Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-04-13
GENERAL NEWS OF NATIONAL HAPPENINGS

second congress met in extraordinar,
session today. What the session will
bring forth, or when it will adjourn
were matters of conjecture here.
The Democrats took possession o.
the house and put Champ Clark in tn,
speakers chair. In his speech ac
cepting the honor he warned the Dem
ocratic members that the eyes of the
country were upon them; that the
party was on trial, and that it had ar
opportunity for the first time in 1t
years to prove its worthiness for g
still higher exression of confidence.
Throughout the day the shadow OF
the coming presidential fight hovered
about the caitol, and there is no ques-
tion but that the maneuvers for polit-
ical advantage will play an important
part in the affairs of the house and
senate in the next few months.
William ]. Bryan, of Nebraska, and
Governor Harmon, of Ohio, were lead
ing 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. Aldrich, Hale, Beveridge and
others of both the regular and progress
sive factions were missed.
President Taft's message, dealing
with Canadian reciprocity, will be read
in congress tomorrow. The Dem
ocrats of the house, however, have
Formulated an ambitious program,
which includes the revision of sched-
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 until
action is secured on tariff bills. This
Inference promises soon to bring the
,wo branches into conflict A legisla-
i've deadlock is predicted, and the
ength of the session seems to depend
IN how long the Democratic house will
lombard the Republican senate with
general legislation bills.
From political standpoint it is
likely that one of the most import
int things the Democratic house will
10 will be to order an investigation of
he departments and branches of the
rovernmennt service. The Democrats
ay there have been no such investi-
,ations for 20 years, and that a saw
ng to the people will result.
The house session was devoted to
he work of organization. The adop-
ion of the new rules was put over un-
il tomorrow. The Republicans will
lake their first fight on these. They
esent the action of the Democrats in
Increasing the membership committees
yithout increasing the percentage of
representation.
The Republican insurgents in the
ouse indicated their purpose to act
ldependently by declining to vote for
lam for speaker, and by giving their
lpport to Cooper of Wisconsin.
The insurgents. gained member
hen Akin of New York, elected as
n independent Democrat" and here
,fore carried on the Democratic rolls,
asst his lot with them and chose a
eat on the Republican side.
Berger of Wisconsin, the only So
alist in the house, voted "present"
| the speakership balloting. He also
lose a seat on the Republican side.
The drawing for seats attracted in
rest. Because of their large major
y it was necessary for 80 Democrats
pre-empt strip of seats on the Re-
lblican side. Four of these are COM {
ittee chairmen, while four others are s
embers of the all-powerful commit {
e on ways and means and committee s
! committees. S
When the Republicans found it ne
ssary to invade the Democratic side, s
eir section was known as the Chero- s
,e strip. Burleson, of Texas, today t
ristened the Democratic section on +
e Republican side as the "Pan-
.ndle." Y