The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-12-02
Action Taken Out Of Respect For De-
ceased Members Whose Desks
Were Buried with Flowers.
ARCHIBALD TRIAL ON TUESDAY
Senate Will Devote at Least Two
Hours Day to Hearing Evi-
dence In the Case.
BY Uaited Press.

BY uattsd Press.
Washington, D. c., Dec. o.
"Whack, whack, thumpety-thump."
"Rat-a-tat-tat"
With these gavel strokes TODAY. re-
spectively, in the house and senate,
exactly as the bronze clocks pointed
to II, the third session of the Sixty
second congress was convened. The
peoples servants were at work again.
From the crack of the respective
'gavels, congress settled into the
traces of legislative business, to end
only on March 4, when a new presi-
dent and Democratic congress step
in.
History-old scenes were repeated
today at the opening of both houses.
Ancient precedents, almost law from
hallowed observance, were vigorously
followed.
In the senate, Senator Augustus o.
Bacon, large, f1orid and the person
ification of senatorial dignity" did
the honors. His was the hand which
lightly. tapped the marble topped
desk of the presiding officer. -
Speaker Champ Clark, with vieor-
Gus and resounding thumps of his
gavel, did similar duty at the south
end of the capitol
oh nh
somber touch to the opening cere-
monies. The senate mourned in its
bereavement of Vice-president Sher-
man and former Senator Hepburn, of
Idaho, both of whom died during the
recess since last August.
In the house, a half-dozen ma
hogany desks, covered with flowers,
and draped with crepe, brought tear
to the eye of many returning men,
bers.
Out of respect to their deceased
members both houses adjourned with
in a very few minutes after conven-
ing, after transacting minor and nee
essary initial business.
Senator Root of New York, in a
feeling eulogy, officially announced
in the senate the death of Vice-presi-
dent Sherman, in whose absence the
president pro tempore of the senate,
Senator Bacon, acted as presiding Of
ficer. Senator Borah, of Idaho, fol-
lowed the New York senator with
the announcement of the death of
his former colleague, Senator Hey
burn. Resolutions were then passed
expressing deep sorrow of the SEN
ate, and sympathy for the bereaped
families. The senate then adjourned
until Tuesday.
Similar recognition of their dead
was made in the house.
THE house will be in ORDER" were
Speaker Clark's salutatory remarks,
with wide smile-for the speaker.
A roll call was then ordered, to ascer-
tain if a quorum of the house was
present.
Appointment of committees to no.
tify the senate and president Taft
that the house was in session again
and ready to do business, with
faint hint to the president that the
house was ready to receive any mes
sage or legislative suggestions from
him, was then the final business be-
fore the house adjourned until noon
Tuesday.
Presentation of President Taft's
annual message is on tomorrow's pro-
gram in both houses. 1t is almost uni
formly transmitted on the second day
of every session.
Opening of the impeachment trial
of Judge Robert D. Archibald, of the
Commerce court, is also scheduled to-
morrow.
Strife of recent battles on political
campaign fields lent both a humorous
and tragic angle to today'ss brief
session. Many war-scarred veterans
of generation of campaigns looked
upon the opening gayety for the last
time. They were the ones defeated
last month in the Democratic land
slide.
Despite their political misfortunes,
the lame ducks" laughed and joked
across the aisles to their victorious
opponents. This aftermath of the re-