Show SIXTY-FIRST SIXTY CONGRESS MEETS Speaker Calls the House to Order and Is Applauded Applauded Ap Ap- by Friends and Enemies Alike Vice-President Vice Sherman Presides Over the Senate Nu Senate Nu Numerous Bills Designed to Carry Out President Tafts Taft's Policies Are Introduce in Both Houses By EDWARD B. B ClA CLARK K Washington Dec 6 The G.-The The Sixty- Sixty first congress of the United States met at noon day to-day for the first day of Its first regular session with Vice Vice- President Sherman In the chair of the senate and Speaker Joseph G G. Cannon Cannon Cannon Can Can- non in the chair In the tho House While this congressional gathering is the tho first r regular gular session It Is the second session In reality for congress met in extraordinary session last spring at atthe atthe atthe the call of ot President Taft to consider the matter of a revision of the tariff Some Interest was lacking in the proceedings of the first day In the capitol because at the beginning of the extraordinary session In March last the speaker of the tho House was elected Moreover before the extraordinary extraordinary extraordinary extra extra- ordinary session was ended Speaker Cannon appointed all the committees which are to take legislation under consideration for the next two win win- The appointment of the committees committees committees commit commit- tees ended the campaign orr on the part of the members for choice chairmanships chairmanships chairmanships chairman chairman- ships and if tho the chairmanships were not forthcoming for seats In the more Important subsidiary bodies of ot the Hous Ready for Work at Once The members have had time to get over jealousies and rivalries and so soIs sois sois Is that so far br as committee work is con con- concerned the House not only is ready to proceed at once to consider legislation but most of the members member have brought themselves Into a frame of of mind to do what they are called upon to do without regard to their past feelings of and p perhaps anger As Is always the case on the opening openIng open open- Ing day of congress admission to the House ouse and Senate galleries was by card and only those fortunate enough to know senators and representatives sufficiently well to secure admission tickets were allowed to witness the proceedings Galleries Are Crowded The galleries of both House and Senate were were jammed jammed with willi people All classes of Washington society were represented in the throng of vl visitors The diplomatic gallery in the House and in the Senate as well was filled to Its fullest capacity with ambassadors ambassadors ambassadors dors ministers attaches and the ladies ladies ladies la la- dies of the different legations Members Members Members Mem Mem- bers of the families of the president and of the vice-president vice of the United States occupied seats In the executive galleries and the cabinet and judiciary judiciary judici judici- ary ry and army and navy circles were well represented By a rule which was adopted not long ago flowers are barred from the floor of the House excepting when they are to be used as a tribute to the memory of some deceased member The result of this rule Is that now on the opening days of congress the desks of the members are bare of floral decorations In the old days I I r t R Vice President Sherman both House and Senate were turned into conservatories for the time of ot the opening proceedings At sharp noon Speaker Cannon called the House to order and asked the chaplain Rev Henry N. N Couden to offer prayer In his prayer Drayer which was in a sense a Thanksgiving offer offer- eying ering the chaplain referred to the prosperity of or the country tho rho opportunities opportunities of the present and the bright hopes and promises of the future I 7 Absentees Are Few As soon as the prayer was ended the clerk of the House called the roll roU of membership by states and it was found that there were only a few ab ab- The roll 1011 call ended the readIng readIng reading read- read Ing Ing- clerk of the Senate who had appeared appeared appeared ap ap- ap- ap In the House was recognized and he announced that the Upper House had passed a resolution to Inform inform inform in In- form the House of Representatives that f at a quorum of the Senate being assembled assembled as as- that body was ready to proceed proceed pro pro- feed to business The House also was was as told that the Senate had appointed appoint appoint- ed a committee to Join a House committee committee com com- to Inform the president of the United States that a quorum of each house ouse was present and that congress was ready to receive any communication tion that he may be pleased to make wake On receipt of this message from the Senate Speaker Cannon appointed appointed ap pointed a committee to join a a lIko committee of the Senate to wait walt upon the president The members of the body directed to notify Mr Taft that the House was In session were were by the appointment of ot the speaker the Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican leader Sereno E. E Payne and the Democratic leader Champ Clark The first day In the House as usual brought out hundreds of legislative measures In bill form all of which were read by their title only and then referred to the proper committees It was evident from the tone of the bills introduced that some scores of representatives representatives representatives rep rep- were anxious to father measures which had been ded d- d ed by President Taft as being necessary necessary I sary to carry out proposed policies of progression The bills ranged from those intended to correct alleged exIsting existing existing ex ex- evils In interstate commerce to those to give increases of pensions to veterans of the civil war Applause Greets Speaker Cannon If Speaker Cannon anticipates any particular trouble with the Insurgents Insurgents gents of the House at the coming ses- ses c 1 U a YI i 1 0 Speaker Joseph G. G Cannon slon sion he e gave no evidence of ot it when he took the chair as presiding offic officer r. r He was greeted with great applause from the galleries and from the floor of the House many of the Democrats and insurgents joining in the demonstration demonstration demon demon- though In either case possibly pos pOSe sibly the hand-clapping hand was given as asan asan asan an evidence of regard for the office of speaker rather than as evidence ol ot oL any affection for the speaker himself With the committees ready to begin work the House will settle down to Its winters winter's business at once No bills will be passed Immediately because all measures must be considered in rn committee and the meetings of the committees will be held daily dally from now until the Christmas holidays and some of the more important House bodies will sit during the recess When congress reassembles in In January January January Janu Janu- ary many of the committees will be ready to report bills and the debates of the winter will begin Opening of the Senate Vice President Sherman called the called the Senate Senat to order at noon Rev Edward Edward Edward Ed Ed- ward Everett Hale the chaplain of the Senate having died during the summer recess his place as chaplain temporarily was taken by a local t clergyman who offered prayer In the Senate the roll 1011 was called and It was fou founts found ti- ti that that nearly all the senators were I in tl seats The res resolutions l l ns were adopted tot td P effect t the j be appointed t the thet House and the president that tha t t ti S 1 ate had assembled and was ready to begin beg the business of the session As was the case in the House many bills were Introduced for consideration dur durIng Ing lag the winter by senators who like the representatives desire to have a n hand in forwarding administration pol idles After a comparatively short session in the open the galleries s were cleared and the Senate went Into executive executive ex ex- session behind closed doors for the purpose of considering nominations nominations for office sent to the Upper House by President Taft |