62nd United States Congress
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The Sixty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1911 to March 4, 1913, during the third and fourth years of William H. Taft's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Twelfth Census of the United States in 1900. Additional House seats were assigned to the two new states of New Mexico and Arizona. The size of the House was to be 435 starting with the new Congress coming into session in 1913. The Senate had a Republican majority, and the House had a Democratic majority.
Major events
- April 27, 1911: Following the resignation and death of William P. Frye, a compromise is reached to rotate the office of President pro tempore of the United States Senate.
- April 30, 1911: Great Fire of 1911
- May 15, 1911: The Supreme Court declared Standard Oil to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and ordered the company to be dissolved.
- April 15, 1912: The RMS Titanic sank.
- June 5, 1912: U.S. Marines landed in Cuba.
- June 18, 1912: The Republican National Convention nominated incumbent President William Taft in Chicago, defeating a challenge by former President Theodore Roosevelt, whose delegates bolted the convention.
- June 25, 1912: The Democratic National Convention nominated New Jersey Gov. Woodrow Wilson in Baltimore.
- August 5, 1912: Dissident Republicans formed the Progressive or Bull Moose Party, and nominated former President Theodore Roosevelt as their presidential candidate.
- October 30, 1912: Vice President James S. Sherman died.
- November 5, 1912: U.S. presidential election, 1912: Woodrow Wilson (D) beat incumbent William Howard Taft (R) and Theodore Roosevelt (P).
Major legislation
Main article: List of United States federal legislation
- August 8, 1911: Public Law 62-5, Pub.L. 62–5 (set House of Representatives size at 435 members)
- August 24, 1912: Lloyd–La Follette Act, ch. 389, §6, 37 Stat. 539
- February 13, 1913: Carlin Act
- March 1, 1913: Webb–Kenyon Act
- March 1, 1913: Railway Evaluation Act
- March 3, 1913: Publicity In Taking Evidence Act
- March 3, 1913: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act
- March 3, 1913: Gould Amendment
- March 4, 1913: Arlington Memorial Amphitheater Act
- March 4, 1913: Road and Trails Fund Act
- March 4, 1913: Burnett Act
- March 4, 1913: Weeks–McLean Act
- March 4, 1913: Federal Revenue Sharing Act
- March 4, 1913: Rivers and Harbors Act of 1913
- March 4, 1913: Burnt Timber Act
- March 4, 1913: Labor Department Act, 37 Stat. 736
Constitutional amendments
- May 13, 1912: 17th Amendment passed Congress and sent to the states for ratification. It would create a popularly elected U.S. Senate instead of the original process of appointment by state legislatures.
- February 3, 1913: 16th Amendment was ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect income taxes.
States admitted and territories created
- January 6, 1912: New Mexico admitted to the Union.
- February 14, 1912: Arizona admitted to the Union
- August 24, 1912: Alaska Territory created.
President of the Senate
James S. Sherman
James S. Sherman
Map showing Senate party membership at the start of the 62nd Congress. Red states are represented by two Republicans and blue by two Democrats. Purple states are represented by one senator from each party.
Party summary
Senate
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (D) |
Progressive (P) | Republican (R) | |||
| End of the previous congress | 32 | 0 | 60 | 92 | 0 |
| Begin | 43 | 0 | 48 | 91 | 1 |
| End | 47 | 95 | |||
| Final voting share | 49.5% | 0.0% | 50.5% | ||
| Beginning of the next congress | 49 | 1 | 42 | 92 | 4 |
House of Representatives
- Democratic (D): 230 (majority)
- Republican (R): 162
- Socialist (S): 1
- Independent (I): 1
TOTAL members: 394
Leaders
Senate
- President: James S. Sherman, until October 30, 1912; thereafter vacant
- Presidents pro tempore: William P. Frye (R), until April 27, 1911.
