The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-04-11
CONGRESS MEETING
BOTH SENATE AND HOUSE ARE
CALLED TO ORDER AT
NOON.
SPEAKER CLARK REELECTED
Representatives Take Oath Of Tlce
But Usual Drawing for Seats Is
Omitted, Owing to the New
Arrangement.

oISS''~'@
Washington, April Z. - The extra
ordinary session of the SiXty-third
congress convened today.
Popular interest centered in the
house of representatives where Rep
resentatiye Champ Clark, Democrat
was reelected to the sp~eakership
shortly after the session opened. Rep
re%sentatives James r. Mann of Illi-
nois, Republican, was placed in nomi-
nation for that office by the minority.
He received a rousing demonstration.
but was Overwhelmingly defeated.
Other officers selected by the house
were as follows: Clerk, South Trim
Bile of Kentucky; sergeant-at-arms.
Robert f. Gordon of Ohio; doorkeep
err, Joseph ]. Sinnott Of Virginia; post
master, William NJ. Dunbar.
No election of officers was held in
the senate. that body having been or
ganized before its adjournment on
March II.
The converting Of congress today
was suspicious in Democratic his
tory. 1t marked the first time in e
ly a score Of years that Democrats
have had complete control Of the SEN
ate, the house of representatives and
the presidency.
Long before the hour set for throw
ing open the doors of the house and
senate galleries, the capitol was be-
sieged by sightseers seeking admit
lance. Among them were hundreds
of prettily gowned women-the wives
Of senators and representatives. with
a fair %sprinkling Of suffragettes.
Convene Promptly at Noon
The presidential proclamation d.
rected that both houses W. at
noon and promptly at IL O'Clock the
gavel of Vice-President Marshall fell
in the senate. A new chaplain, Rev.
F. j. Prettyman of Washington, de
livered the invocation. The roll OF
senators was called in the usual way
and committees appointed to notify
the house and the president that the
senate was ready to transact bust
ness.
In the house Clerk Trimble ascend
ed to the speakers rostrum and di
rected the reading of the presidents
proclamation. He was accorded a
noisy reception. The proclamation
was read and Trimble announced that
in accordance with precedent and the
constitution it was necessary to cal
the roll Of the new house by states.
The house chamber had been
equipped with benches instead of the
old style desks and looked much like
the English commons. While the role
was called members jokingly asked
each other how they liked the new
seats and the old timers tried to fig
ure out how they could ever get useG
to this radical innovation.
After the roll call the election q
speaker took place.
Members Are Sworn In.
Then came the swearing in OF mem
bers. AS the clerk called each state
and the names of members in thu
delegation of that state, the delega
ton presented itself at the bar of the
house and swore to perform its dutie.
we'll and faithfully.
The delegates from Alaska Hawaii
Porto Rico and the Philippines mex
took oath of office.
Committees were next appointed {,
inform the president and the senat,
that the house was in session am
ready to transact public business.
Heretofore it has been customar,
to make the selection of seats tn
next business to be taken up by tn,
house at this point. This time Their
was no drawing for seats, as it hat
been determined that members shoult
have choice of seats on arrival eacl
day. Only to Leaders Underwood an,
Mann and Chairman Fitzgerald of tn
appropriations committee was con
ceded the right to pick and hold
seat.
Representative Henry, who wa
chairman Of the rules committee il
the last congress-, then presented
set of rules for the guidance of tn
house. These were practically tn
same as were in effect at the las
session. The rules were adopted
Other routine business Of a forma
character vas then taken up.
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