The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-12-05
THE THIRD SESSION Of THE 62ND CON-
GRESS OPENED MONDAY
Many of the Members of the House and Senate
are Meeting for the Last Time

circumstances of unusual interest. 1t
comes together after a political up
heaval of far-reaching extent which
will soon transfer all the executive
and legislative branches of the federal
government to Democratic control.
While the present session is merely
the expiring stage of a Congress soon
to go out of existence and to be super
ceded in political control and policy
after March 4, yet Mondays sessions
in the Senate and House bring together
for the first time since the recent over
turning those leaders and elements of
the various parties who have been
most prominent in public affairs. The
old faces and figures are again in evil
dence Monday, although some of them,
like ex-Speaker Cannon, will soon pass
off the congressional stage, while
others, like Speaker Clark and Chair
man Underwood, have had their ten
ures renewed and strengthened
AS a whole, however, the dominant
note as both branches of Congress as
semble is that new conditions. new
policies and new men have been
ushered in as a result of the recent
election and that about the only func-
ton of the present short session, last
ing until March 4, is to pass annual
supply bills and wind up what remains
of the old regime.
In the Senate, Vice President Sher-
man has been removed by death from
the presiding officers chair. which>will
be filled temporarily by Senators Ba-
con of Georgia and Gallinger of New
Hampshire. The Republican. control
of the Senate, with about so votes as
against the present Democratic
strength of about AZ, will continue un-
til March 4, although this control is
conditioned largely by the presence of
two elements, regular and progress
sive, in the Republican total of so.
Senators Hepburn of Idaho and Ray
ner of Maryland, have died since the
last session closed, but in other as
poets the personnel continues un-
changed until March.
Speaker Clark and the various chair
men OF the two preceding sessions,
continue to direct affairs, with total
Democratic vote of 230, giving a DEM
ocratic majority of about 80.
The personal aspect was very pro
nounced as the session began today,
the air of Democratic victory pervad-
ing the Capitol from end to end Scores
of men whose names have been prom
inently identified with affairs of Con
gress for many years, and who have
shaped politics and legislation, faced
their last three months of service as
the session opened.
In this notable company were the
deans of House and Senate: Uncle
Joe" Cannon, former speaker, and cen
ter Of many turbulent sessions of the
House; and Sen. Shelby II. Cullon, for
20 years senator from Illinois, per-
sonal friend and contemporary of Lin
coin, and who was elected to his first
term in the nations House of Rrepre
sentatives in 1865.
Both Cannon and Cullon came back
for the winters work the victims of
political defeat Sen. Joseph w. Bail
ey OF Texas, long a Democratic leader
in debate, came with the voluntary an
nouncement of his retirement; Repre-
sentatives Cox of Ohio and Sulzer of
New York brought into the legislative
hall the titles of governor-elect, re
spectively, of Ohio and New York.
Sen. Crane of Massachusetts,. long
regarded as the Republican whip" of
the Senate; who also retired 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 and many
others, Democrats and Republicans
alike, began today their last three
months of service before voluntary or
enforced retirement to private life.
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
Monday, out of respect for the mem
ory of the vice president; and in con-
temptation of this, senators were early
in their seats.
The outline of the winters work
seemed ineXtricably mixed, as senator's
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
increase in membership that Is to
come with the new Congress.
The reassembling of the house drew
together a host of men, long prom