Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-06
A Remarkable Contest Waged
at Washington.
The Democratic Caucus Gets
Down to Business.
Seventeen Ballots for Speaker Taken
without Result.
Crisp In the Lead and Mills Close Sec
ond-springer Making an Up Hill
Fight-Reed Renominated
by His Party.
Associated Press Dispatches.

r markable contest, in the opinion of ole
and experienced congressman, for the
speakership of the house of representa-
tives that has taken place for many
years reached its last day this morning
with no material change in the situation.
The attack on Springer's forces, designed
to bring about the withdrawal Of
the Illinois candidate, continued, but
Springer said he would not be forced to
retire by defections in his own ranks
that he was still resolved to go before
the caucus and stick to the end. A
great deal of indignation was expressed
by Springer's warmest supporters at the
thought of the abandonment of his can
vass by members OF his state delegation.
The Illinois delegation held an in
formal meeting this morning, and once
again decided to stand by Springer,
though another meeting was held before
the caucus began.
FINAL PRELIMINARY WORK.
Nearly all the delegations OF the states
which have candidates for the speaker
ship held secret caucuses at the cap
itol shortly after noon, to make
preparations for the final struggle.
Only in the meeting OF the Illinois
delegation was any general interest
manifested, as hopes were still enter
tanned by all the other candidates that
Springer's forces would go to pieces on
the first ballot. The meeting of the
delegation, however, failed to give any
great grounds for this hope. 1t was
simply agreed that General Newberry
should present Springer's name to the
caucus, and no action was taken bind
ing thesIllinois congressman to Springer
under the unit rule.
The failure of the Illinois friends OF
Mills to openly desert Springer, was due
to the action of the Michigan delega-
tion. Whiting, OF Michigon, waited
upon Messrs. Forman, Fithian and
Wike, of the Illinois delegation, and
announced that the Michigan delegation
had decided to give its entire support OF
seven to Springer upon first ballot, but
that If, any Illinois men deserted to
Mills upon the first ballot the Michigan
delegation would vote solidly for Crisp
and endeavor to effect his election.
The same announcement was made to
Hayes and other Springer men of the
Iowa delegation who were understood to
be ready to 60 to Mills on the first ballot.
A few minutes later Hayes informed
the Associated Press that the Iowa del
egation might conclude to remain loyal
to Springer for at least the initial bal
lot.
The Tennessee delegation resolved
unanimously to support McMillin until
such time, at least, as his candidacy
should be considered hopeless.
THE CAUCUS MEETS.
The hall of the house began to fill up
after O'Clock, though more than half
the members present did not possess the
voting privilege. The several candidates
took up headquarters in the committee
rooms across the corridors from the hall.
When the caucus met, the first trou-
BILE came with the question as to how
the voting should proceed, by secret or
omen ballot. The question was referred
to the committee on rules, consisting OF
one member named by each candidate.
The committee recommended an open
ballot, which report was submitted to
the caucus and adopted.
1t was agreed that the nominations of
candidates should be made by name
only, and the ballots taken by viva voce
vote, the majority of all the votes cast
beingsnecessary to choice.
MilhSwas nominated by Culberson OF
Texas, Crisp by Blount of Georgia, ,
Springer by Newberry OF Illinois, Nc
Millin by Richardson OF Tennessee, and
Hatch by Bland OF Missouri.
BALLoTINa BEGINS.
Balloting then began. The first bal
lot resulted: Crisp, "a; Mills, 7S;
Springer, 80; McMillin, 49,; Hatch, IA /;
Stevens,1. The details were as follows
For Crisp-Alderson, Alexander, AL
len, Amerman, Bacon, Bankhead, Bee
man, Bentley, Blanchard, Blount,
Burch, Bullock, Bum, Cadmus, Camp
bell, Castle, Catchings, Clarke (Ala.) },
Cobb (Ala.), Cochran, Compton, Cowles,
Crawford, Cummings, Daniel Dono-
van, Duigan, Dunphy, Edmunds,
Elliott, Ellis, English, Epes, Everett,
Fellows, Fitch, Former, Fowler, Geissen-
hainer, Gillespie, Grady, Greenleaf,
HAYNES, Hemphill, Henderson, Her
bert, Johnstone, s. c.; Jones, Kribbs,
Lawson, Ga. Layton, Lester, Va. Les
ter, Ca; Lewis, Little, Livingston,
Mallory, Mcdonald, Mckay, McRae,
Montgomery, Moses, Oates, O'Farrell,
Outhwaite, Owens, Page, Md; Patti
son, Paynter, Pendleton, Rayner, Rob-
ertson, Rockwell, Rusk, Stackhouse,
Stums, Stillman, Turner, Van Horne,
Warwick, Wheeler, Ala; Williams, N
c., and Winn-84.
For Mills Abbott, Andrew, Bailey,
Barwig, Bowman, Bradley, Breckin-
ridge, Ark; Breckenridge, KY; Bretz
Brickler, Brookshire, Brown, Drummer
Bishnell, Butler, Bynum, Caminetti,
Capehart, ,Uaruth, Cate, ,Causey, Chapin
Clancy, Coburn. Cooleridge, Coombs
Cooper, Cox, N. Y. Grain, Crosby, Cul
berson, DeForest, Dickerson, Dixon
Fithian. Forman, Geary, Hall, Hamil
ton, Hare, Harris, Harter, Hayes, Hoar
Hooker, Johnson, O.. Kendall, killgoree
Lane. Lanham, Lapham, Lockwood
Long, Magner, McAleer, McCreary
Mckinney, Mayer, Mitchell, Moore
Mutchler, O'Neil, Mo-; Parrett, Pearsoe
-Sayers, Seeley, Seeney, Stahlnecker
Stewart, Tex. Tracy, Tucker, Warner
White, Wilcox, Williams, Mass. Viii