The sun., 1881-12-04
GEN. KEIFER FOR SPEAKER.
.rxIWAR7s SCCCESSFUL IN DEFEAT
NC nIsCOCK's CINDfDACT.

Hot. DetntI-Uc mcctNts IN NhucUhs
w,su,SoroS. Dec. al. Warren Keller OF
o,,orm nominated by the Republican caucus
oa,x for SPEAKER OF the next House Of Rep
s...rt,,iyss. He will undoubtedly be elected
~, Monday. Edward McPherson Of Pennsyl-
..nis WAS nominated for Clerk. and John W.
unotsr OF Vermont for SerEeant-at- Arms.
", Keter owes his nomination to
,.msrkable combination OF circumstances.
whsn his name was nrst suggested last
.,,,ne II WAS regarded 40 \ piece OF assurance.
and MANI Congressman thought that Mr.. Keller
90 not serious. Some Congressman were dis
so.ed to be greatly amused over It Almost no.
nodv had any idea that Keller would receive
more than half dozen votes at the outside.
~ vu an Ohio mau. and that was against
Kim but II he had been New York man or an
Illinois politician he would have stood no bet
,.r eh.uce. He was an active partisan. an in
Sustrious Congressman. Careful to get
bis share OF appointments. inclined to
NJ studious as far 40 his mental power
nsrmittsd. and all In all . conspicuous
tyns OF the conventional Western polit-
alan. he lacked many OF the qualities which
stons In some OF the Ohio statesmen
,or GOOD deal OF bluster. self-consoiousness.
and uncommon self-assurance. He WAS man
Al allow process OF thought He was not ready
dsbator He was withoue any OF the grace OF
,hstoric, and the spark Of true oratorical flre
nsvsr frightened one OF his speeches. He
vss not very familiar with parliamentary
rulss. although unconscious OF that fact. and he
lacked the quick judgment or at least the
mower to bring sound reasoning into imme-
is,s play. and therefore lacked one OF the es-
ssntials OF leadership. Such was tho man who
xas talked Of last spring as one Of the candi-
dates for Speaker. The nomination OF Keller
to-day ie one OF the results Of the death
OF Garfield. The political futures Of
some men were. and are yet. to be
made By that event. Had Gen. Garfield
lived, the probability 10 that the honor would
have fallen upon Mr.. Keiier's leading competi-
tor, Mr.. Hiscock. Certainly Keifer would not
have received II. and his candidacy. H. indeed.
hs had remained candidate. would have been
regarded a. one Of the political ambitions which
are more amusing than important
The stalwarts fully determined imms-
distely after the New York consultation to
defeat Hiscook. There were . good many
conferences In New York regarding the best
way to do II. There was no out and out Stall
vart in the House Of SUFFICIENT reputation
and ability to justify making a new candidate.
Il was suggested that Keiier was good enough
stalwart. and that besides It would be . wise
thing and probably = successful move to take
up an Ohio man. Keller himself was approach
Cd and found ready to make such pledges a.
we're desired. It was necessary to move with
very great caution. Hisoook. besides being a
very keen.siGhtsd man himself. was In the
hands Of men keener even than he The only
sign the Stalwarts made was nrst to send James
r. Davis hare - . New York candidate for Ser
gsant-at-Arms. and later to cause II to get out
that Edward n. johnson. late Secretary Of tho
New York Republican Committee. was . candi-
date for Clerk.
OF course Hisoock knew this was done to en-.
barrsss his canvass. and Il did to some extent
But IL was impossible to learn what stops. II
any. aside from these two. the Stalwarts were
taking. Probably never was . canvass man
aged with moro skill. In the early part OF the
week Hscock beGan to SEQ the finger marks OF
the Stalwarts upon the delegations from the
Bouth. Malone was paying his debts In Vir
ginis. and Stalwart influence was found to have
been potent elsewhere in the South. The nine
delegates from there declared for Keiier.
Ex-senator Platt's mysterious visit here was
known to be for the purpose OF antagoniznR
Hisooek. nor did he deny it; but nobody knew
whom Mr.. Plat had come to help. nor how he
proposed to defeat Hiseock. Everybody knew
that Plat had done something moro than sim
u TO talk openly In hotels against Hiscock. He
had really come to perfect his arrangement
with Kelfer and KeIler's lieutenants; BE went
programme all arranged and understood.
1t was by Mr.. Piatt's suggestion that the seem-
Ing deserton OF keifer's friends took place on
intended, in cong letely binding the eyes OF all
Of Hiscock's friends. On Friday night the last
coup sii w,h tSs
That delegation held the key to the situation.
ana that delegation. or the ma,ority St Il, was
% is prcSabio Y that Hiscock knew when h.
went to tho CAPITOL that he was defeated. and
that Keller WAS TO be chosen.
9fthe REPRESENTATIVES Hail was thronR.d with
candidates were conspicuous there as they
passed among tho members. shaking hands or
son,errilg. Mr. Orth vas told then by Gen.
promised at the proper moment to deliver his
eight votes to Keifer. a feat which no did not
and %ss. ss
Atl2 the doors were closed. The candidates
Tremained inside. Unlike the custom at the
publicans remain and take part in the proceed
inGs There was no other spoech making than
tne puttirg ot the several candidates In nomi,
nation Then began the balloting. which lasted
Ksiisr led from the start. He carried his own
St, Stats delegates. nearly all OF Pennsyvania the
-
Pacific slope ana Wisconsin. He had 81 votes.
hiscock carried the vote OF New Yors. a few
from New England. Illinois. the Rhode Island
Delegates and scattering votes NAL king total OF
~; hasson. Reed. Burrows, Orth. and DunneIl
ioMTowed IN the order osmed; .,,
, Tue ba!loting went on. Hiscock continually
lost Once little spuIt was made for Reed.
put II was failure. On the flteenth ballot
h-lier. who had slowly Rainad. had 81. His
cock 81; kasson l6. Reed l3. Burrows IL. Orth
and Dunneil3.
After this vote was taken Iiscock ho!sted the
wnlie nag. He went among his supporters
telling them tnat he could not be nominated
snd releasing them from their pledges. The
michigan delegation were quick To take advan-
hes OF this. Burrows threw ten OF mis- el.yen
votes for ke!ter. as did sixteen OF His;
cocks eupporters who had been pledged
70 him. The Indiana delegation was outwitted.
lu vote intended to be cast for Keller at the
propsr time. but Mr. Orth made a mistake as to
the proper time. When the sixteenth ballot
was counted. IL was found that Keifer had been
dominated. He received SO votes; Hiscock. Is:
hha.son; II: Reed. lS; Burrows. IL Orth. ., and
piunnen. 3. Ths caucus was ended. and the
e'alwars had WOE.
doupls rap was given to Mr. Blaine By
raGsluk hssson 70 make n ridiculously poor
SNOW. Ine victory is everyghrre acknowl-
el2ed. except by very few Western members.
10 h- COMPLETE as well as n brilliant Stalwart
hrlorE. II Is now understood why hobeson
shainpiored Reed. That was done TO steal
VOC lrgW Hiscock.
Hr hlsco"k tonight fully recognizes the
lus ~ inaEtaliiy when led 10 his defeat and he
A-i a tue candidates do not pretend 10 belittle