Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-04-04


party triumph seemed to have been
reached, and the acclamation of tht
Democrats on the floor and in the
balconies was without bounds.
Since March A, 1905, when Charles
F. Crisp, of Georgia, laid aside the
gavel, there had been no Democrat
in he speakers chair.
Over on the senate of the house of
government there had been a 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 ceremon-
les. Holdover senators were almost
dazed by the number of strange men
in their midst, mostly unknown and
unsung political warriors, appearing
as successors of battle-scarred veter-
ans who had bossed the senate for
years.
On the dot Of 10, gavel taps at both
ends of the capitol signaled for order
and the special session was under
way President Taft had mobilized
the statesmen to get action on his
reciprocity trade agreement with
Canada, which was passed by the last
house but neatly smothered by the
senate.
Democrats in the house expected to
reach the subject by-and-by and, in
the meantime, will try their hands at
a revision of features of the Payne
Aldrich tariff law. Reduced rates on
wool, Schedule X, will be their first
Offering Predictions of members, as
to the length of the session range in
time from July to September.
Interest centered in the house be.
cause of the turnover in control
Men were willing to give high prices
for the privilege of seeing "Unclt
Joe" Cannon with the minority or
the floor and the valiant Missourian
with the national flag as a back
ground and the terrible mace at his
side, referee the doings in the pit.
There was an awful jam. Folk
who were children when the Demo
Gratis last held the house and l
seemed there could not be any speak
ers except "Tom" Reed and "Joe
Cannon, marched in columns to tn
Capitol, hours before the time TO
opening the session. They packe'
the Railways and patiently face,
locked doors, biding the time whei
they should be admitted. With tn
opening of the way to the seats ther
followed a rush and scramble an
the galleries were filled.
! Women, radiant in the bright hue
of spring flnery, composed at leas
half the audience. Diplomats file
their reservation and President Taft
it was shown, had invited guests t
the capacity of the gallery placed un
der his control by the house.
AS a new house is without form
and void, it devolved upon Col. Alex
Mcdowell, clerk of the last house, t
call the members to order. This h
did standing at his own desk in from
of and below the vacant chair pro
vided for the speaker. He calle
upon the chaplain for prayer, tn
first prayer of a session which al
ways is printed in the Congressiona
record
Mcdowell directed the reading {
President Taft's proclamation callin
the special session. Then the ro
J was called alphabetically by states
record the names of the member
present. Word passed among tn
= members that 127 substitute name
for those of members present at tn
} session that opened last Decembe
: appeared on the roll.
: Then came the great event OF tn
J day, the election of the speaker. {
course, the result was not in dout
but the realization that in few mil
utes they would see Champ Clark
t giant form passing up the marbI
: steps to the speakers station keye
members and spectators to a state