The Ottawa free trader., 1881-07-16
THE ALBANY FIGHT.

THE ALBANY FIGHT.
The contest at Albany has undergone some
changes during the past week, but none that
affords any very exLilerating promise of ending
the deadlock. On Friday Depew, who had
been running along for several weeks with q
maximum vote Of g., lacking II to 10 votes
.! an election surprised all parties by sending
to the joint session a letter Withdrawing his
name from the contest. Aft couple OF bal
lots for forms sake, IN adjournment was had,
ald in the evening the hafbrecds met in eau.
cus-attcndGd by 6j of the l05 republican
members of the senate and house-,o deliber.
ate on the changed situation. After some Gs.
cussion, resolution was frs. adopted that one
candidate should be chosen from the stalwart
and one from The ha!fbrecd wing of the party
After some scattered firing, Mr. Warner Mil
Ter, who represents the twenty. second district
in the present Qor,y-seventh) house of repre-.
sentatives, was nomlRated tor the short or
Conkllng term as the halfbreed candidate, and
Mr.. Elbridgc G.. Lapham, representative from
the twenty-seventh district, for the Platt va.
cancy as the stalwart.
OF course the election Of these gentlemen,
while 1t might, with the assistance of Malone,
enable the republicans to retain control of the
/. 5. Senate, would involve the loss of two
republicans in the house and thereby increase
the probability of that body dropping into the
hands Of the democrats. This objection was
made to the arrangement by the stalwarts when
tie result of the caucus was made known to
them, but the hal,brceds would consent to no
change, and the two candidates have been
voted for every day since.
Lapham is Objectionable to the stqlwarts of
course on the further ground that he is far
from the equal of Conkling, lack ing, though
an able man, in push and industry. Nor Is
Miller the equal of Depcw, though probably
his superior IN wealth. lie is the paper man.
ufacturer who made himself Extensively con.
splcuous by opposing in congress legislation
designed to reduce the duties on paper.stcck
and the price of paper. He has of course per.
sonal interests which he may eflectualy serve
in the senate, and from the vigor with which
he made the 'wood-pulp" fight in the house 1t
is not likely he will neglect them If chosen
senator In fact it is reasonable to suppose lie
seeks the senatorshlp chiefly for the advan-
tage it will give him IN preventing "unfriend
ly Legislation As a representative OF "monop-
oily" Miller is not whit less Objectionable
than Depew, and 1t i, strange enough to excite
good deal ol remark that two pei son, of that
character have in succession obtained the favor
Of the halfbreeds.
The voting under this new phase of the con-
test, however, shows no material change from
the former ballotings. A few more of the
scattering" stalwarts have concentrated on
the new candidates, SO that their vote has run
up to 20 and II, coming within ten of an cleo.
tion; but Conkling's solid phalanx of 80 still
stand firm, and until break in their ranks
can be effected the deadlock must continue
OF such break there Is no reasonable prospect
The "unterriied" 80 offer but one alternative
tho election Of Conkling as the stalwart, or
they will vote with the democrats for an ad-
journmcnt and referring the fight to the people
for decision at the November election. The
house, by vote of 60 to G1, passed resolution
on Thursday IN favor of such adjournment,
but 1t Is not believed that the senate will agree
to it-at least not for several days yet.