Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-08
Mr.. CRISP.

1t was a hot contest, as hot as any
Speakership contest on record, but 1t
was entirely good natured. Our Repuo-
lican friends, who are on the outside
apS have been looking through the
knot-holes at the fun, have unkindly en-
deayored to infuse bitterness and all the
significance they could into the fight,
but without avail. The election OF Mr..
CRISP means no more than that he Is the
choice Of this Democratic Congress
for Speaker. If we are to believe
our Republican friends the selec-
ton means all sorts Of things
so would the selection Of Mr.. MILLS or
any of the other candidates. The only
significance, however, it has in fact is
that the Fifty-second Congress will be
ready for business to-day.
The choice Of Mr.. CRISP by the Dem
ocrats does not mean HILL for '92, or
CLEVELAND for '92, or any body else.
The Democratic party at large will at
tend to that matter.
Neither has it any bearing on the
tariff question. Republican editors who
did not at the start think Mr..
CRISP would be the man drew
tariff distinction between
him and Mr.. MILLS, whom they thought
would be, making out Mr.. CRISP
TO be a Tariff Reformer aud Mr.. MILLS
to be a Free Trader. And among these
editors was he of the Wheeling Intellt-
oeRccr. Now that Mr.. CRISP has been
chosen for Speaker, the Inteltigencer,
we trust, will not so far forget its recent
utterances as to howl Stree trade" when
heappoints the Committee on Ways and
Means, or when he makes ruling
when the tariff is before the House.
Our Republican friends said Mr.. CRISP
was a Protectionist. Now let them
stand by and take notes as to what an
honest protectionist is.
Mr.. CRISP is a prOtectionist in that
he believes in the protection Of Amer
lean industry from the grip Of monop-
oily, and not in the taxation of the
many for the benefit of the few.
That the selection Of Mr.. CRISP is a
most excellent one may be seen from the
following interesting estimate Of him
from the independent Republican Wash
ington Star:
Crisp is a man who commands the res
pect of every one, particularly OF his
opponents, and whose friends are enthusi-
astic in their praise of him. He Is neither
a wit nor an enthusiast himself, but he Is
reckOned one of the strongest and ablest
men in his party. He has an easy, grace
ful and cordial manner, which puts him on
a pleasant footing with men, but possesses
a dignity which places him beyond the
reach of familiarity. He IS powerful IN
debate, shUewd as q political manager, and
is credited with very superior Judgment.
During the hottest Of the debates in the
fight over the rules and over the force bill
during the last Congress be and Reed We're
often the only cool men in the House, and
there was never time so stormy
that he could not command the attention Of
the Speaker and of the House. His con-
tests with Mr. Reed never became de-
graded 20 o wrangle One quality which
is very marked In his character is Self-COn-
troll; be is credited with always knowing
when 20 speak and when TO keep quiet, so
that when be does speak his presence is
not robbed Of any Of its power. Though
ne is a more polished and accurate speaker
than was Mr.. Randall, he hits the same
powerful Sledge-hammer blows for which
the great Pennsylvania was noted While
they differed totally on the tariff question,
he and Mr. Randall were the closest Of
friends and worked together for retrench-
ment and fiscal reform. When the contest
between Randall and Carlisle began just
before the opening of the FOrty-eighth
Congress Mr.. Crisp and Mr.. Randall had
been almost like brothers for some time,
but the Georgian agreed with MIR. Carlisle
on the question at issue in the fight and
therefore took the field actively againstnis
closest friend. He told Mr.. Randall that
he was impelled to DO this because of the
principle, and there never was moments
break In their friendship. When the fight
opened Mr. Randall was confined 10 his
bed, and ne cOn6ded 70 Mr.. Crisp the task
he had laid out for himself in that night
When Mr.. Carlisle was absent during the
same struggle ne placed the same conf
dence in the keeping of the Georgian. Dur
ing the Force bill fight Crisp was the rep
resentative Of the House az all the confer
euCe of the Democratic steering committee
of the Senate.
He was elected ChairmGn Of the Com
mittee on Elections when Mr. Carlisle had
a con- est before the committee and there
fore did not feel az liberty 70 appoint the
committee. he was the head Of the minor
ity on that committee during the last House,
and this put him in the position Of leader
Of the minority in the fights over election
matters, in al Of which he displayed su-
pcriOr Judgment and skin. He possesses
great personal magnetism and is influential
among men.
HABBISCN'S RESPONSIBILITY.
It is the opinion Of the New York
World that
there IS strong ground for predicting that