The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-07
Popular Missouri Leaders
Reelection Was a Mere
Formality AS He Had No
Real Opposition.
ISIGHTSEERS FLOCK
INTO THE CAPITOL
Forty More Members Are in
the Lower House Than the
Last Session Making the
Number 435.
(National News Association

WASHINGTON, April THE extra
ordinary session of the Sixty-third
Congress convened here today.
Popular interest centered in the
House of Representatives where Rep
resentative Champ Clark, Democrat,
was reelected to the speakership
shortly after the session opened.
Representative James r. Mann, of
Illinois, Republican, was placed in
nomination for that office by the mi
nority. He received a rousing demon
stration but was overwhelmingly de-
feated, as was Rep. Madison, the Pro
gressive candidate.
Other officers selected by the House
were as follows: Clerk. South Trimble
of Kentucky; sergeant at arms, Rob
ert E. Gordon of Ohio; doorkeeper,
Joseph J. Sinnott of Virginia; post
master, William M. Dunbar
No Senate Elections.
No election of officers was held in
the senate. that body having been or
ganized before its adjournment on
March II.
The convening Of congress today
was auspioious in Democratic history.
It marked the first time in nearly a
score Of years that Democrats have
succeeded to complete control of the
Senate, the House Of Representatives
and the Presidency. The event was
hailed with world acclaim by the fol-
lowers of the Jeffersonian political
creed.
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
tance. Among them were hundreds Of
prettily gowned women-the wives Of
fair sprinkling of suffragettes. These
rubbed shoulders with job-hunters
from all parts of the United States,
close friends of the legislators and just
plain citizens, who later joined their
voices with those of the lawmakers in
cheering the heroes of parliamentary
debate irrespective of political creed.
Most of the noise proceeded from
the house where Clark, Underwood,
Mann. Payne and others of the old
guard received hearty ovations.
The Presidential proclamation pro-
vided that both Houses convene at
noon and promptly at IL o'clock the
gavel of Vice President Marshall fell
in the Senate. A new chaplain, the
Rev. F. J. Prettyman, of Washington,
delivered the invocation. The roll of
senators was called in the usual way
and committees appointed to notify
the House and also the President that
the Senate was ready to transact bus
mess. The Senate was expected to
take an early adjournment until tomor
row.
Reads Proclamation.
In the House, Clerk South Trimble
OF Kentucky, ascended to the Speak
er's rostrum and diretced 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 call the roll of the new
House by states.
The House chamber had been equip
ped 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 figure out how
they could ever get used to this radi-
cal innovation.
After the roll call-there were 435
members On the list, which is about 40
; larger than the former House-the ell
ection of Speaker took place.
Speaker Champ Clark was placed in
nomination by one of his fellow Mis-
souri, Congressman and the presenta-
ton Of his name evoked tremendous
applause. The applause however lack
ed one element of noise always heard
in previous demonstrations. Members
used to pound on the desks with the
flat OF their hands, but alas, today
| there were no desks to pound upon.
Good old fashioned hand clappings
had to take the place of the rumble
of hands beating on desks.
Address BY Speaker.
The speaker then delivered his
opening address He said:
Gentlemen of the House OF Repre-
sentatives: Profoundly grateful for
reelection to the speakership, the
highest honor which you can bestow,
1 am proud that it was preceded by
unanimous nomination and is &C
companied by the personal friendship
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