The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-05
Champ Clark Elected Speak CT of the House Amid
 Housing Cheers
TAFTS MESSAGE
 TO BE READ TODAY
Speaker Clark Warns Democrats That Eyes of the Country Are ypur Them and That the Party
 Is on Trial

Washington, April i-(special )-The democratic party came into it's own in the House of Representatives today and a democratic speaker was elected hy ma jority of 69 over all. Democratic cheers of victory. suppressed for is long years, were unloosed with wild abandon as Champ Clark took the oath of office
 It was truly inspiring scene which met the eye of the new speaker of tho House as he walked in the center aisle door leaning the arm of Minority Leader Mann and marched to the marble desk, where for two years he will be the presiding officer over the popular branch of Congress. Hundreds of tiny American flags were waved aloft by en- thusiastic democrats and by many re- publicans, who caught the infection of democratic enthusiasm. The galleries, crowded to the suffering point. presented an equally anmating scene. Men, wom- en and children the wives, daughters and sons of members of the House, jumped to their feet as soon as they caught sight of the big Missouran marching down the center aisle to the scat which has so long been coveted. The cheers which greeted Champ Clark on this day of personal and party victory started on the democratic side of the House, but they were quickly taken up on the re- publican side and in the galleries and no man on the floor or friend in the gallery was more spontaneous, more viz orous in his applause and cheering than was Joseph Gurnsey Cannon, for eight years speaker of the House of Represent tatives and now a member of the rank and file on the minority side. Washington, April 4.--The Sixty-sec- ond Congress met in extraordinary ses- sion today. What the session will bring forth in the way of legislation, or when 1t will adjourn were matters on which no one cared to venture an opinion. The democrats tcok full possessien of the House and put Champ Clark of Missouri in the speakers chair. In his speech accepting the honor MT. Clark warned the democrats that the eyes of the country were upon them; that the party was on trial and that 1t had an opportunity for the first time in Is years to prove it's worthiness for d still higher expression of confidence on the part of the American people.
 Throughout the day the shadow of the coming presidential fight lowered about the capitol and there is no ques- tion that maneuvers for political ad- vantage will play an important part in the affairs of each House during the next few months.
 William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska and Governor Harmon of Ohio were prominent figures on the floor of the House during the opening ceremonies and both shared in the democratic dem- onstrations that marked the day.
 The Senate's opening was sedate usual. And while the leadership of the upper branch of the new Congress re- mains in republican hands the change in the personnel of those assuming command was almost as marked as in the House.
 President Taft's message. dealing with Canadian reciprocity alone, will be read in the two houses of Congress tomorrow
 Republican leaders of the Senate have announced that there shall be no tariff legislation at the extra session. Tariff revision is included in plans of the democrats.
 Conflict Expected
 This difference of opinion promises soon to bring the two branches into sharp conflict. A legislative deadlock is freely predicted and the length of the sessoin seems now to depend upon how long the democratic House will
 
 Senate with general legislation bills.
 From a political standpoint it is likely that one of the most important things the democratic House will do will be to order a thorough investigation of the va- rfous departments and branches of the government service. The democrats claim there has been no such investigations for 20 years. and that much good campaign material as well as much saving to the people, will result from them.
 The session of the House today was de- voted wholly to organization. The adop- ton of the new rules was put over until tomorrow. The republicans, under the leadership of Representative Mann of H. inois, will make their first fight on these The republicans resent the action of the democrats in increasing the membership of various House committees without in- creasing the percentage or minority rep-
 
 The republican insurgents in the House indicated their purpose of continuing to act independently by declining to vote for Mir Mann for speaker and by giving their support to Representative Cooper of Wisconsin.
 Insurgents Gain Member
 The insurgents gained member when Representative Theron Akin of New York, elected as an independent democrat" and heretofore carried on the democratic role, cast his lot with them and chose a seat on the republican side.
 Representative Berger of Wisconsin, the sole socialist member in the House. voted present on the speakers balloting Ho also chose a seat on the republican side. "because," he afterward explained, T belong to the opposition
 Because of their heavy majority 1t was necessary for 90 democrats, including many prominent ones, to pre-empt a strip of seats on the republican side. Four of these are committee chairmen-Sulzer. foreign affairs: Lloyd, accounts: Johnson, District of Columbia. and Sparkman, rivers and harbors. Four others are mem- bers of the al-powerful committee on ways and means and committee on com mttees. Hughes New Jersey: ShacSleford.