December 5, 1923. Revolución

Under the nominal leadership of Adolfo de la Huerta, a collection of Mexican officials rose up in rebellion against President Álvaro Obregón.  Complicating their insurrection, they were united principally in their opposition to the sitting President.

Interestingly, this period is commonly thought to be outside the Mexican revolutionary period,but it obviously is not.

Frederick H. Gillett was picked as Speaker of the House after nine ballots.

Which allowed the 68th Congress to officially commence.

Seen below being sworn in on this day, he would serve until 1925, at which time he was elected to the Senate.

Tuesday, December 4, 1923. House Session Breaks Up In Vote Deadlock. Vaccination Ruling To Be Put To Test.

Somewhere I've seen a t-shirt advertised that says "Study history, realize people have been this dumb for thousands of years."

Yup.

Big events at the movies.   The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille. . . .the first one, was released.  It was silent, of course.  Some of it, however, was filmed in technicolor.

At least one of the movie posters for what would become the most popular film of 1924 depicted moderns in the throes of agony for, presumably, violating one of the Commandments.  This is because the two-hour-long movie is divided into two parts, one a prologue depicting Exodus, the second a modern melodrama.

Colorado Aggie students voted to emblaze a local hill with a large "A".  Colorado State University had its origins as an agricultural college, and while the Rams are known for many things today, at that time, they were focused on agriculture.

The Arctic Exploration Board posed for a photograph.

Monday, December 3, 1923. Congress Convenes In Spectacular Fight; Bitter Battle Marks Failure In Voting For House Speaker, a child actor, and a Napoleonic drama.

Headline ripped, um, right from yesterday?

Well, at least an orange haired tycoon associated with dubiousity wasn't involved.

Seven coal miners at the Nunnery Colliery in the United Kingdom were killed when a rope hauling a mine transport severed.

Interestingly, at least to me, an elevator cable severed in an elevator I was riding in last week. It was retroactively horrifying, but not like this.

Released on this date in 1923.  It was the first film to feature Peggy-Jean Montgomery, aka "Baby Peggy".

She died at age 101 in 2020, being the last person with a substantial career in the silent film industry.  She struggled in later years to disassociate herself from her childhood role, which brought her derision from other in the industry.  She became a successful author, and was a convert to Catholicism.

Published on this date:

It was, as noted, a Napoleonic era drama.

Tuesday, March 16, 1909. A serious Congress.

Taft wrote Congress regarding tariff reduction.

To The Senate and House of Representatives:

I have convened Congress in this extra session in order to enable it to give immediate consideration to the revision of the Dingley tariff act. Conditions affecting production, manufacture, and business generally have so changed in the last twelve years as to require a readjustment and revision of the import duties imposed by that act. More than this, the present tariff act, with the other sources of government revenue, does not furnish income enough to pay the authorized expenditures. By July 1 next the excess of expenses over receipts for the current fiscal year will equal $100,000,000.

The successful party in the late lection is pledged to a revision of the tariff. The country, and the business community especially, expect it. The prospect of a change in the rates of import duties always causes a suspension or halt in business because of the uncertainty as to the changes to be made and their effect. It is therefore of the highest importance that the new bill should be agreed upon and passed with as much speed as possible consistent with its due and thorough consideration. For these reasons, I have deemed the present to be an extraordinary occasion within the meaning of the Constitution, justifying and requiring the calling of an extra session. In my inaugural address I stated in a summary way the principles upon which, in my judgment, the revision of the tariff should proceed, and indicated at least one new source of revenue that might be properly resorted to in order to avoid a future deficit It is not necessary for me to repeat what I then said.

I venture to suggest that the vital business interests of the country require that the attention of the Congress in this session be chiefly devoted to the consideration of the new tariff bill, and that the less time given to other subjects of legislation in this session, the better for the country.

The Bureau of Investigation, now the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was created.

Lubbock, Texas was incorporated.

Henry Timken, inventor of the Timken roller bearing, died at age 76.

Last prior edition:

Monday, March 15, 1909. Walking.