Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-18
TINE NEXT SPEAKER.
The Situation ~ n Appears 81 the Close Of
the Session.

tno Seoo1o8.
TpE CAMPAIGN TO BE CARRIED on prRrxo TEE
REcEss-NrIIs' srRESeTn As A CANDIDATE AND
rrs NArURp-cnIsp SAID TO sAvR A LARGE
FOLLowxs--n nnLN, RATcH, syxux AND
spnISsEn.
AZ the session Of Congress draws to a close
the spsaksrsbip candidates are putting forth
their best efforts TO get good start in the
campaign. which will be in progress during the
recess As soon as Congress meets again the
election of Speaker viii occur. and this il the
last opportunity the several candidates will
have Of getting any considerable number Of
members together until within week or two
Of the time when the election must take place.
Ii is felt by every candidate that his chances Of
snscss will depend much upon his ability to
get good start nov, having . large number OF
his associates committed to him and many
workers In the field in his cause during now
and the time Of their next meeting great
deal Of work has been done during the session
by each Of the candidates. and the old NOM
bsrs among the democrats who are elected 10
the next House have pretty generally Indicated
their preferences. The contest for the speaker
ship IL hot. Of course. the only thing which Is
occupying the minds Of the members who will
be Of the majority In the next House.
With a majority of hundred and ATTY the di-
vision of committee assignmentsis difficult and
important thing to settle. and il is n matter of
concern to every member where be Is to go In
the new organization. With this in mind every
democrat is conducting himself with caution,
both to promote his present standing in the
party ard 20 guard against any slip which might
inture him. Besides watching himself each
member IL keeping his eye on his colleagues.
for they all his rivals in this matter. and
any slip they may make is apt to turn to the
benefit Of some other. The spirit Of selfshness
il bound 10 disclose itself In situation Of this
sort
ExPHRIsScE AND ABILITY.
IL is the custom for old members to lay Arst
claim TO consideration in the reorganization Of
the House, experience counting for almost as
much as ability. In this way these states
which continue their members long in service.
eOnspicuously the southern states. have great
advantage over those which adopt system of
rotation in Office. But the composition Of the
next House is such rs to threaten the overthrow
of this tirne-honored custom Of judging men by
the length of time they have been before the
eye OF the public The committees can hardly
be divided up among the old members accord
ing to their choice when the majority of the
party in the House will be new men. many of
whom will have eminent ability to match
against the experience Of those of longer serv-
ice. Democrats will come from quarters which
have been represented by republicans hereto
fore.
All this 10 going to enter into the speakership
contest in a way TO overthrow the reekonings Of
some of the candidates. The aspirant to this
high office who is bound up by pledges or obli-
cations to men who have been his associates
through a period Of a number of years will en-
ter the race heavily handicapped. The major
ity will eject the Speaker, and the majority are
new men. 1t is not that the men who appear
in the next House to make their debut in pub
lie life will demand special honors in return
for their votes in this contest so much as that
they will want to have a voice in fashioning the
committees which are to make the policy of the
next House. Moreover I'm any combination an
old leader makes there will be men of long
service 8 well those Of no former experience
who must be left ont of the reckoning. There
fore there is an element in this contest which is
unusual and will be perplexing to some Of the
candidates.
NH. MILLS STRENGTH.
It is understood that Mr.. Breckenridge Of
Kentucky has decided not to be a candidate,
and he is now working hard for Mr.. Mills. 1t
il likely that at least one other candidate will
withdraw in Mr.. Mills interest before the final
struggle All Of this gives additional strength.
and beside some very hard work is being done
in his interest His campaign in the new field
Of the west has elected to Congress men who
will return his fsvors by casting their votes for
him, and there is an element favoring absolute
free trade and an income tax graduated accord
ing to the size Of the income. which will be ex-
erted in his interest with the belief that he will
inaugurate a policy as radical they desire.
This element il composed of new men from the
west, and no consideration Of committee as
signment or anything else will be as strong with
them as that Of having their principles put to
tbs test They will work for Mills as u radical.
OF course there can be no candidate in the
neld who is not ardent tariff reformer, be-
hsving in the reduction Of the tariff to a rev.
enue basls as soon as possible, but these ex-
tremists favor Mr.. Mills because they believe
him to be holder and more radical than any Of
the rest They want q sharp knife. and they
want to cut quick and cut deep. They want
free trade under that name; they want no tenn
PORTING or reduction with an apology. Hav-
ing become convinced that protection Is wrong,
they are in favor Of going the full length the
other way. Added to all this the belief that
the party owes a great deal to Mills and that he
IL able. brave and honest, gives him his strength
and makes his support enthusiastic.
on THE OTHER HAND.
On the other hand, il is a fact which cannot
b concealed that there 10 feeling among some
Of the conservative members Of the party, who
agree with his policy perfectly, that he is too
hot-headsi to make a safe presiding officer over
the House But for this his election would
probably be assured and il would be useless for
any other candidate to enter the field against
him An effort has been made to overcome
tins feeling. but the episode Of a short while
ago. when he lost his temper in the House
while addressing the Speaker. has il is be-
heved, done him considerable harm. II was
believed last December that he had ma ority
u MS OlQ hseOcfates WIN MIN. II THIS was true
then. IL is asserted that il is certainly not true
now. The fact that il is believed that he will
be obliged in making up his committees, if
elected, TO recognize old conventions and pre-
eedents and maintain in the first prominence
those men who have always been allied with
him in the House has. il is believed, caused
some others, who want the next house TO be
organized without particular reference TO any
previous organization. TO look elsewhere for a
candidate who will not be under many obliga-
taous to old associates.
cRrsPs CANDIDACY.
II is said that many Of these latter would
naturally go to Crisp, who, i. is claimed, be-
sides being leader Of much ability and
self-controi and an earnest tariff reformer
has been in such a position in the house as not
to be forced into any combinations and il not
bound either by association or by obligation to
any set Of supporters. He is practically new
man in the sphere Of leadership. encountered
by no entangling alliances. But principally the
thing which Is urged in his favor is that he has
the elements necessary TO n leader better de-
veloped than any other man in the House.
There 10 probably no man in the House any
quicker in debate more vigorous and ag-
gressiyc than he, but he never shows any
lack Of self-contrui. These qualities are
held 10 Be very important to q Speaker, who
must stand the assaults of the opposition party
without becoming bewildered and placing him
self and party At disadvantage by committing
l.