Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-23
SpEAkDRsuTp sURarIsEs.


As the date. OF the meeting OF con-
gress draws nearer interest in tho
speakership contest will increase. 1t
is now commanding good deal OF at
tention. aud there is more or less sur
mise regarding the strength of the
several candidates, the particular in
fuences affecting the chances Of each,
and the probable outcome. It is repre-
seutcd, also, that most OF the candi-
dates are looking carefully after their
fences. The only thing indicated with
any degree of certainty is that when
the caucus of republican congressman
meets the contest will be sharp and
earnest.
1t is generally agreed that the men
who will at the outset show the greatest
strength are Mr.. Reed, of Maine, and
Major Mckinley, of Ohio, and the belief
is that they will not be very far apart.
Just now the chances of the former seem
the best. His leadership of the repub-
lican side Of the house in the last three
congresses. ana the fact that his claim
to the speakership has been so long
recognized, give him strong position
in the race, and his qualifications
arc unquestiouable. Most OF the New
England representatives are conceded
to him, and he is understood to have
the nearly solid support Ct New York
and Pennsylvania. He is certain, there
fore, to go into the caucus with IL for
midcble backing. Mr.. Mckinley has
been conducting quiet campaign, and
his strength, outside OF Ohio, is not so
well defined as that of the Maine con-
gresham. He is expected, however, to
get considerable western support, and
1t is probable that the friends of some OF
the other candidates will go to him when
they have found the chances OF their
candidates to be hopeless. Mr.. Bur-
rows, of Michigan, is candidate not to
be ignored. He has been carrying on
an opsn campaign and is believed to
have done some effective work. He will
of course have the constant support of
his own state so long as there is any
hope of his being chosen, and he counts
besides upon the support OF the repre-
sentatives from the new states, with
some other help from the west. Mr..
Cannon, of Illinois, is said to talk
hopefully of his chances, but he
does not appear to have any
strength outside of his own state,
encountering opposition. Mr.. Hender-
son, of Iowa, is less talked of than the
other four gentlemen, but he is by no
means to be regarded as out of the race
or as an impossible candidate.
The indications are that there is GO
ing to be more or less bargaining in
connection with the speakership con-
test. The southern republican repre-
sentatives will support no one who is
not in favor Of the abolition of most of
the internal revenue taxes, and any
candidate they support will be
required to pledge himself to this pol
icy. Very likely they will find no diff
Guilty in getting such pledge from
most of them. 1t has been reported
that there is to be combined move
ment on the part of the manufacturers
in behalf of Mckinley, and if such a
thing should happen 1T would probably
do him more harm than good. AS to
Burrows, if it should appear, as
| charged, that he is the preference OF
the subsidy seekers, his chances would
rapidly diminish. There are special
influences at work affecting the chances
of all these candidates. and it would be
hazardous to predict the success OF
either OF them, although it is extremely
probable that one of those named will
be the next speaker of the house OF rep
resentatives. 1t will be fortunate if the
| one chosen shall be he who is least
hampered by pledges to any special in
terest or to any particular policy.