The record-union., 1891-12-07

cided-Crisp and Mills. Lead in the
Democratic Caucus Ballots-Possf-
bility of Long Deadlock = Reed
Endorsed by the Republican Caucus,
as Were Also All Officers of the
Last House.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. = Tomorrow
noon the Fifty second Congress will
assemble. With one branch of the Ma
tional Legislature in possession of each of
the two great political parties, and both
striving to shape the course of legislation
so as to effect in their interests the ap-
preaching Presidential campaign and to
secure supremacy ia control of the Gov
ernment, it may fairly be assumed that
the Fifty-second Congress will take a
prominent place in the history of legisla-
tive assemblies, In view Of the conflict
ing maiorities in the branches, it is not
possible that when it has concluded its
labors it will have added to the statutes
many measures OF national Importance,
bat beyond doubt many fierce battles
will be waged upon the leading issues
between the two great parties-the tariff
and silver coinage-while the members
of the small but lively Alliance element
may be counted on to lose no opportu-
nity in debate for bringing their demands
and principles before the country.
The usual decorous quiet is expected
to characterize the assembling of the SEN
ate tomorrow. An unusually large
number of Senators will stand before the
Vice-President to take the oath of office,
for thirty 1.-TWO (nearly half the member
ship of the Senate) are either new to that
body or begin new terms of service.
David b. Hill, Governor of New York, is
not expected to appear for some time,
and his credentials have not been filed
with the Secretary. Redfield Proctor
the late Secretary of War, has also failed
in this respect, but he may yet hand his
letter of appointment to the Secretary in
time to have it presented tomorrow.
| In two cases there are rival claimants
for seats. Mr.. Dubois of Idaho is chal-
lenged as to the validity Of his title by
Mr.. Clagett, but as the name of the
| former appears upon the Secretary's list,
| he will be sworn in, and Clagett's claim
will be examined by the Committee on
| Privileges and Elections. Florida also
finds a contestant in Mr.. Davidson, who
|
and his case may possibly be referred to
the same committee for report before
either party is admitted.
| Should the House fail to organize to-
morrow the Senate will not be able to
transact business. for its inability to
notify the President, through a joint
| committee of its readiness to receive his
communications will operate to defer for
a time the presentation of the annual
| message, as we'll as large accumulation
| of recess appointments that must be sent
to the Senate for confirmation.
Conferences will be held by Senators of
the different parties early in the week to
arrange the membership of the commit
| tees, as 1t is a task of more than ordinary
importance at this time, in view of the
incoming of fifteen new Senators.
Unless there is a radical change in the
| Speakership situation tonight or early
| tomorrow morning, the House, for the
first time since the Thirty-sixth Con-
gress, when the last deadlock over the
Speakership occurred, will meet without
! the previous selection by dominant
party of a presiding officer for the popu-
lar branch of the Legislative department.
| Though this constitution Of things has
not existed in recent years, it was not so
rare in the stormy years between the
| Mexican and Civil wars, when the con-
fiict over the slavery question drew lines
|
close. Thus, in the Twenty-sixth Con-
gress, the Speaker was not elected for
! eleven days, chairman meantime being
appointed to administer the rules of the
! House. In the Thirty-first Congress
nearly month elapsed before a Speaker
! was selected, and this period of practical
/ interregnum was prolonged to two
months in the Thirty fourth and THIRTY
sixth Congresses. Should there be a
failure to decide upon a Speaker at the
| caucus tomorrow forenoon, it will be
necessary for the House to adopt one or
| the other of the two methods.
! Very little business will be transacted
| in the House during the week The
! Presidents message will be received and
read according to custom on Tuesday. if
the House completes its organization to-
| morrow, and for the rest of the week
! brief sessions and adjournmentS over for
a day or two at a time are probable. In
| the absence of an agreement for the per-
fection OF the organization of the House
| the course of proceedings during the
coming week is a matter OF pure specula-
| ton. In any event, the committees are
not expected to be appointed before the
/ Christmas holidays, with the exception
of the Committees on Rules, Enrolled
| Bills and Mileage, which are usually
named within few days after the
| Speaker is inducted into office.
1t is understood that Geary of Cali
fornia is to be a member of the Committee
on Rivers and Harbors, and Cutting the
| Committee on Military. Caminetti has
/ expressed no choice. but it is suggested
that the Committee on Irrigation would
suit him. 1t is believed that McKenna
will retain his place on the Committee of
| Ways and Means. In this case Thorn as
| B. Reed will be the ranking Republican
member, Burroughs of Michigan next
and McKenna third.
THE FREE COINAGE QUESTION.
NEW YORK, Dec. GA morning paper
| (Republican) states that on the response
/ bility of a Republican United States SEN
ator it is able to announce that the bill
providing for free and unlimited coinage
| of silver cannot pass the Fifty-second
| Congress over the veto of President Har-
rison. The paper affirms that it has
made poll of the entire Congress and
! the result announced above is based on
replies in writing from $50 members OF
the Senate and House. The result indi-
Gates that since the last Congress there
| has been no abatement of the free silver
| sentiment at the West and South. and
/ Democrats and Republicans in the silver
States are stated TO be, with few excep-
tions, bent to the doctrine, but the major
ity of the Republican party in Congress is
| pledged to maintain single gold stand
ard at all hazards and limit the output OF
silver.
THE SPEAKERSHIP.
Saturdays Democratic Caucus Fails
/ to Agree on O Choice.