the
speakers chair.
over on the Senate side of the House
of government there had been large
shrinkage in the Republican majority,
but no change in party control, and so
there was no demonstration to mar the
dignity of the opening ceremonies.
! Hold-over senators were almost daZed
by the number of strange men IN their
midst.
On the dot of II, gavel taps at both
ends of the Capitol signaled for order,
and the special session was under way.
President Taft had modified the states
men to get action on his reciprocity
trade agreement with Canada, which
was passed by the last house, but neat
ly smothered by the senate.
GOING AFTER TARIFF
Democrats in the house expect to
reach the subject by and by, and in the
meantime will try their hands at re-
vision of features of the RRyne- A drich
tariff law. Reduced rates on wool,
Schedule X, will be their first Offering.
Interest centered in the house be-
cause of the turnover in control. Men
were willing to give high prices for the
privilege of seeing "UDcle Joe" Can
non with the minority on the floor, and
the valiant Missourian, with the ma
tional flag for a background and the
terrible mace at his side, referee the
doings in the pit.
Thousands of persons were disap-
pointed in being refused admission
even to the corridors leading to the
galleries. Only those fortunate enough
to have cards from members we're ad-
mltted. Each congressman was allow
ed two.
William j. Bryan was cheered when
he appeared on the floor. At this mo-
ment Governor JudsOn Harmon, of
Ohio, another presidential possibility,
was discovered in the crowd. There
was another wild outburst of applause
and yells. Harmon walked up to
Bryan and smilingly shook hands.
Both leaders took seats
As a new house is without form and
void, it developed upon Col. Alex. Nc
Dowcll, clerk of the last house, to call
the members to order. This he did,
standing at his own desk, in front OF
and below the vacant chair provided
for the speaker. He called upon the
CHAPLAIN for prayer, the first prayer of
"A session, which always is printed in
the Congressional Record.
THEY CALL THE ROLL
Mcdowell directed the reading of
President Taft's proclamation calling
the special session. Then the roll was
called alphabetically by states to re-
cord the names of the members pres
ent.
Then came the great event of the day,
the election of the speaker. A COM
mittee was appointed to notify the Mis-
souri, leader of the honor given him.
The new speaker, smiling and happy,
was greeted with applause when he ap-
peared. He was elected by vote of
217 out of 365 votes cast. Sixteen Re-
publican progressives voted for II enry
n -
lette's followers.
The clerk was ordered to notify the
president and the senate that the house
had completed its organization. A COM
mlttee was appointed to act with a
committee of senators TO inform the
president that congress was ready TO
receive any communication he might
be pleased to make.
A n oIn -
the time for daily meeting was adopted.
Proceedings differed somewhat in the
senate, it being a continuing body.
That is, one third of the members re-
tire or are elected every two years, but
thirds of the membership are full
fedged with authority and qualified
for business at the beginning of new
congress.
When the roll call was called for the
vote on the speakership in the house,
Representative Victor l.. Berger, of
Milwaukee, the first Socialist in con-
gress, arose in his place and voted
present thus assuming his role as
the one man party, in which capacity
his only alternative was voting for
himself.
The clerks formal announcement of
the election of Clark was a signal for
another roar of applause from the DEM
Ocrats. Clerk Mcdowell appointed
Representatives Mann (Rep., nl.) I'm
derwood Dem, Ala, and Vreeland
rep, N. W a committee for the per-
fectly useless task of notifying Clark
of his election.
To Gen. Sherwood Dem, o. f, one of
the oldest members in the house and
veteran of the Civil war, fell the honor
of introducing the first bill in the house.
1t was the "dollar-a-day" pension bill,
originally devised by Sherwood.
Under tentative peace agreement
the senate progressives were today
promised the privilege of naming one
fourth of the Republican committees.
Unless trouble is stirred up. Clapp,
(Rep,, Minn. will be chairman of the
interstate commerce committee. and
Bourne rep, Mimi, will be chair
man on postofices.