New-York tribune., 1881-11-28
THE CONTEST FOR THE sPEAKERsHIP.

her of RpDubliCan
in Washington since Friday evening anu
A. Srookersbin contest has assumed
somewhat more lively phase. The tax oi
+ba canvass is mainly confined to discussions OF the
"claimsv of this OF that STATE and the personal
nonularitv of the several candidates. For example,
Mr.. Horr, of Michigan, in pressing the claims "
Mr.. Burrows laid great stress upon the 1act tn"'
Michigan. which has given large Republican MAJOR
tiles for twenty-five years In succesSloh haS heNoi
been suitably rewarded for her constancS' Wi'ii0
poltical honors have been shOwered upon ONO
Indiana Illinois and Iowa. As to New-loIk' IL Is
said bv the friends of ali the Western candidates
that. with the President and two members OF inc
Cabinet the Empire State ought to be content
Iowa. as the banner" Republican State, presents
The name of Mr. Kasson, whose friends for reasons
like those given by the partisans OF Mr bur-
rows. CLAIM that the Speakersmp should DC
bestowed upon their favOrite. 1t ought 10
be said however, that the personal
qualifications and the long and varied legislative
and political experience of Mr.. Kasson are strongly
urged by his friends reasons why he should DO
the choice of the Republican caucus.
Prominent among the things said IN favor OF MT
Orths candidacy is that had it not been for RepuD-
lcan success in Indiana year ago last October, the
Democrats would have elected both the President
and a majority of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Orth's partisans therefore, declare that In
diana is entitled to the Speakership especially as
she is not represented in the Cabinet Oh course IL
cannot gravely be asserted that IN the matter OF
political honOrs and rewards Ohio has been neglect
ed but the friends of General Keifer assert that the
assassination of President Garfield and the transfer
of the centre of political influence and power to the
State of New-York, make Oho's claim to the Speak
ership natural and reasonable; and they affirm,
moreover that their favorte is the favorite of
majority of the Western Republicans; and that as
the West must always be depended on for Repubh-
can success in National contests the Speaker OF the
House should be taken from a Western State
While most OF the Western Republica strongly
favor the general proposition that the Speaker
shOuld be Western man, they are very much d.
vided in opinion to who that Western man should
be- For example, General Keifers friends claim
that he will certainly receive on the first ballot the
three Republican votes from California and Oregon,
one from Colorado, one from Nebraska two ana
probably three from Kansas and six from Wiscon-
sin. besides the 10 votes of Ohio. These mako
up a total of % votes out of II, and it now
appears by no means probable that Mr. Kelfer Will
receive one-half the Western Republican vote on the
first ballot. Some of the shrewdest politicians in
Washington scout as absurd the idea that the Re-
publican party can he made sectional for the benefit
of an Eastern or Western candidate.
To some extent the position Of candidates respect
friends assert that his views on that subject have
undergone considerable modification recently, so
that he is now revenue reformer " of mild type
and ought not to be Objectionable to a majority of
Republicans For himself Mr. KassOn ls understood
to declare that he is now he ever was, believer
in :" the protective principle" Another subject
which Is frequently mentioned is the position of the
respective candidates in regard to internal
improvements. 1t is understood that some
Western Republicans, whose support General Keller
might otherwise naturally receive, are dissatisfied
with him, because, as they assert, he has at times
exhibited some hostility to liberal appropriations
for the improvement of the Mississippi River and is
suspected of illibera views the subject of inter-
nal improvements generally. TO those Western
Republicans who favor liberal aid to such improve
ments Mr. Kasson appears to be a more satisfactory
candidate than does General Keifer; while with
those who favor protective tariff policy, and con-
slder it of the greatest consequence Mr. KassOn is
less favoraby regarded than is either Mr. Kcifer or
Mr.. Burrows.
A curious objection is urged against Mr. Hscock
and in a less degree against Mr. KassOn. While the
most influential Democratic newspapers are bitterly
opposing Mr. Hiscock, the friends of certain Repub-
hcan candidates are busy declaring that he cannot
be safely trusted because he has several occasions
been seen in pleasant conversation with that prom
inent Democratic statesman, ex-Speaker Randall.
From this, by some curious mentdi process the idea
is evolved that should Mr.. Hscock be chosen
Speaker, "he would be run by Sam Randall" This
objection to the New-YOrk candidate has taken the
place of the recently explo led story that Mr. His
cock would not receive the support of all the Re
publican members from his own State and both of
them tend to show that Mr.. Hiscock's rivals are in
considerable distress for to prove that he
should not be nominated.
Very few members from New-England have ar
rived and it is consequently impossible TO say any
thing definite respecting the support which Mr..
Reed will receive. What the Pennsylvania Repre-
sentatves will do is also uncertain, although two
or three times many votes in
the aggregate from that State as there
are Republican members, are claimed by the
friends of different candidates 1t is understood
that friend of Mr.. KassOn, who was sent TO Penn
sylvania in his interest TO sound the members from
that State and to advocate Mr.. Kasson's cause has
returned TO Washington and expressed the opinion
that neither Mr.. Kasson nor General KeIfer will
probably receive many votes from the Pennsylvania
members who, il is understood. viii bold confer
ence here next Tuesday or Wednesday to discuss
the situation, and endeavOr to unite upon one of
the candidates now in the field.
General Henderson, OF Illinois, who has arrived in
Washington, is still undecided whether or not to be
a candidate Ii is understood that Senator Logan
is anxious that he shall be. ont of regard TO
certain other considerations affecting Illinois poll
tics than with any hope that his candidacy Will be
successful IL is also said that II an ILLINOIS candl-
qate Is put IN the field at all 1t is probable that the
representatives from that State viii be more likely
" unite on Colonel George X. Davis than on General
nenuers9n. They are very popular men, and Colonel
&paNis & VINO mas served only one term IN the House.
hari-wOrkIng member
Candidates Tor the minor offices have become |
oe SoI nsuneious s one OF them is Captain S. s. Black
1oru oI ONO, who Is candidate for the office of |
Dioorkeeper Cap ain Blackford was gallant |
ontoh t scIuler, was twice wounded and lost an arm
ia the service He was formerly supcrintendent of |
me CaPiIol police force, and, at the instance of