The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-13
THE SPEAKERSHIP.
Summary Of the Situation From an
Eastern Stand-Po
Acrimony Of the Contest and Prospect
of Still Greater Bitterness.

of Still Greater Bitterness.
Correspondence OF the st. Louis Republican,
New YORK, Aug. day before yes
terday it rained. Yesterday it did not
rain, but was dismal and gloomy enough
for trip to q watering place, and so |
constituted myself pic mic Of one and
went down to the Branch.
The staple topic among the lounglng
politicians just now is .. -. ..-
THE sPEAKERsHIP
of the next house. The various water
ing-places hereabouts are just now crowd
ed with congressmen-elect from..a sections
and many a line Of investigation, numerous
committee states and chairmanships and
divers aud sundry programmes for the
immediate salvation of, the country in q
general way are being devised among
small but distinguished groups on hotel
piazzas and over private bottles in fourth
story rooms. The prevailing element at
the Branch in particular is craftsmanship,
and | think it may be truly said that the
occupancy Of that resort by the admins
tration as a summer seat of government has
made it as much of a political centre in
July as Washington is in January.
RANDALL's CHANCES. ,--
At the Branch Randall is not generally
accredited with any advantage over his
principal competitors in the field, and is
regarded as losing rather than as gaining
ground. Not long ago one Of his friends,
who belongs to, q certain western delega-
ton, showed me schedule Of his
strength" in the caucus, by which it was
made to appear that within two or three
votes, or, at the outside, within half q
dozen of majority in the caucus was
already pledged to Randall. Subsequent.
ly saw ciTcumstantial statement to the
effect that the original pig-iron Democrat
of Pennsylvania, had ninety caucus votes
pledged to him. Then there was another
statement, evidently designed as a compile
ment to this one, that Mr.. Kerr was giving
I'D in despair. All these things. accord
ing to the best information | can CLEAN,
are simply integral parts of the Randall
strategy; being in the nature of feints or
reconnOissances in force and not by any
means true indices of what the Randall
strength actually is .-..--..
1t is unreservedly asserted by those op
posed to Randall that he has already par
celled out his main committees and allott
ed nearly all his chairmanships; that hi
and Jay Gould thoroughly understand
each other, and that this understanding il
the secret cause of the New York Irib
unes declining enthusiasm in the cause o
Kerr. not to speak ofthe increasing equa
nimity with which it seems to view the pos
sibiIity Of Randalls election; that by judi
cious distribution of the chairmanships a
aforesaid he has secured one or two actiy
friends in each important delegation, an,
that these active friends are contributin
great deal
MORE WIND
now than they will be able to contribut
votes next winter towards the success {
their candidate. Conversing with prom
inent Republican member from New Ems
land at the branch yesterday, learne
that Randall was Blaine's candidat
against the field. | expressed some SUI
prise, whereat my informant rejoineC
when the force bill was under conside
alton Blaine actually selected Randall ;
the man to lead the filibustering of the O
position, and then assisted him to the u
most limit of his ability under the rule
Cox tried to get his oar in from time
time, but Blaine kept him suppress al
gave Randall full swing on the floor al
the benefit of frequent hints and sugge
tons, both in and out of the chair"
1t is very natural that Blaine should d
sire to do what he can toward naming
successor; for, as any one knows, who b
any parliamentary knowledge whatever,
is almost within the power of the speak
to say who shall be the recognized lead
of the minority in the house, and Blain
position as the natural leader of our q
nority in the next house is by no means
perfectly assured that he can afford
ignore the advantages which would res
from the occupancy of the speakers CHI
by an obligated friend.
A DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
Presently / encountered another stat
man Democratic member elect from t
Northwest who is also Columbia orat
1t occasioned some surprise to find Il
this gentleman was for Sam Cox, as | b
not supposed that Cox had any adherel
west-nor an inuumerable h st Of thu
anywhere, for that matter. He was |
positively pledged to Cox, he said, for Il
humorous candidate had not sought pc
tive pledges from any body, neither h
he arranged his committee states nor all
ted his -chairinanShipS. But he stat
that Cox had written to great ma
members. elect, probably numbering c.
siderable majority in the caucus, ask
them to hold aloof from all positive plet
eS and from any combinations until t
ball opened in Washington, and he assur
me that Mr.Cox was entirely satisfied W
the responses he had received. This &,
teman was
UNsPARING IN HIS CRITICISMS
upon Mr. Randall. He declared that
anybody supposed the back-pay basin,
had been forgotten or would be exclud
from consideration as an element of recC
affecting the availability of candidate
the speakership, the man so suppose
would find out that he had grossly ERE
tie also lntimated that the peculiar fav
with which Mr.. Randall has notoriou.
long been regarded by that unsavory see
ed statesman Simon Cameron, would I
haye the effect of a recommendation
the eyes of the Democrats in {
next house. He asserted that Mr.. r;
dams private political record need not
examined beyond the date of 1872 to d
cover where he had played directly il
the hands of the Radical party and CT
tributed to the defeat of Mr.. Greeley
consideration of assistance at the hands
the Republicans in his own race for CT
gress. My intormant's interest seemed
wax warm as he proceeded with his top
and before concluding he impressed
more wildly than I have b;tharto ho