The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-12-05
53RD CONGRESS- IS
OPENED ON MONDAY
Both Houses are Called to Or
der and Formalities Quickly
Disposed Of.

short session that will terminate with
the incoming OF the democratic adj
m~inistration March A. Crowded gall
leries looked down on the animated
In the House, and Senator Bacon.
president OF the Senate, raped the re-
spective bodies to order, at the stroke
of-12.
Plans for the first days. session In
the House had been laid out by Speak
er Clark and his parliamentary clerk,
Charles r.. Crisp, early in h day.
They provided for the call Of the roll
by states as soon as the chaplain, Rev.
Charles NJ. Couden, had offered prayer.
Resolutions had been prepared in
each house for the appointment Of the
Joint COMMITTEES to notify President
Taft that congress had convened and
was ready to receive In messages.
Further resolutions provided for corr
mittees from each house to notify the
other that a quorum had beer secured.
Great animation was shown at both
ends of the capitol as the hour for
converting drew near. Speaker Clark
and held a number Of informal confer
ences, some OF them with senators, who.
came to discuss plans for cooperation
between the two bodies.
Chairman Underwood was also O
center of attention, ard with other
hlCiIlDCAS Ole lhG ways dliu AlCdAhS IOihtr
mittee held a short conference with the
speaker.
Representative Payne and the minor
ity republicans of the ways and means
committee also paid visits OF compli-
ment to the speaker.
The Senate end of the capitol was
rather less animated, but senators be-
gan gathering early to discuss plans
for the session. Long lines of people
filed into the galleries to witness the
opening proceedings. E
IT was not quite IL when Senator
Bacon, president pro teInpore took the
chair at the desk of the late Vice
President Sherman and raped for or
der in the Senate. Senator's surged
through the doors at the last ONE
and 1t took some time to secure order
forthe prayer by the chaplain, Rev. u.
G. b. Pierce. .E5
Failure of the members of the House
to reach the floor delayed the opening
of the session in the House about. a
minute after noon. Speaker Clark
climbed the stairs to the restrum he
was greeted by applause and cheers
frorI the floor and crowded galleries.
Situation In Senate.
" In the senate, Vice President Sher-
man has been removed by death from
the presiding officers chair, which
will be filled temporarily by Senators
Bacon Of Georgia, and Gallinger Of
New Hampshire. alternating. The re-
publican control of the senate, with
about 80 votes as against the pres
ent democratic strength of about AZ,
will continue until March, although
this control is conditioned largely by
the presence Of two elements, regular
and progressive, in the republican to-
tai of so. Senators Hepburn of Idaho
and Rayner Of Maryland. have died
since the last session closed. but in
other aspects the personnel continues
unchanged until March a. IN
y In the house Speaker Clark and the
various chairmen OF the two proceed
ing sessions. continue TO direct affairs.
with a total democratic vote of 230,
giving a democratic majority Of about
49, ay "
The personal aspect was very pro-
nounced as the session began today,
the air of democratic victory peryad-
ing the capital from end to end.
Scores Of men whose names have been
prominently identified with affairs OF
congress for many years. and. who
have shaped politics and legislation,
faced their las three months of serv+
ice as the session opened. -
In this notable company Were the
deans of house and senft tie: 'Uncle
Joe" Cannon, former speaker, and CEN
ter of mani turbulent sessions of the
house, and Senator Shelby Fl. Cullom,
for 30 years a senator from Illinois,
a personal friend and contemporary
Of Lincoln, and who was elected to
his first term In the national house OF
representatives in 1865. "
Both Cannon and Cullom came back
for the winters work the victims of
political defeat. Senator Joseph w.
Bailey of Texas, long a democratic
Header in debate, came with the vol
.guntary announcement of his retire.
ment; Representatives Cox of Ohio
and Sulzer Of New York brought into
the legislative halls the titles of gov
ernor-elect, respectively, of Ohio and
Now York. F" "~.. f..
Many, are Retired.
Senator Crane. of Massachusetts,
long regarded as the republican whip"
Of the Senate; who also retire., volun-'
tarily; Senators Bourne of Oregon,
Guggenheim of Colorado, Wetmore of
Rhode Island, Curtis of Kansas, Payn-
ter Of Kentucky, Gamble of South Da-
kota, Brown of Nebraska many
others, democrats and republicans
alike, began today their last three
months of service, before voluntary or
enforced retirement to private life. d
Sorrow for the late Vice President
Sherman overshadowed the spirit OF
democratic triumph in the Senate, and
tempered the spirit of greetings
amongst returning members. Custom
decreed that the upper house should
adjourn Immediately after meeting to-
day, out of respect for the memory of
the vice president; and In contempla-
ton of this. senators were early in
their seats.
The outline of the winters work
seemed inextricably mixed, as senators
and congressman met in friendly con-
ferences, with the prospect of tariff
revision in the special session that is
to assemble under President Wilson,
next spring. In the Senate republican
leaders were slow to admit the GER
tainty of democratic control on all
tariff problems, even with the great in
crease in membership that Is to come
with the new congress. s@
The reassembling of the House drew
together a host of men, long promi-
nently Identified with republican affairs
in that body to whom the elections had
brought political disaster. Among them
were Nicholas Longworth of Ohio,
John Dalzell of Pennsylvania, Ebenezer,
J. Hill of Connecticut, and John A.
Needham OF California. all members OF
the powerful ways and means commit
tee. and leaders In advocation and de-