The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-31
congressman NOW
INVADING CAPITAL
Approaching Extra Session
Promises to Be a Most
Important One.
tAmcrican News service)


Washington. March 31.-With the
opening OF the extra session called
10 act on the proposed reciprocity
agreement with Canada but two days
away senators and representatives
from near and far arrived in Washing
ton today by every train. Baggage
trucks overloaded with trunks. pro-
claimed TO the people of the streets
that law making is about TO be re.
sumed. The boarding house keepers
and the restaurant proprietors again
have put on smiles. for they are prom
Used 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 a similar character probably
will occupy the whole OF the first day.
Wednesday Is >ikely to be devoted in
both houses TO reading of President
Taft's message, which, according to
common belief will be confined to two
ubjects-Canadian reciprocity and
the tarifY commission. After that the
down to business Immediately, pro-
yiding the Democratic plans for the
organization of the house go through
as smoothly as the party leaders anti
cipate.
Apart from the importance of the
prospective legislation the session
promises To be very important one,
principally by reason of the fact that
the Democrats are to be the ruling
power In the house after sixteen con-
tinuous years of control of that body
by the Republican party. The dynas
~ OF Reed. Henderson and Cannon
has passed and the scepter now
passes to untired 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
IL to he curtailed still further
The new congress contains lA1 new
mcmbers-l9 senators and 122 repre-
scntatives. The proportion of the two
parties In both houses has undergone
great changes. In the Sixty-first con-
gress the senate was composed of %
house OF go Republicans and 172
Democrats. In the house this major
ity Is completely reversed. The Demo
Gratis now number 2:7. the Republi-
cans 1853, while there Is one represent
alive OF the Social Democratic party.
In the senate the change was less
sweeping. but even there the Demo
Gratis have gained nine members, SO
that they now number ~ and the Re
publicans 80.
The changes in the membership OF
the senate are the greatest that have
taken place at any time since seced-
ing states sent new senators imme-
diately after the close of the civil war.
The extra session will find in the up
per house score of new faces, or
more than II fifth of the whole body.
or these about onc-third are Republi-
cans and the remainder Democrats.
or the 122 new members OF the
house scventy-eight arc Democrats
forty.thrce are Republicans. and one
IL n Social Democrat. or the Republi
cans thirty.hve are taking the places
Of other Republicans. either regular
or insurgent. and eight are taking
places previously held by Democrats.
or the seventy-eight new Democrats
twcnty-three are succeeding other
Democrats. while fifty-eight have
places which In the SiXty.frst con-
grcss were held by Republicans. The
Social Democrat, Victor l.. Berger of
Wisconsin. also succeeds a Republi-
can.
The attitude OF the new senate to
reciprocity with Canada since no ac
ton on the matter was taken by the
Sixty.Arst congress connot be fore
casted with certainty. There is little