The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-04-13
DEMOCRATS HAVE
CONTROL OF HOUSE
While President Called Session
Especially to Pass Canadian
Reciprocity, Leaders in Both
Houses Threaten to Put
Through Much Legislation.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Special
Despite a drizzling rain and lowering
clouds which married the event, i'm
mense crowds thronged the Capitol
today when the extraordinary session
OF the Sixty second Congress. called
by President Taft because the last
session Of the Sixty-first Congress
failed TO pass his Canadian reciprocity
program, met at noon. Interest in
the assembling of the national law
makers conferred in the fact that the
Democrats have secured control OF
the House after having been sixteen
years in the minority, and this fact
oVershadowed interest in the Senate.
IN which the Republicans have also
a reduced majority. Democratic poll
lclahs from every section of the
country and thousands OF visitors de-
scended on the Capitol at an early
hour this morning. and when the
SaNels felI in both houses il was es-
timated that the crowds in the Capi-
sons.
Thousands were barred from the
galleries, which were packed and
damned, with long lines waiting out
side when the big clocks in the House
ana Senate chambers marked the
hour Of noon.
Opens With Prayer.
After a short prayer by Chaplain
Couden, with Clerk Alexander Nc
Dowell in the chair Of the House.
Representative Champ Clark Of Mis-
souri,, the new Speaker. was promptly
elected by party vote. After read
ing a brief address Mr.. Clark was
sworn In by Representative Talbot,
or Maryland, and aScended the Speak
ers rostrum amid tumultous ap-
plause. AS he took his seat one of
the greatest demonstrations in the
a ha
the new Speaker received an ovation
which has rarely been rendered 10
any member of the House.
Following the swearing-in ceremony
Mr.. Clark took the gavel for the first
time. and ordered the election of
House officers, who were chosen ac-
cording TO the selections made at last
Saturdays Democratic caucus. Fol-
lowing this the new members were
sworn in.
After the ceremony of taking the
oath drawing for seats began.
There were 22S Democrats to be
seated. = gain OF Efty-four over the
last Congress.
The Republicans have iC& mem
bers. loss of fifty-five In the list
OF the Democrats is included Repre-
sentative Akin. of New York who
says he is an Independent. but who
was elected as a Democrat. Besides
these there is one Socialist. Repre-
sentative Berger. of Wisconsin. and
one vacancy in the Council Bluffs Qa.)
District, Republican. The member
ship is 39l.
On the Senate Side.
Meanwhile, in the other wings of
the Capitol. an equally interesting
scene was occurring in the Senate
chamber where the immense croWds
were as much in evidence as on the
House side.
Swear I'm New Senators
Vice President Sherman called the
Senate To order exactly on the stkol< @
Of noon. AS I'm the House the gal
ieries in the Senate were packed al
ate had been called to order and
Chaplain Pierce had delivered the in
vocation, the new Senators. thirtv-one
in number. were escorted TO the ban Of
the Senate and the oath of orfice ad-
ministered.
In the Senate there are now fit,
Republicans and forty-one Democrats
There Is one vacancy. the Colorado
senatorship being untitled.
The Senators had already been al
lowed their seats. and therefore no
| time was spent as ON the House side
! i'm the members getting settled in their
places.
second ga interest to the actual as
! semhling OF both houses was he Pres
| identS message which was one of the
/ ~ lAAN pan topics az conversation among
Senators and REPRESENTATIVES, The
message will bee fnished today and
transmitted to CDugress at noon to-
morrow. Ii VIII .e one OF the short
est messages cFcr sent out of the
White House and probably Will deal
solely with l'a"3dian reciprocity.
First iu Sixteen Years.
The present congress is the first con-
trolled by th- Democrats in sixteen
years ana tht drSt Democratic Con-
gress ever convened in extraordInary
session by a Republican President OF
the Ohlted - ateS. N lille assembled
SPeciEn neal by Presidelt Taft to adopt
me CanadlaH recipr. city agreement
me iSa1ctS Hn both & OuseS OF the Ma
tlonat heSi STATURE threaten TO throw
3ptu tue H9pd gates for "a mass Of legis-
iatlve worry which may keep Congress
III session for nearly six months.
lhteleStj cenfered in the new mem
Oers or ne national body and the alb
sence 9I3the olner leaders who have
reiShed KOr many years.
DehoYratS of national prominence
We're op hand from all sections Of the
united states fox the session which is