The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1911-04-13
GENERAL NEWS OF NATIONAL HAPPEl|HGS|

! second congress met in extraordinar
session today. What the session vii
bring forth. or when it will adjourn
were matters Of conjecture here.
u The Democrats took possession o
the house and put Champ Clark in tn
speakers chair. In his speech &C
cepting the honor he warned the Dem
ocratic members that the eyes of tn,
country were upon Them that tn.
party was on trial, and that it had al
opportunity for the first time in II
years to prove its worthiness for 6
still higher exression of confidence.
Throughout the day the shadow OF
the coming presidential fight lowered
about the caitol, and there is no ques-
ton but that the maneuvers for polit-
icsl advantage will play an important
part In the affairs Of the house and
senate in the next few months.
| William J.. Bryan, of Nebraska, and
Governor Harmon. of Ohio, were lead
ling figures on the floor of the house.
Had Governor Woodrow Wilson been
present, the list of generally accepted
Democratic presidential possibilities
would have been complete.
! The senate's opening was sedate as
usual. And while the leadership OF
the upper branch remains in Republi-
can hands. the change in the person
mel was almost as marked as in the
house. Aidrich, Hale. Beveridge and
others of both the regular and progress.
sive factions were missed.
President Taft's message, dealing
with Canadian reciprocity, will be reac
in congress tomorrow. The Dem
ocrats of the house, however, have
Formulated an ambitious program,
which includes the revision of SEIZED
ules Of the Payne-Aldrich tariff laws.
Republican leaders of the senate
have announced there shall be no tariff
Legislation. They declare they are
not alarmed at the threat of the Dem
ocrats to hold back reciprocity unit
action is secured on tariff bills. This
difference promises soon to bring the
two branches into conflict. A legisla.
tive deadlock is predicted, and the
length Of the session seems to depend
on how long the Democratic house will
lombard the Republican senate will
general Legislation bills.
From political standpoint it il
likely that one of the most import
ant things the Democratic house will
do will be to order an investigation O
the departments and branches of tn,
government service. The Democrat
say there have been no such investi
cations for 20 years, and that a say
ing to the people will result.
The house session was devoted t,
the work of organization. The adop
tion of the new rules was put over un
) til tomorrow. The Republicans will
make their first fight on these. The,
resent the action of the Democrats il
increasing the membership committee
without increasing the percentage o
minority representation.
The Republican insurgents in tn
house indicated their purpose to ac
independently by declining to vote 70
Mann for speaker, and by giving thei
support to Cooper of Wisconsin.
The insurgents gained membe
when Akin of New York, elected a
an independent Democrat" and here
tofore carried on the Democratic rolls
cast his lot with them and chose {
seat on the Republican side.
Berger of Wisconsin, the only So
cialist in the house, voted present
in the speakership balloting. He also
chose seat on the Republican side.
The drawing tor seats attracted in
} terest. Because of their large major
ity it was necessary for 80 Democrat
to pre-empt strip of seats on the Re
: publican side. Four of these are com
mittee chairmen, while four others ar
members of the all-powerful commit
) tee on ways and means and committe
on committees.
When the Republicans found it ne
i cessary to invade the Democratic side
their section was known as the Chero
kee strip. Burleson, of Texas, toda
christened the Democratic section O
the Republican side as the "Pan
handle"