Morning journal and courier., 1891-12-04
NEWS By TELEGRAPH.
From All Quarters.
THE SPEAKBRSHIP Fight.
The Contest at Washington
Waxing Warm.
A TRAIN Hello up IN The SOUTH.
An AngIo-Chinese Alliance
Against Russia.
WRECK ON The READING RAILROAD.
Five Thousand Lives Lost
By Famine.
WRECK ON The READING RAILROAD.
THE SPEAKERSHIP.

Little Change In the Contest Mt
Washington -Threats Made by the
Iowa and Indiana Delegations-The
Call fer the Democratic Caucus.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The day has wit
messed many rapid moves on the political
chess-board, but the speakership contest
seems now as far from finish as it was
twenty-four hours ago. Scarcely an hour
of the day has passed without vigorous
assault upon the forces of some minor can
didate, but they have gallantly resisted,
and tonight presents, to all appearances,
an unbroken front. Each of the three
minor candidates is quite as steadfast as
ever in his determination to stay to the
finish.
At one time to-day there was every indi-
cation of gradual disintegration of the
forces of Mr.. Springer. The Iowa dele
cation, apprehensive of the election
of Crisp on the first ballot, decided
to drop Mr.. Springer even upon the
first and support Mills, in case the cleo
ton of Mr.. Crisp seemed imminent. For
time it seemed as if the Iowa delegation
held the key. The threatened move of the
mated by the little Indiana delegation.
These four gentlemen held meeting and
afterwards informed the Iowa delegation
that their desertion of Mr.. Springer would
be the signal for the Indiana men to cast
their votes solidly for Mr.. Crisp, should
Mr. Springer's chances be rendered hope
less. This announcement was thunder
clap to the Iowa delegation. During the
afternoon Mr.. Hayes Of Iowa held an ex-
tended conference with Mr.. Mills. After
wards he said:
II am not prepared to take the RESPONSE
bility of being the first man to desert Mr..
Springer. Our present intentions are to
remain true to him until the end unless the
This ia interpreted to mean that Messrs.
Fithian, Formsn, Newberry and Wike
must first desert the candidate from Tex
as With these four men is believed to
rest the destiny of the Illinois candidate.
The Springer camp is the center of inter-
est tonight. The feeling is that five can
didates will enter Saturdays caucus if the
Springer forces remain steadfast. Mr..
Blanchard said tonight that I'M
less Mr.. Holman, the caucus chairman, ar
rived tomorrow forenoon he would prepare
call for caucus. There is quite a
large number of members in favor of the
caucus meeting at noon, but 1t may be
found that two o'clock would better suit
the convenience of members. 1t is de-
sired that absent members should reach
the city as early as possible Saturday.
Four of the five candidates prefer that the
caucus should meet in the day time,
though Mr.. Crisp said he did not care a
great deal about the hour selected. Mr..
Mills emphatically opposed a departure
from the custom of holding the caucus in
the evening. If either Crisp or I were
beaten by say five votes, said he, "and it
should subsequently be ascertained that
five or more mon were late, there would
at once be big row and a justifable one,
too" Mr.. Blanchard will be guild
ed by the views of the candi-
dates to some extent in reaching decision
as to the caucus hour in case Mr.. Holman
should not be here to decide the matter.
Representatives Covert of New York and
Boatner of Louisiana arrived during the
day and took an active interest in Mr.. Mo
Millan's canvass. The number of uncom-
mitted members is being steadily reduced.
The following call has been issued:
There will be meeting of the democratic
members of the house Of representatives held al
the hall of the house, commencing at the hour
of 2 D. m. Saturday, December 5, for the nomi
nation of candidates for the offices Of the house
for the Fitty-second congress.
ISignedl WILLIAM S. HOLMAN,
Chairman of the Caucus.