Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-07
NO CHOICE
For Speaker, Though StYsntten
Ballots we're Taken Saturday.
Crisp Slightly IN lhs Lead With Mills I
Good Second.
The Contest win Be Renewed To-day
Who Will Win.

lots we're takea, the last one standing
Crisp. 81; Mills, 81; Springer, II; Nc
Millin, l9; Hatch, s. aud Stevens, l.
Crisp still lacks 20 votes Of nomination
The outcome Of the renewal OF the dgb,
On Monday 10 difficult to predict ., thil
time. The stabbosness ard des2sra!s
fighting which has marked every stage oi
the Spsskership contest today has not been
before witnessed in . caucus Of either party
for years.
When the caucus vss frst called to order
there vas not man. the sdherent Of any
one of the candidates. who did not conf
IDENTIFY believe that whatever the outcome
only faw ballots would be necessary sto
briGg about . nomina,ion. The general
impression was that in . couple of hours all
Of the officers would be nominated and the
caucus ~ iourrtd
Today's caucus stands 40 one Of the most
memorable 10 the history Of American pol
ities. Not for years has it taken 80 long or
such tremendous work to nominate q
speaker. In the "a b Congress it WAS i'm
possible to make . ominstion in caucus,
~ the contest vas continued in the House
after 1873 ballots had ! ssn taken. Gen.
N. p. Banks Of MAssschusst sits waa elected
speaker by = plurality and not q majority
Of the voes cast, the House fndipg that II
WAS impossible for any candidate to secure
. majority, and resolu.io, vas adopted
declaring . plurality adeqSate to elect.
The House met at the usual time 10
December, but is was not until Feb. 2, in
the following year thst Banks too X his seat
As the presidir officer Of the lower house.
Two Congresses lster, in the 36th, the eau
Gus was again unable to nominate, and "A
ballots had to be taken in the House before
Pennipg gton of New Jersey was elected by
. bare msiofity. Pennington was not elect
ed until Feb. /.
Since war tunes there has only been one
caucus which has been anything like this in
the number Of ballots taken ar the tensciiy
displayed. In the caucus Of the t7th Con-
gfess, when the Republicans had majority,
Keifer Of Ohio, Hiscock Of New YORK,
Reed Of Maine and KsMon Of Iowa were
the candidates, and their strength was
pretty nearly evenly divided. Ii required
II ballots to nominate Keifer.
Substq tquent Congresses managed to nom
mate their speakers Without any Trouble.
As early IS 8 O'Clock this morning the head
quarters Of the various candidates presented
sights - busy and lively ss any which have
been witnessed there during the past week.
None Of the candidates went to bed las!
night. Some Of them sought their rooms
at an early hour this morning snd got few
hours sleep, but 1t was hardly more than
40 winks. While the milkmen we're on
their first rounds and most people we're still
en- 10y ing the delights of warm bed, the
Candidates were up and ready for the fray.
They were soon jsined by their managers
and lieute nanis, and then the active work
Of the day began.
The candidates show the effects Of the
tremendous strain to which they have been
subjected during the past week.. The loss
of sleep was also telling on them. Mr..
Mills looked pale and worn, but he was
cheerful and confident Of the outcome -
he had been at any time since the fght as
sumed ifs acute stage. Judge Crisp had
heavy look about his eyes and his walk
showed he needed several hours Of hard
sleep to make up what he had lost. Still
he maintained the calm demeanor which
has marked him during the entire progress
OF this very interesting ight. His manner
showed NO lessenipg Of confidence, and IN
almost perfsc. belief that the caucus would
result in his election as speaker
Springer, Of sill the candidates, was the
only one on whom the excitement, work
and worry Of the campaign left no visible
trace. He was the same bright, cheerful
Springer, with his gay buttonhole bouquet,
cheerful smile and hearty handshske ~ he
was in the stormy days Of the last Congress
when mems blood was at the boiling point
He recognized thst he was still the controll-
ing factor in the equation, and he proposed
TO maintain that position until the very end.
Springer knew - we'll a. did any other man
Of the treachery within his own ranks.
The work required Of him to Keep his men
in line was herculsan. But he never for
one moment lost his courage or his temper
or fsitered. With bulldog tenacity he pre-
vented his men from breaking and vas thus
able to the very last to plsy An important
role in the drama.
Mr.. Mills spent some time this morning
st his branch headquarters st the Metfopol-
itan. His people felt more hopeful than o;
any time during the campaign. With Nc
Millin out Of the race they wonld feel still
more confident and las. effort WAS made
to have McMillin withdraw before the ars,
ballot. Ii proved unsuccsssful, and all
negotiations looking to that end were absu-
doned. Mcmillan was assured Of The
loyalty Of his supporters, snd grim deter.
minstion o1 their part to hang TO him until
ice machines becsue = necessity at the
north pole. McMulin betrayed hi, nervous
ness and snxiety, but made attempts to
conceal il.
About / O'Clock there was q general
stampede to the Capitol. 1t was simply .
transfer Of headquarters. Mr.. Mills estab-
lished himself in the ways and means COM
mi.tee room, the room in which was
framed the celebrated bill bearing his
name and which two years later witnessed
the birth Of the equally famous Mckinley
bill. 1t vas here two years ago that
Thomas B. Reed estsb ished his heaiqusft-
els and from there conducted the last steps
in his campaign which led him to victory.
In caucus the candidates for the speak
esehip remain in their respective committee
rooms while their friends are fighting for
them. In the ways and means room Mills
was the cen,re Of group Of notabss, con-
sissing Of Senator Carlisle Of Kensucky,
the speaker Of the last Democratic house ;
Senator Villas OF Wisconsin and Don M
Dickinson of Michigan, the two last Demo-
cratic postnasters general; Henry George.
the uoei free trader; Charles Fl. Jones.
editor Of the St. Louis Republic and Sena-
tor Wslthail of Mississippi. When, AFTER
the frst three ballots. Mills remained prsc-
ticaliy stationary, and air Of gloom settled
over the committee room. Mills sat on the
corner of the long table, his slouch hat
pulled down veil over his left ear, his
double breasted Prince Albert thrown
back.
from those Who stood By me Yesterday.
others who will come to me - their second
choice when convinced Of the inability Of
their favoYite candidate to win" Said Mr..
Hatch; II expect ~ increased vote on the
irs, and oil succeeding ballots tomorrow.
Mr.. Crisp said 81 am still quite hopeful
Of success in the speskership contest. Am
not prepared to ssy that the mstfer will be
settled on the frst bsliot tomorrow or will
be settled q all tomorrow. but expect to
receive the nomination When it 10 settled.
These claims Of the minority candidates -
to the gains they expect to make are purely
speculative.
Mr.. Mills Designated Mr.. Bynum Of In
diana - spokesman. I'VE are still conf
eens Of winning said Mr.. Bynum. mo
asub. Mr.. Mills is the second choice Of the
members, and vheH the break from the
other candidates comes be will be the
winner. We expect him to receive an in-
creased vote on the fru ballot tomorrow
n advance steadily until be is nominased.
Tass result We expect 70 realize before the
time for the meeting Of the House.
70 CHANGE IN THE SITUATION.