A quorum having answered to their names, the Clerk announced the first business was the election of Speaker.

Mr. Adler offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That the House do now proceed to the election of Speaker; that the roll of members be called by the Clerk, and that each member, as his name is called, rise in his place and openly name his choice for such office.

The Clerk put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative. The House then proceeded to the election of Speaker.

The Clerk called the roll of members, whereupon each member, as his name was called, arose in his place and nominated as follows:

H. Edmund Machold having received a majority of all the votes cast, the Clerk declared him duly elected Speaker of the Assembly of 1924 and appointed Messrs. Adler and Bloch a committee to conduct the Speaker-elect to the chair.

Mr. Speaker on taking the chair addressed the House as follows:

Members of the Assembly of 1924: At the outset I desire at this time to extend to you collectively a very happy, a very joyous, and I hope a prosperous New Year.

It is indeed an honor, as I have said from this rostrum three times before, when I have been chosen as the presiding officer of this Body, to be elected Speaker of this the New York State. Assembly.

The duties which devolve upon this House are, to my mind, little understood by the rank and file of the electorate and the citizenship of this State. We have before us problems farreaching in their effect, and I sincerely trust that each and every one of you will give to those problems which are to come before you during this session the thought and the consideration which they deserve from you as the representatives of the people, in order that when we adjourn this Assembly each and every one of us, irrespective of whether we represent the majority or the minority of this House, will be proud of the participation which we took in their solution.

Upon the majority of this House devolves the responsibility of taking the initiative, so far as this Assembly is concerned this year, and I beseech from them the cooperation which I have had heretofore in endeavoring to conduct the affairs of this House in such a way that we of the majority, as I have said, will be proud of the part which we have taken in the solution of the problems.

To the minority, and let me say that so long as I have been Speaker of this House I have received nothing but the most courteous treatment from them, I beseech from you this year the same kind of constructive criticism on the policies which the majority will advance that we have had heretofore.

Again, wishing you all a happy New Year, I say let us begin this session with the thought in our minds that we are going to consider and to solve the problems which will be presented for the best interests of all the people of this State. I thank you for the honor which you have conferred upon me.

Mr. Stone offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That the House do now proceed to the election of Clerk, that the roll of members be called by the Clerk, and that each member, as his name is called, rise in his place and openly name his choice for such office.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker directed the Clerk to call the roll, when each member, as his name was called, nominated as follows:

Fred W. Hammond, having received a majority of all the votes cast, Mr. Speaker declared Fred W. Hammond duly elected Clerk of the Assembly for 1924.

Mr. Speaker administered the oath of office to Fred W. Hammond, Clerk-elect.

Mr. Moore offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That Harry W. Haines be and he hereby is elected Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative. Mr. Speaker declared Harry W. Haines duly elected Sergeantat-Arms of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Bartholomew offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That Charles H. Jackson be and he hereby is elected principal doorkeeper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker declared Charles H. Jackson duly elected principal doorkeeper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Joiner offered for the consideration of the House a resolution in the words following:

Resolved, That Walter S. Gay be and he hereby is elected first assistant doorkeeper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker declared Walter S. Gay duly elected first assistant doorkeeper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. McGinnies offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That Jay P. Mericle be and he hereby is elected second assistant doorkeeper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to sad resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker declared Jay P. Mericle duly elected second assistant doorkoper of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Griffith offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That George W. Munson be and he hereby is elected stenographer of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker declared George W. Munson duly elected stenographer of the Assembly for the Session of 1924.

Mr. Adler offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That a committee of two be appointed by the Speaker to wait upon the Governor and inform him that the Assembly is organized and ready to proceed to business.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker appointed as such committee Messrs. Adler and Bloch.

Mr. McGinnies offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That a committee of two be appointed by the Speaker to wait upon the Senate and inform that honorable body that the Assembly is organized and ready to proceed to business.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. Speaker appointed as such committee Messrs. McGinnies and Taylor.

Mr. Stone offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved (If the Senate concur), That the Senate and Assembly meet in joint Assembly, Wednesday, January second, at one o'clock, P. M., for the purpose of receiving the message of his Excellency the Governor.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the house would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative.

Ordered, That the Clerk deliver said resolution to the Senate and request their concurrence therein.

Messrs. Twomey and Fearon, a committee from the Senate, appeared and announced that the Senate was organized and ready to proceed to business.

Mr. McGinnies, from the committee appointed to wait upon the Senate, reported that they had performed that duty.

Mr. Adler, from the committee appointed to wait upon the Governor, reported that they had performed that duty.

The Senate returned the concurrent resolution in relation to a joint session to receive the Governor's message with a message that they had concurred in the passage of the same without amendment.

Mr. Jenks offered for the consideration of the House a resolution, in the words following:

Resolved, That the Clerk be requested to invite the clergymen of the city of Albany in charge of parishes to open the daily sessions of this Assembly with prayer.

Mr. Speaker put the question whether the House would agree to said resolution, and it was determined in the affirmative, a majority of all the members elected to the Assembly voting in favor thereof, and three-fifths being present.