The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-18
MR.. REEDS OPPONENTS WILL COMBINE
They are Now Tying TO Prevent a
Decisive First Ballot.
Friends Of the Maine Man are Con-
fident Of Eary Victory.
The Bee Which HUNS In the Little
Napoieon's Bonnet.

Boston, November l17-A special to the
Transcript says: "The arrival Of Repre-
sentative Reed will open the canvass for the
speakership in earnest. The four other can
didates, with Major Mckinley in the lead.
are exertlng themselves to hold a sufficient
number OF votes so as to prevent Reeds NOM
ination In the caucus on the first or second
ballot. The friends Of these respective can
didates assert that II they can do this they
will have a fair prospect Iof electing either
Mr.. Mckinley or Mr.. Burrows. The friends
OF Mr.. Reed, who seem to understand the
situation, have no fear of such movement,
and feel perfectly confident that he will be
nominated on the first ballot. The strong.
est argument they advance Is that Mr.. Reed
has twice been nominated by his friends in
caucus as the party candidate, and that this
either meant that they regarded him as the
best equipped person for the place, or else
that their action was an empty honor"
NEw YORK. November ia special to
the Press says: "a battle for the speaker
ship between the East and West is becom-
ing more and more imminent. Strong evil
dence was today gathered that the support
ers Of at least three candidates from the lat
ter section had evolved plan whereby they
hope to deprive Reed OF the gavel. One
feature Of the scheme Is to spread his record
as to legislation. which has been and Is OF
vital interest to the West. IL this should
fail a combination Of all the members from
these quarters is contemplated, which will
put compromise candidate against him.
supporters OF Joseph G. Cannon of I'LL
nOis seem tonight TO be foremost la the fight
against Reed. By assuming this aggressive
attitude they count on making the West sol
Id for the Prairie State fav0rite. A few OF
Burrows's 3 and Henderson's adherents, too,
view the scheme with favor. Those OF Ma
jor Mckinley, however, are avoiding the
appearance OF antagonism. They insist that
ne already has at least 80 votes and claim
further that Reed Is not nominated on the
first or second ballot, Mckinley will absorb
the Pine Tree favOrite's strength and surely
win on the third.
n"The Majors friends expect II they make
him speaker next month he will capture the
presidential nomination in 1892. IL would
not do, therefore, TO have him beaten in this
race. He Is making no pledges and proposes
to make no enemies. III, therefore, bis
Western rivals succeed In their campaign OF
Anything to b, a. Reed" he Is regarded as
tho man most likely to corral the mnst votes.
1t Is understood that Major Mckinley de-
sires to be In position to win without making
pledges or enemies, OF 20 take defeat as
gracefully as possible. He Is calculating on
nothing being settled at once, and Is shrewd-
ly holding himself so as not TO be embarras-
sed by having everything pledged when the
critical moment COMES. IL the contest Is to
none but Reed can be successful. III there is
tn be tolerably long fight the victory Is apt
to go to the man who mas the most ammuni-
tiOn az the last charge