New-York tribune., 1883-12-20
THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.
THE sPEAKERsHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY.
MR.. LITTLEJoHN's RAPID INCREASE OF STRENGTH
POSITION or THE OTHER CANDIDATES.
iRY TRIRuNEl

MR.. LIrrLEJoHN's RAPID INCREASE OF STRENGTH
POSITION or THE OTHER CANDIDATES.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
ALBANY, Dec. 10.-That the drift of opinion
amongpoliticians which some time ago seemed to
indicate the easy election Of Titus Sheard, of Herk
amer County as Speaker of the next Assembly takes
altogether different direction, cannot be mis-
taken. The entrance of Dewitt Q. Littejohn into
the canvas, through the vigorous efforts Of his
friends, has fairly broken the backbone Of Mr..
Sheard's strength has reduced Mr. Erwin's support
to an Insignificant faction and at the same time has
confused old half factional distinctions
which at time seemed destined to play
part in the contest-such at least
are the opinions freely expressed here by those who
have tFayersed the State and have encountered the
influences at work in Mr.. Littlejohn's behalf.
FREE CONTEST or THE CANDIDATES.
The idea that there has been dctatorial interfer
ence IN the canvass by the Federal Administration
by Senator Miller, or by Ex-Governor Cornell, is
secuted by every one familiar with the struggle
for the Speakership with the disposition of
the majority of the members themselves,
and with the temper Of the people.
Both Mr.. Sheard and Mr.. Erwin, from present APP
pcaranccs, wll'be disappointed in their expecta-
tions in consequence of Mr. Littlejohn becoming a
candidate. The so-cal cd "machine" strength
SftliH lhely 10 BIdNldle 10 MIN UUaD 10
Erwin, viii he has also the earnest support of the
strongest Of the politicians who made Senator Mil
lers election to the Senate possible. Among these
are Jarues J. Belden, of Syracuse, and ex-Speaker
Sloan, Of 0swego. Mr.. Sloan has charge of
the Littcjohn canvass and has a reputation for
skilfull legislative manguvrng.
ESTIMATES OF STRENGTH.
Mr.. ROosevelts canvass has been strong consider
ing that it has had no support from the older poll
ticians Of the party and has been purely personal,
but it has reached apparently its limit. The esti
mates Of several Of the candidates themselves,
when freed from the bias of personal interest and
modified by considerations which have lately en-
tered the canvass indicate somewhat roughly a
vote Of 13 for Mr.. Sheard Mr.. Littlejohn, 20; Mr..
Roosevelt 20; Mr. Erwin, 3; Mr. O'Neil, !; and 10
doubtful. For Mr, Sheadr there are counted Briggs
and Noxon Of Saratoga Boyce of Fulton, and Yed-
der of schenectady the solid vote Of the Twentieth
Congressional District although Yeddcrs vote is
claimed for Littlejohn, Baker and Westfall Of
Washington and Locke Of Rensselaer,; the solid vote
Of Congressman BurlciCh's district Haskell of Mad
Ison, Joyce and Ovens OF Oneida Hall of Allegany
and Shoemaker of Canandaigua, the latter on per-
soual grounds. although his vote is claimed for Lit
tciohn: and Shcard of Hcrkimcr For Mr.. Roosc-
welt: Ohm of BrOome, Price of Chautauqua, Van
Du2eT OF Chcmung, Cartwright Of Delaware, Clin-
, ton Of Erie Ilubbcll aud Garbutt OF Monroe Jones
of Senaca, IlaWkin of suffolk, BaTagcr of IlOga
Capp of Putnam; Van Allen. Dayton. hittle, Howe
and Roosevelt of Ncw-lork. and the four Kings
County members, although Mr.. ROosevelts friends
couccde that except Heath they may not vote
for him on the first ballot. For Mr.. Little0hn:
kruec and Nash. Of CattarauRus County; Priddy
and Rowland, Of Cayuga County; Horton, Of
Chautauqua Dean. of Columbia; Kent, Of Dutchess; !;
Sipp. of Erie Boynton of Essex Pratt of Monroe; (;
Gcddcs aud Hendricks, of OnondagI, LttleiOhn
and Sweet, of Oswcgo; TrcmpeT aud IIasbrouck,
Of Ulster; lusterand Otis. OF WestChestcr; Palmer
of Wyoming; and Slibblc, of Orleans. For Mr.
Erwin: ~. Lawrence County members, Scott,
of Livingston aud House, Of New-lork. For Mr..
ONell: Hunt and Seebcr, of jefferson, and Locke,
, OF Warren.
Erwns strength seems already absorbed in
Littlej0hns, as ONcifs will 70 10 ROOse-
welt. The three Albany mcmbcTs. the
two WAYNE County members and Kneeland
Of Cortland are claimed both by LittlejOhn's and
Shcarl's friends. with Littlcjohn's claim appar-
entity the better established. smith Binder aud
Lewis. OF New York, are understood to wait upon
the opinions of the state Committeeman, O'lIricn,
Patterson and Lydccker. Barley, of Gcneseo, is
claimed by three of thu five candidates. In the
event of o deadlock between Litticiohp, Sheard and
Roosevelt il is ntimated that the friends Of ROose
welt would be willing 10 propose Howe, of New
York. as a compromise to Mr. Sheard, or, as n last
resort to concentrate on Mr. Sheard IN order 10 Sc
cure littlcjOhu's defeat.
The Democratic candidate for Speaker will be
Prank Rice of Ontario, who is the choice of
the Manning machine