Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1911-04-07
New Speaker, Taking Seat, Out
lines Policy OF Democrats.
NEW FACES EVERYWHERE
Reciprocity Cuts Secondary Figure, as
Democrats Have Outlined Preten-
tious Political Program.

With vociferous demonstrations OF
eXultation on the part of the militant
Democrats of the house of represen
tatives. over which they have gained
control after sixteen years of de
feat, and calm, dignified and routine
proceedings on the part of the senate
which barely remains Republican, the
SiXtysecond congress met for the first
time, convened in extraordinary ses
sion by President Taft to consider his
reciprocity pact with Canada.
Champ Clark, who received an ova.
tion, was elected speaker of the house,
polling 217 votes to 131 for James r.
Mann, of Illinois; 10 for Henry A.
Cooper, of Wisconsin, and one for
George w. Norris, of Nebraska, all
Republicans.
The votes for Cooper were cast by
insurgent Republicans and indicates
that they intend to maintain a sepa-
rate working organization
The day marked the opening of the
trial of the Democratic party to de-
monstrate its worthiness to receive
of the country. Asking his colleagues
to keep that fact uppermost in their
minds during the present session of
congress, Clarp, in his speech accept
ing the speakership of the. house, out
lined the measures through which the
! Democratic party hopes to continue TO
enjoy the faith of the people.
Intelligent revision of the tariff.
election of United States senators by
popular vote, changes in the house
rules to permit proper consideration
OF public measures, economy in hand
ling the purse strings of the country,
the publication of campaign contribu-
tions, and the early admission of New
Mexico and Arizona to statehood, were
some of the things which Speaker
Clark emphasized in the Democratic
program as measures which would be
undertaken by the majority party in
the house.
The ceremonies of the house held
an, unusual interest. New hands were
former days were about to engage in
the pastime OF rocking the boat The
transition from a month ago was com
plete
New faces were everywhere to be
seen. Democrats not only filed the
side of the chamber allotted to them,
but poured over into the erstwhile sa-
cred precincts of the Republicans.
Everybody appeared to be in the
best of humor. The Democrats wore
smiles that would not come off, while
the Republican minority also smiled
grim kind which meant that they
were going to try to even up for the
troubles the Democrats gave in days
of Republican supremacy.
The program, always an interesting
spectacle, was followed with uncom-
mon keenness 1t included the calling
of the house to order by Major Nc.
Dowell, veteran Republican clerk, who
is soon to be replaced; calling of the
roll, election of the speaker, his
the members by state delegations and
drawing for seats.
There are always a few privileged
members who are allowed to choose
their seats in advance of the draw
ing. They include usually the oldest
member of the house in point of SER
vice, General Bingham, of Pennsylva-
mia, the minority leader, and one or
two others as the house leaders may
designate.
Notwithstanding that the opening of
the extra session in the senate was
quite secondary in interest to that of
the house, there WTs a large attend
ance in the galleries.
OF the senators sworn, seventeen
were men who never before had occu-
pied seats in the senate. Twelve were
Democrats and five Republicans, the
new Democrats being Messrs. Bryan,
Florida; Chiffon, West Virginia;
Hitchcock, Nebraska; Johnson, Maine;
Kern, Indiana; Lea, Tennessee; Mar
tine, New Jersey; Myers, Montana;
O'Gorman, New York; Pomerene,
Ohio; Reed, Missouri, and Williams,
Mississippi.
New Republicans were Messrs. Lip
pitt, Rhode Island; Mclean, Connecti-
cut; PoindeXter, Washington; Town
send, Michigan, and Works, California.
The senators were sworn in by
squads of four, colleagues of new men
escorting them to the vice presidents
desk.
AS soon as the last of them had left
the vice presidents dais the roll was
called Eigthy-six senators, within five
of the entire membership, were in at.
tendance.
The political complexion of the Six
ty-second congress follows: