Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-02
DECIDED BY LOTTERY
Senators Catron and Ashurst
to Serve Until 1917.
THREE YEARS FOR SMITH
Term of Mr.. Fall, as Result Of Draw.
ing, Will End March 8, 1913.
CEREMONY AN UNUSUAL ONE
Participants Are visibly. Nervous.
Many Changes in Seats-"Lame
Duck Row" Passes.
CEREMONY AN UNUSUAL ONE

The Senate grew to a membership Of
ninety-six today when the new senators
from Arizona and New Mexico took the
oath Of Office on the dais in front of the
Vice Presidents desk. Actually, there
are only ninety-four sitting members at
present. the death of Senator Taylor MAX
ing a vacancy from Tennessee and the
legislature Of Colorado having failed,
through a deadlock, to elect a successor
to the late Senator Hughes. There are
now fifty-one republicans and forty three
democrats sitting.
Immediately after the four new senators
Henry F. Ashurst and Marcus A. Smith
of Arizona, and T. B. Catron and A. B.
Fall of New Mexico-took the oath of
Office, the lottery by which the length of
their terms was fixed began.
Senator Catron of New Mexico and
Senator .Ashurst of Arizona. oldest and
youngest of the incoming senators, drew
the long. terms. and their service will not
expire until March 3, 1917. Senator Fall
of New Mexico drew the short term, end
ing March 3. 1913 Senator Mark Smith
Of Arizona drew the middle term, with
service ending March 8, 1915.
Two Ballot Boxes Used.
Two ballot boxes were drafted into
contained a blank and a numbered slip,
the Arizona senators drawing in alpha
betical order from one box and the
New Mexicans from the other. The sena-
tors drawing the numbered slip in each
case. it was arranged in advance by the
adoption of resolution framed by Chair
man Dillingham; of the Senate committee
on privileges and elections, will serve un-
til March 3, 1917.
In a separate ballot box were placed pa
pers numbered and 3. From that the
two senators who drew the blanks on the
first drawing drew, the senator getting
3, 1915, and the senator getting the slip
numbered to serve until March 3, 1913.
The participants in the lottery were
visibly nervous over the result of their
their friends in the gallery showed
their excitement by intense silence.
The ceremony is one which will prob
ably not be witnessed again during
the lifetime of any of the present mem
bers of the Senate nor in the lifetime
of any one of the present generation,
as additional states are not likely for
many years.
Many Changes in Seats.
The death Of Senator Taylor and the
coming In of the new senators have
caused several changes OF seats In the
Senate chamber. Senator Swanson OF
Virginia will get the desirable seat held
nv Senator Taylor in the front row on
the democratic side. Senator Smith OF
ARIZONA will take Senator Swanson's seat
in the back row on the democratic side,
NEXT to Senator Smith Of Georgia Sena-
tor Ashurst will take the old seat In the
back democratic row which has been
vacant for some time, and Senator Catron
takes the only vacant seat on the re-
publican side Of the chamber-at the end
Of the third row.
Although new seats were put In to
accommodate the new senator's, only
two Of them will be used at present.
One has already been used by Senator
Hoke Smith of Georgia. and the other
falls to the lot of Senator Fall.
Lame Duck Row in the Senate Of
flee building also has disappeared with
the entrance Of the four new members
Of the Senate and the abolition of the
national monetary commission. In &C
cordance with law, the commission s
life was ended yesterday, and three Of
it's lame duck members-former Sen
ators Burrows, Flint and Money-gave
up their offices in the office building.
those three have been assigned to new
senators and another suite, which has
been vacant, accommodates the fourth.