New-York tribune., 1879-03-17
THE sPEAKERsHIP ALL AT SEA.

last Congress has caused great increase IN
the number of pension applications.
THE SPEAKERSHIP ALL AT SEA.
NO CERTAINTY OF ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT THE
DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE MAJORITY OF THE
HOUSE IN THEIR CAUCUS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, March 16.-The race for the Speak
ership of the House becomes more complicated and
exciting as it draws to a close. All day
long the two hotels in which the leading
candidates have their headquarters have
been thronged with people who have
smoked and talked and talked and smoked, while
the few men who are really managing the canvass
have been quietly pulling the wires, laborng with
new members and carefully revising their lists.
The scenes at these two hotels are strongly sug-
gestive of the early meeting of Congress. The cam
vass cannot be said to have become really exciting
until within the last twentv-four hours, and even
now there is an air Of quietness and respectabIity
about the way in which 1t is conducted
that is, to say the least commendable both for Mr..
Randall and Mr.. Blackburn. There has been no
free rum openly set out at either headquarters,
and as a natural consequence less loud talk and
rowdyism than is often witnessed on similar occa-
sions.
Looking over the field tonight tie first thing
which Impresses an observer is the grave uncer-
tainty i'll which the contest is involved and the
evident anxiety of the leaders on each side.
Never since the Democrats came into power
in the House at the beginning of the XLlVth
Congress has the struggle for the Speakership been
as equal as it now is The friends of both leading
candidates have during the last week published
numerous estimates of their respective votes III the
caucus of tomorrow night, but these estimates have
represented more the hopes of the two parties than
of the votes Tonight 1t Is admitted on all hands
that neither Mr.. Randall Mr.. Blackburn has
enough members actually pledged to him TO ensure
his nomination on the first any other ballot
The contest is one that will have to be decided in
the caucus itself for the uncommtted men, or
those who will at the start vote for neither of the
leading candidates will certainly hold the balance
of power
The Democrats will undoubtedly have a majority
of the members of the House in their caucus
tomorrow night. The Republicans number
13O, counting Bsbee, of Florida, whose
name will probably be placed upon the
roll. Of the remaining 157 the Democrats
claim 147, leaving 10 for the Nationals.
If the third party does not draw from the Demo-
Gratis more than 3 members the latter party will
still have 144, which is a clear majority of the
Representatives already chosen. The Greenbackers
in their caucus, ouly two of whom Judge
Kelley and Mr. Barlow, of Vermon0 have ever
been counted as Republicans but it is probable
that they overestimate their strength, and that
several men on their list will be found III the
Democratic caucus
Speaker Randall will probably lead all his rivals
on the first ballot in the caucus tomorrow night
but Will not have a majority at the start. In this
his friends have been not little disappointed. Mr..
Randall is supported first by every one who desires
to have the House of Representatives of the XLVlh
Congress organized substantially as that of the
XLVth was by the chairmen of all the more impor-
tant committees, who have been reelected; by the
friends of the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms; and
by those who have heretofore secured appointments
under the present officers. The contest has also
become somewhat sectional in its character,
and Mr. Randall has the support of the more con-
servative Democrats of the North who fear that the
time has not yet come when it will be safe to give
the Speakership of the House to an ex-COn-
federate, and also of those who believe that
Mr. Randalls financial ideas are not quite
as dangerous IN their tendency as those of
his chief opponent. Besides all this Mr. Randall has
the advantage of being already i'll the saddle, OF hav
ing long ago made himself the acknowledged leader
of his party in the House, and OF being backed
by Governor Tilden, whatever that gentlemans
backing may be worth Two weeks ago this array
of influence would have been considered by almost
any one. and undoubtedly was considered by Mr..
Randall and his friends, strong enough to secure
his nomination on the first ballet.
MFR. Randalps weakness consists in having Of
Tended some influential men in his organization of
the last House. Several gentlemen, who thought
that they were entitled to important chairman
ships, were placed in subordinate positions, and
tbey are the most active of the workers for
Mr. Blackburn Some of them so bitter in their
opposition to Mr. Randall that they have declared
that they will not vote for him even if he gets the
nomination. but they will probably think the bet
ter of this if they should be brought to the point of
boiling Democrats generally eat their crow such
occasions Mr.. Randall also opposed by the
friends Of almost every scheme that failed IN the
late session of Congress account of his refusal TO
let the House get at the business on the Speakers
table Among the measures referred to are the
Texas Pacific and the Brazilian subsidy. None of
the advocates of these bills want MIR. Ran
dali to be reelected Then the feeling among
the Southern members IS that 1t Is about
time that they should have the actual control
of the legislation of the House, which their votes IN
the Democratic party cntitle them TO. The soft
money Democrats also have more confidence III Mr..
blackburn than iii Mr. Randall, although they can
have very little cause 10 complain of the organiza-
ton of the financial committees of the last House.
Mr. Blackburu's Strengths largely the result of
Mr. Randall weakness. As he is the most promi-
nent of the opposition candidates and has therefore
the best chance Of beating Randall, the NAL
contents both in the House and in the
lobby naturally rally under his standard.
He is a Southern man, was Confederate
soldier believes in greeuback initiation and Is III all
Iespects a Bourbon, circumstances which recou-
mend HIM 10 a large element IN the Democratic
party. Mr.. Blackburn Is also weak FOR the same
reasons that MT Randall ~ strong, and also because
his candidacy Is negative one. ~ tins II l. not
l.. E.LA.. lAtL