The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-04-04
CONGRESS CONVENES
In SPECIAL SESSION
Champ Clark Takes Helm as Speaker
Interesting Scenes Attend the
Opening of the Session

AHNSitoh Athtticu Ill me uOupt Dc-
cause OF the turnover in control Men
were willing to give high prices for
the privilege Of seeing Uncle Joe"
Cannon with The minority on the floor
and the valiant Mssourlan. with the
national flag as a background and the
terrible mace at his side, referee the
doings in the pit.
There was an awful jam Folks
who were children when the demo
Gratis last held the house and if seem
ed there could not be any speakers ex-
cept eTom" Reed and Joe" Cannon,
marched in columns to the capitol.
hours before the time for opening
They packed the Railways and patient
ly faced lockea doors. biding the time
when they should be admitted. With
the opening of the way to the seats
there followed a rush and a scramble
aud the galleries were filled
Women, radiant in the bright hues
OF spring finery. composed at least
half the audience. Diplomats filled
their reservation and President Taft,
/ II was shown had invited guests to
the capacity Of the gallery placed un-
der his control BY the house
AS a new house is without form ami
yoid Il deyolved upon Col Alex. Nc
Dowell. clerk Of the last house, to
eall the members TO order This he
did standing az his own desk in front
Of ana below the vacant chair pro
vided for me speaker He called upon
the chaplain for prayer the first
prayer Of session which always is
printed in the Congressional Record
Mcdowell directed the reading OF
President Tarts proclamation calling
the special session. Then the roll
was called alphabetically b. states
10 record the names Of the members
present. Word passed among the
members that i2T substitute names
for those Of members present at the
session that opened last December ap.
peared on the roll
Then came the great event OF the
day. the election OF the speaker OF
course tho result was not in doubt bus
the realization that In few minutes
they would see Champ Clarks giant
form passing up the marble steps 70
the speakers station keyed members
and spectators to a state Of exotic
ment Clark was modestly absent
during the operation but it was prov
ed later that he was not far away
Mcdowell named democrat and a
republican as tellers and they took
their places at the clerks desk. Each
member, as his name was called an
nounced the name OF his choice for
speaker The democrats piled up
their majority for Clark and a roar OF
approval rumbled through the long
corridors Of the capitol
Proceedings differed somewhat in
the senate. it being a continuing body.
That is. one-third Of the members re-
tire OF are elected every two years.
but two-thirds Of the membership are
lfull.fledged with authority and quail
fled for business at the beginning Of
a new congress.
With Aldrich. Hale, Keen, Scott.
Burrows, Carter and others of the
standpat leaders missing the attend
ance on the floor presented an almost
startling scene to those familiar with
the senate Of recent years There was
no Aldrich to direct the proceedings.
lProgressiyeF, however. with their in
creased members and prestige. show.
7 ed a serene and contented mood.
Vice President Sherman. ruddy with
the glow Of health. well-groomed, as
usual. and also with a flaring carna-
ton on the lapel Of his coat as usual.
stepped into the chamber at one min
ute to ~ as sedately as though there
had been no break in the SESSION He
announced prayer by the chaplain
and when that was over the clerk was
directed to read the presidents pro-
clamation calling the extraordinary
session.
The roll was called Reasons for
Continued on Page Two)