New-York tribune., 1911-12-05
CONGRESS AT WORK AGAIN
Senate Session Brief; Many BII'S
Offered in House.
NEW MEMBERS TAKE. SEATS
Attendance Unusually Large, In
terest Centring in the Little
tleton Incident.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau. J

Washington. Dec with the rattle OF
oratorical fireworks Illuminating Demo-
cratic dissension in the House and dignihed
uncertainty in the Senate. the second ses-
sion OF the 62d Congress opened AT noon TO-
dav. The Vice President and Speaker
Clark brought down their gavels exactly at
noon. Most OF the leaders Of the factions
and parties I'm both houses were present
and the attendance was unusually large Tor
an opening day
The Senate began it's labors in It's usual
sodate fashion and completed tho formality
in seventeen minutes. The announcement
Of = death in the family Of Vice President
sherman necessitatiug his absence for sew
eral days accentuated the fact that the
Senate Is still without president pro tenn
pore, because the insurgents refuse to per
nit either the majority or the minority to
elect their candidate. Senator Gailinger,
after sthe customary committees has been
appointed 10 notify the President that the
body was i'm session, moved the appoint
ment of Senator Curtis to preside during
the absence of the Vice President which
was carried without objection. The Senate
a greed 10 meet at > p. m. for the present
Senators began TO arrive early, and there
was an apparent eagerness TO begin the
laborious work which confronts Congress
In contrast with the jaded looks OF the
same legislators at the end or the first ses-
eion The two new members. Senators
Gardner. Of Maine. and Hoke Smith. or
Georgia were beth present and took the
oath Of office. Senator Gardner was es-
corted TO the Vice Presidents rostrum by
his colleague. Senator Johnson. and Sen
ator Bacon escorted Senator Hoke Smith,
whose credentials were signed by Governor
Holie Smith.
Senator Tillman, who was absent during
the entire special session. was in his seat,
having recovered from his illness.
Senator Lorimer. the inquiry into whose
election will he resumed tomorrow. was
among the absentees. and the seat OF Sen
ator OGorman was also vacant. Senator
Root, who rarely misses day at the Sen
ate while Congress Is In session. was
prompt In his arrival. and was warmly
greeted by Democrats and Insurgents, as
we'll as by his own Republican colleagues
AS is usual on opening days. the gal
leries were filed and We're brilliant with
color. I'm contrast with the sombre costumes
of the members on the floor. While IN
terest In the Senate was short-lived, that
in the House was sustained by The oratory
OF Representative LittletOn. When the news
was spread that he was exposing one at
least, Of the incompetent and unscrupulous
House smelling committees many Senator'S
went over to swell his audience
The House will continue as usual 10 meet
at noon. Five new members were sworn In
Browning. OF New Jersey: Ainey. or
Pennsylvania: stephens. Of Nebraska: Tag
CART, Of Kansas, and McKellar, of Tennes-
see
President Taft's annual message to Con-
gress Will be sent In tomorrow.
Bills and resolutions in large numbers
poured into the hopper on the Speakers
table as soon as the House met. TWO
measures to abolish the Commerce Court
were presented by Representative Sims
Democrat). OF Tennessee. and Representa-
tive La Toilette Republican,. of Washing
ton. Measures for the repeal of the Cana
dian reciprocity bill were offered by Repre-
sentatives Hanna and Helgesen, both OF
North Dakota.
Representative Henry, chairman Of the
Rules Committee, introduced his much dis
cussed bill to strengthen the Sherman anti
trust law. define specific offences against
il and provide "felon's stripes" for its vio-
lation.
Representative Sulzer, Of New York,
offered a bill To put sugar on the free list.
Representative Norris. the Nebraska in
surgent. believes the Democratic idea or
open caucuses proposed by the Democratic
leader. Oscar F. Underwood. Mr. Norris in
troduced a resolution prohibiting the use
OF the House chamber for secret caucus
by any party.
Victor Berger (Socialist. Representative
from Milwaukee. introduced a resolution TO
repeal the Sherman antitrust law and pro-
vide for government ownership Of any con-
Germ which controls more than 40 per cent
of trade in any community.
Two bills revivlng the rank Of vice-ad-
miral in the navy were introduced by
Representatives Robrts Of Massachusetts.
and Bates. of Pennsylvania, Republican
members of the Naval Affairs Committee.
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