- For the remainder of this Congress, the office rotated among five Senators. The Senate at that time was split between progressive Republicans, conservative Republicans, and Democrats. Each put forth a candidate, and the ballots were deadlocked until August 1911 when a compromise was reached. Democrat Augustus Bacon served for one day on August 14, 1911, and thereafter he and four Republicans rotated holding the seat for the remainder of the Congress. These Republicans were: Charles Curtis, Jacob H. Gallinger, Frank B. Brandegee, and Henry Cabot Lodge. Further information: List of Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate
- For the remainder of this Congress, the office rotated among five Senators. The Senate at that time was split between progressive Republicans, conservative Republicans, and Democrats. Each put forth a candidate, and the ballots were deadlocked until August 1911 when a compromise was reached. Democrat Augustus Bacon served for one day on August 14, 1911, and thereafter he and four Republicans rotated holding the seat for the remainder of the Congress. These Republicans were: Charles Curtis, Jacob H. Gallinger, Frank B. Brandegee, and Henry Cabot Lodge.
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Champ Clark (D)
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Oscar Underwood
- Majority Whip: vacant
Minority (Republican) leadership
Members
Senate
At this time, most Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. A few senators were elected directly by the residents of the state. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election.
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
Changes in membership
Senate
There were 20 changes: 6 deaths, 2 resignations, 1 invalidated election, 6 appointees replaced by electees, 4 seats added from new states, and 1 seat vacant from the previous Congress. Democrats had a 4-seat net gain, and no other parties had a net change.
| State (class) |
Vacator | Reason for vacancy | Subsequent | Date of successor's installation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado (3) |
Vacant | Sen. Charles J. Hughes, Jr. died January 11, 1911, before the end of the previous Congress. Winner was elected to finish term ending March 4, 1915. | Charles S. Thomas (D) | January 15, 1913 |
| Arizona (1) |
New seats | Arizona achieved statehood February 14, 1912 | Henry F. Ashurst (D) | April 2, 1912[1] |
| Arizona (3) |
Marcus A. Smith (D) | |||
| New Mexico (1) |
New Mexico achieved statehood January 6, 1912 | Thomas B. Catron (R) | ||
| New Mexico (2) |
Albert B. Fall (R) | |||
| Iowa (2) |
Lafayette Young (R) | Appointment expired April 11, 1911 upon successor's special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | William S. Kenyon (R) | April 12, 1911 |
| Georgia (3) |
Joseph M. Terrell (D) | Resigned July 14, 1911, due to health reasons. Successor was elected in a special election. | Hoke Smith (D) | November 16, 1911 |
| Maine (2) |
William P. Frye (R) | Died August 8, 1911. Successor was elected in a special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | Obadiah Gardner (D) | September 23, 1911 |
| Tennessee (2) |
Robert Love Taylor (D) | Died March 31, 1912. Successor was appointed until a special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | Newell Sanders (R) | April 11, 1912 |
| Nevada (1) |
George S. Nixon (R) | Died June 5, 1912. Successor was appointed until a special election. | William A. Massey (R) | July 1, 1912 |
| Illinois (3) |
William Lorimer (R) | Senate invalidated election July 13, 1912. | Vacant until next Congress | |
| Idaho (3) |
Weldon B. Heyburn (R) | Died October 17, 1912. Successor was appointed until a special election. | Kirtland I. Perky (D) | November 18, 1912 |
| Maryland (1) |
Isidor Rayner (D) | Died November 25, 1912. Successor was appointed. | William P. Jackson (R) | November 29, 1912 |
| Arkansas (2) |
Jeff Davis (D) | Died January 3, 1913. Successor was appointed until a special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | John N. Heiskell (D) | January 6, 1913 |
| Texas (2) |
Joseph W. Bailey (D) | Resigned January 3, 1913 due to investigations brought to light suspicious income and financial ties to the oil industry. Successor was appointed until a special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | Rienzi Melville Johnston (D) | January 29, 1913 |
| Tennessee (2) |
Newell Sanders (R) | Appointment expired January 24, 1913 upon successor's special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | William R. Webb (D) | January 24, 1913 |
| Nevada (1) |
William A. Massey (R) | Appointment expired January 29, 1913 upon successor's special election. | Key Pittman (D) | January 29, 1913 |
| Arkansas (2) |
John N. Heiskell (D) | Appointment expired January 29, 1913 upon successor's special election to finish term ending March 4, 1913. | William M. Kavanaugh (D) | |
| Texas (2) |
Rienzi M. Johnston (D) | Morris Sheppard (D) | ||
| Idaho (3) |
Kirtland I. Perky (D) | Appointment expired February 5, 1913 upon successor's special election. | James H. Brady (R) | February 6, 1913 |
House of Representatives
Sorted Chronologically by date of vacancy
House vacancies are only filled by elections. State laws regulate when (and if) there will be special elections.
