Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
a close the time remaining was too

to a close the time remaining was too
short. and the time-honored custom OF
turning back the clock was resorted 10.
Twice in the House the hands OF the two
clocks were set back, once for half an
hour and the second time for fifteen min
utes. The Senate resorted to this par
liamentary device but once, the hands
being pushed back half an hour. The
Senate adjourned at R:2o. the mouse az
12:37. .
All of the big appropriation bills finally
managed to squeeze through in time TO
secure the approval of the President. The
work of whipping these measures into
final shape and engrossing them upon
parchment as the permanent laws or the
land taxed to their utmost the wonderful
systems at the Capitol and at the govern
ment printing office. Eight of the bills.
carving more than $1Oo,OOO.0OO. were
rushed through in the last forty-e1sht
hours of the session.
When the excitement and uncertainty
as to the fate OF the appropriation bills
had died away and the Vice President
.ave1 had fallen In adjournment OF the
Senate, the news flew through the cor
ridors that Senator Bailey OF Texas had
resigned. 1t was said that he was
.'miffed' over the action of his demo-
cratic colleagues in not following MS
leadership during the last few days. Ihe
ruu,or was discredited at first, but wnen
il was confirmed by the Senator himself
the sensation in the Senate wing soon
spread to the House, and Tor a time the
vicissitudeS of the old session and the
speculation as to the new were lost sight
~ entirely In the discussion of this new
development.
Galleries Are Packed.
The tumult Of the closing hours Of the
session, following all-night sittings poth
In the Senate and in the House, dled
away as the last Of the appropriation
bills had been disposed Of and IN botn
branches Of Congress there were the
usual scenes of non-partisan felicia
tons. Ga..eries. crowded to the DOORS
watched the quick transition from snaris
and heated words to smiles and hanu-
shakes and expressions OF good WILL
The end of the Sixty-first Congress neio
a far deeper significance than the surface
scenes of wrangling and wild dlsoruer
In the mouse II meant the turning over
OF control to the democrats after six
teen years of republican supremacy. Ii
meant the stepping down of Uncle Joe
Cannon from his position OF power at
the Speakers desk to more humoie
place in the ranks of the minority. II
meant the retirement to private life or
small army of republican members, who
throughout the session had borne the
taunts of the democrats and the SOU
briquet of lame ducks Some hoped
out with mournful men, while others,
loyal to the administration, jauntily hur-
ried away to comfortable berthS IN the
public service.
Tere Will he new rules in the House
of the Sixty-second Congress and new
men in charge of the committees. Inc
work of framing supply bills and of
initiating legislation affecting the reVe-
nues and the general conduct OF govern
ment will be switched from the left hand
section of the chamber to that at the
Speakers right. The democratic phalanx
will encroach heavily upon the republic
can side of the chamber
Small Coterie of Leaders.
For many years the House has been In
the hands of comparatively small CO.
terie of republican leaders. Men like
Payne Of New York. Dalzell Of Pennsyl-
vania and Speaker Cannon have domi-
mated the chamber. ALL remain in the
democratic House and their course as
members of the minority will be- followed
with the keenest public interest.
1t was the democratic vote in the
House that passed the Mccall bill. en-
eodying the reciprocity agreement with
Taft feels confident that such bill will
be put through again.
While the terms of only thirty senators
expired yesterday. and many Of these have
been returned. the revolution in the up
per branch of the national legislature,
as to leadership, Is almost as violent as
in the House. Aldrich Of Rhode Island,
who for years was recognized as hold
ing practically supreme direction of the
affairs Of the Senate; Hale Of Maine,
Burrows Of Michigan. Depew of New
York. Carter of Montana. Kean of New
Jersey and Scott Of West Virginia, all
commissioned officers Of the ''oid guard
of republicans and all stalwart to the
core, closed their desks and walked out
Of the Senate yesterday after serving long
terms in that delfberative body. Senator
Aidrich's departure was hgurative. He
has long been in the south because Of
failing health.
President Taft. in his proclamation con-
voking Congress April 4, mentions as a
reason therefor only the Canadian reel.
procity agreement. There were many
persons who held to the hope to the very
last minute that the Mccall bill might be
rushed through the Senate and an extra
declared that the fact that no official
statement had come from President Taft
might argue that he would decide other
wise on reflection.
Drawn Up Several Days.
As matter Of fact. however, the ex-
ira session proclamation had been drawn
up for several days. only the date for
the session being left vacant Following
the adjournment Of Congress, the Presi-
dent held a series of conferences with
The House and Senate leaders of both
parties as to the date that would best
suit all concerned. Many of the sena-
tors and representatives were DESTROYS of
going home for a brief rest before TAX
ing up the tasks OF the new session
while others argued that 1t would be the
better part of wisdom for the President
10 consult primarily the wishes of the
democrats and to defer to their desire
Tor time in which to outline their or
ganizatlon In the new House. The Presi-