The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-07
CHAMP CLARK
AGAIN SPEAKER
Of THE HOUSE
FIRST SESSION OF THE 63RD CON.
GRESS CONVENED AT NOON.
Organization Took Up Greater Part
Of the Afternoon Session; 100
New Members Sworn.

Washington. April 7.-The Sixty
third Congress began business at
neon today. One hundred new repre-.
scntativcs were sworn in. Champ
Clark was reelected speaker, receiv-
Ing 27i votes against III for Mann,
Of Illinois.
Summoned by President Wilson
for the purpose Of tarin revision
the new Congress faces extreme pres.
sure from many quarters for early
action on the other subjects named.
Whether any Of these other than tho
tariff will be taken up during tho
special session depends upon the pro.
gress made with the tariff revision.
and the success that may attend pre-.
lsminary work upon general cur
rcncy reform bill.
For the first time In eighteen years
Congress assembled with both its
branches under the control of tho
Democrats, and with a Democratic
president to cooperate In shaping
It's policies, and to approve its acts.
The tariff law to be passed by the
special session that opens today will
be the first general Democratic re-
vision of the revenue laws since the
act Of Aug. ~. 1894, known to his
tory as the Wilson German law"
and. which President Cleveland al
lowed to become law without his
signature.
Scores Of familiar faces were abb
sent In both Houses. In the House.
tie complete change In the seating
arrangements had made even oil
members strangers to the scene. In
the place Of the mahogany desks and
swivel chairs to which members had
clung for many years. stiff rows Of
leather upholstered benches. ar.
ranged In semi-circles. filled tho
House chamber. The new bench sys.
tenn, somewhat similar to that Of the
British House Of Commons gives no
desk space at which members can
write or work while in the House
chamber.
New members dominate the larger
House In the new CONGRESS- The in
crease Of the membership of tho
House from 396 to 435, which be-
came effective March 4, BROUGHT in
a larger proportion Of new members
than have appeared in any Cou"re:s
Of recent years. and made moro con-
sricuous the absence of old-t time
leaders, such rs Former Speaker
Cannon. John Dalzell of Pcnnsyl-
vania, Nicholas oLngworth of Ohio.
Samuel w. Mccall Of Massachusetts.
T.. J. Hill of Connecticut, and vii.
liam B. Mckinley of Illinois.
The work before Congress today con-
sisted chiefly of organization bus:-
ness. The Senate had competed its
organization early ir March, during
the special session called tc act on
President wilson's appointments.
Vice President Marshall served mis-
early apprenticeship as presiding
officer, and the Democratic leaders
took charge Of the Senate. elected OF.
fiters and chose committees at that
session, and were prepared for gen.
cral legislative work today. The or
ganization of the House WIS expect
c. to consume all of today's session
CT that body.
President Wilson will read his
message to both Houses shortly after
the beginning OF the session tomor-
row. In his call summoning the ex-
treordinary session Of Congress. the
president did not specify the purpose
for which II was to be convened.
Members Of Congress who had talked
with the executive expected that the
message, prepared to greet the new
Congress would urge acticn upon tho
tariff as the first duty Of the Demo-
cratic maiorlties in the two Houses:
hut would leave the way open for ac-
tion on the currency and other press
ing matters, II Il 10 decided later to
take them up.
Democratic majorities In both
House and Senate are considered
strong enough to carry through the
0eo~eAsn ~ AaSaR e>va~an~ AaAaNynNunA