| District | Previous | Reason for change | Subsequent | Date of successor's installation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa 9th | Walter I. Smith (R) | Resigned March 15, 1911 after being appointed judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. | William R. Green (R) | June 5, 1911 |
| Kansas 2nd | Alexander C. Mitchell (R) | Died July 7, 1911. | Joseph Taggart (D) | November 7, 1911 |
| Pennsylvania 14th | George W. Kipp (D) | Died July 24, 1911. | William D.B. Ainey (R) | November 7, 1911 |
| Tennessee 10th | George W. Gordon (D) | Died August 9, 1911. | Kenneth McKellar (D) | December 4, 1911 |
| New Jersey 1st | Henry C. Loudenslager (R) | Died August 12, 1911. | William J. Browning (R) | November 7, 1911 |
| Nebraska 3rd | James P. Latta (D) | Died September 11, 1911. | Dan V. Stephens (D) | November 7, 1911 |
| Kansas 7th | Edmond H. Madison (R) | Died September 18, 1911. | George A. Neeley (D) | January 9, 1912 |
| New Mexico Territory At-Large | William Henry Andrews (R) | New State January 6, 1912. | seat eliminated | |
| New Mexico At-large | New seat | New State January 6, 1912. | Harvey B. Fergusson (D) | January 8, 1912 |
| New Mexico At-large | New seat | New State January 6, 1912. | George Curry (R) | January 8, 1912 |
| Arizona Territory At-large | Ralph H. Cameron (R) | New State February 14, 1912. | seat eliminated | |
| Arizona At-large | New seat | New State February 14, 1912. | Carl Hayden (D) | February 19, 1912[2] |
| Vermont 1st | David J. Foster (R) | Died March 21, 1912 | Frank L. Greene (R) | July 30, 1912 |
| Pennsylvania 1st | Henry H. Bingham (R) | Died March 22, 1912. | William S. Vare (R) | May 24, 1912 |
| Iowa 11th | Elbert H. Hubbard (R) | Died June 4, 1912. | George Cromwell Scott (R) | November 5, 1912 |
| Louisiana 6th | Robert Charles Wickliffe (D) | Died June 11, 1912. | Lewis Lovering Morgan (D) | November 5, 1912 |
| New York 26th | George R. Malby (R) | Died July 5, 1912. | Edwin A. Merritt (R) | November 5, 1912 |
| Missouri 11th | Theron Ephron Catlin (R) | Lost contested election August 12, 1912. | Patrick F. Gill (D) | August 12, 1912 |
| New Jersey 6th | William Hughes (D) | Resigned September 27, 1912 after being appointed to the Passaic County Court of Common Pleas. | Archibald C. Hart (D) | November 5, 1912 |
| Ohio 13th | Carl C. Anderson (D) | Died October 1, 1912. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| New York 21st | Richard E. Connell (D) | Died October 30, 1912. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Rhode Island 2nd | George H. Utter (R) | Died November 3, 1912. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Pennsylvania 11th | Charles C. Bowman (R) | Seat declared vacant December 12, 1912. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Pennsylvania 16th | John G. McHenry (D) | Died December 27, 1912. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| New York 10th | William Sulzer (D) | Resigned December 31, 1912 after being elected Governor of New York. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Michigan 2nd | William Wedemeyer (R) | Died January 2, 1913. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| North Dakota 1st | Louis B. Hanna (R) | Resigned January 7, 1913 after being elected Governor of North Dakota | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Ohio 3rd | James M. Cox (D) | Resigned January 12, 1913 after being elected Governor of Ohio | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Arkansas 6th | Joseph Taylor Robinson (D) | Resigned January 14, 1913 after being elected Governor of Arkansas | Samuel M. Taylor (D) | January 15, 1913 |
| California 8th | Sylvester C. Smith (R) | Died January 26, 1913. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| South Carolina 1st | George S. Legare (D) | Died January 31, 1913. | Seat remained vacant until next Congress | |
| Texas 1st | J. Morris Sheppard (D) | Resigned February 3, 1913 after being elected to the U.S. Senate | Seat remained vacant until next Congress |
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Senate
- Additional Accommodations for the Library of Congress (Select)
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Appropriations
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Canadian Relations
- Census
- Civil Service and Retrenchment
- Claims
- Coast and Insular Survey
- Coast Defenses
- Commerce
- Conservation of National Resources
- Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia
- Cuban Relations
- Disposition of Useless Papers in the Executive Departments
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States (Select)
- District of Columbia
- Education and Labor
- Election of William Lorimer (Select)
- Engrossed Bills
- Enrolled Bills
- Establish a University in the United States (Select)
- Examine the Several Branches in the Civil Service
- Expenditures in the Department of Agriculture
- Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor
- Expenditures in the Interior Department
- Expenditures in the Department of Justice
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the Department of State
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Finance
- Fisheries
- Five Civilized Tribes of Indians
- Foreign Relations
- Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game
- Geological Survey
- Immigration
- Immigration and Naturalization
- Impeachment of Robert H. Archibald (Select)
- Indian Affairs
- Industrial Expositions
- Interoceanic Canals
- Interstate Commerce
- Irrigation and Reclamation
- Judiciary
- Library
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Mississippi River and its Tributaries (Select)
- National Banks
- Naval Affairs
- Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico
- Pacific Railroads
- Patents
- Pensions
- Philippines
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Privileges and Elections
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Health and National Quarantine
- Public Lands
- Railroads
- Revision of the Laws
- Revolutionary Claims
- Rules
- Standards, Weights and Measures
- Tariff Regulation (Select)
- Territories
- Third Degree Ordeal
- Transportation and Sale of Meat Products (Select)
- Transportation Routes to the Seaboard
- Trespassers upon Indian Lands (Select)
- Whole
- Woman Suffrage
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Alcoholic Liquor Traffic
- Appropriations
- American Sugar Refining Company (Special)
- Banking and Currency
- Census
- Claims
- Coinage, Weights and Measures
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- District of Columbia
- Education
- Election of the President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress
- Elections
- Enrolled Bills
- Expenditures in the Agriculture Department
- Expenditures in the Commerce and Labor Departments
- Expenditures in the Interior Department
- Expenditures in the Justice Department
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Foreign Affairs
- Immigration and Naturalization
- Indian Affairs
- Industrial Arts and Expositions
- Insular Affairs
- Interstate and Foreign Commerce
- Invalid Pensions
- Irrigation of Arid Lands
- Labor
- Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River
- Merchant Marine and Fisheries
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Railways and Canals
- Reform in the Civil Service
- Revision of Laws
- Rivers and Harbors
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- War Claims
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
- Disposition of (Useless) Executive Papers
- Federal Aid in Construction of Post Roads
- Investigations of Conditions in Alaska
- Investigate the General Parcel Post
- Postage on 2nd Class Mail Matter and Compensation for Transportation of Mail
- Second Class Mail Matter and Compensation for Rail Mail Service
Employees
- Architect of the Capitol: Elliott Woods
- Librarian of Congress: Herbert Putnam
- Public Printer of the United States: Samuel B. Donnelly
Senate
- Chaplain: Ulysses G.B. Pierce, Unitarian
- Secretary: Charles G. Bennett of New York
- Sergeant at Arms:
- Daniel M. Ransdell of Indiana
- E. Livingston Cornelius of Maryland, elected December 10, 1912
House of Representatives
- Clerk: South Trimble of Kentucky
- Chaplain: Henry N. Couden, Universalist
- Clerk at the Speaker’s Table: Charles R. Crisp
- Doorkeeper: Joseph J. Sinnott of Virginia
- Postmaster: William M. Dunbar of Georgia
- Sergeant at Arms:
- W. Stokes Jackson of Indiana, died June 1912.
- Charles F. Riddell of Indiana, elected July 18, 1912.
See also
- United States elections, 1910 (elections leading to this Congress)
- United States elections, 1912 (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
References
- Gould, Lewis L. (2005). The Most Exclusive Club. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books Group. ISBN 0-465-02778-4.
- Remini, Robert V. (2006). The House. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-06-088434-7.
- U.S. Congress (2005). "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress". Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2006.
- U.S. House of Representatives (2006). "Congressional History". Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2006.
- U.S. Senate (2006). "Statistics and Lists". Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2006.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 1st Session.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 2nd Session.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 2nd Session (1st Revision).
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 2nd Session (2nd Revision).
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 3rd Session.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 62nd Congress, 3rd Session (Revision).
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