The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-04-01
CONGRESS
IN EXTRA
SESSION

Washington, d. c., March 81. - With
the opening of the extra session called
to act the proposed reciprocity
agreement with Canada but two days
away senators and representatives
from near and far arrived in Wash
ington today by every train. Baggage
trucks. overloaded with trunks. pro-
claimed to the people Sof the streets
that law making is about TO be resum-
ed The boarding house keepers and
the restaurant proprietors again have
put on smiles. for they are promised
good business during good part OF the
SUMMER
As this will be an altogether new
congress. the Sixty-second. a complete
reorganization Will be necessary. The
swearing in of members and other work
of similar character probably will
occupy the whole of the first day We'd
nesday is likely to be devoted in both
houses to reading of President Taft's
message, which. according TO common
belief. will be confined to two subjects
Canadian reciprocity and the tariff
commission. After that the lawmakers
should be able to get down to bust
ness Immediately. providing the demo-
cratic plans for the organization of the
party leaders anticipate
Apart from the Importance of the
prospective legislation the session
promises to be a very important one,
principally by reason of the fact that
the democrats are to be the ruling pow
or in tho house after sixteen contin-
uous years OF control Of that body by
the republican party. The dynasty of
Reed, Henderson and Cannon has pass
ed and the scepter now passes to IN
tried hands. New rules of procedure,
the result of revolution in the last
congress. are to be tried out and the
question of the movement Is whether
arbitrary power in legislation it to be
curtailed still further
The new congress contains 141 new
mernbers-Io senators and 122 repre-
sentattves. The proportion of the two
parties in both houses has undergone
great changes. In the Sixty-firs con-
Eress the senate was composed of 30
republicans and IS democrats, the
house of 219 republicans and 172 demo-
Gratis. In the house this majority is
completely reversed. The democrats
now number e27. the republicans 1853
while there is one representative of
The social democratic party In the
SENATE the cndnSe was Tess sweeping
but even there the democrats have
gained members, that they now
number AZ and the republicans. so.
The changes in the membership OF
the senate the greatest that have
taken place at any time since seeding
southern states sent news senators i'm
mediately after the close of the civi
war The extra session will find il
the upper house a score of new faces
or more than a fifth of the whole body
OF these about one-third are republic
ans and the remainder democrats.
OF the % new members of the house
seventy eight are democrats, forty
three are republicans, and one is
social democrat OF the republicans
IS are taking the place of other re
publicans, either regular or insurgent
and are taking places previously helt
by democrats OF the IS new demo
Gratis, % are succeeding other demo
Gratis, while 50 have places which II
the Sixty-first congress were held b,
republicans. The social democrat, Vic
tor L Berger, of Wisconsin, also sue
ceeds republican.