The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-06

party convened here this afternoon.
All the members were present except
Ryan, Of Missouri, who was reported to
have broken a leg, and buchanan, of
Virginia, who is sick:
Before II o'clock there we're signs at
the Capitol of the approaching conflict.
Tho lieutenants of tho various candi-
dates were on hand and picked out
available rooms to be used as tn O head
quarters of their principals, ad jacent TO
tho hall of tho House. Mills was as
signed to the room of the committee on
ways and means; Crisp to the room of
tho appropriation committee; McMillin
tho adjoining sub committee room;
Springer the river and harbor com
mittoe room, and Hatch the naval com
mittce room.
At least an hour before the caucus
met these headquarters began to fill up
with adherents of the candidates. Cor
ridors in tho neignborhood were
throngcd, and there was great deal of
hurrying to and fro, much whispered
consultation, and talk of standing
firm" second choice" and other
things pertinent to the important issue
of the day.
by a throng of people, most Of whom
were there from idle curiosity, but
there were also many members present
In the lobby back of the House, work
men wcro busy adding one more paint
ing to the portrait gallery OF the for
mer Speakers of tho House. They
hung portrait of Thos. Il. Reed on the
wall, and it was soon surrounded by 6,
crowd of critics.
Nearly all tho delegations of tho
States which have candidates for the
Spcakcrship held secret caucuses at tho
Capitol TO prepare for tho last final
struggle. Only in the meeting of the
lowa's delegation was any general in
terest manifested, as hopes were still
entertained by all other candidates that
Springer's force would go to pieces on
the first ballot. The meeting of dele
cation, however, failed to give them
any great grounds for this hope 1t
was agreed that General Newberry
would present Springers namo TO the
caucus, but no action was taken in bind
ing the Illinois Congressman to Springer
undo the unit rule after the meeting,
however.
Fithlan, Forman and Wike announced
that they would probable desert
Springer and vote for Mills even upon
tho first ballot if the roll call showed
that Crisp was likely receive such lead
on that ballot as to stampede the SUP
porters of tho other candidates and
give the Georgia gentlemen the nominal
ton.
The failure OF the Illinois friends of
Mills to openly desert Springer was due
to the action of the Michigan dclcga-
ton.
At one o'clock Whiting, of Michigan.
waited upon Forman, Fitchian and
WNe, of Illinois, and announced that
the Michigan delegation had decided to
give it's entire support, of seven votes,
TO Springer upon the first ballot, but
that if any Of the Illinois men deserted
to Mills upon the first ballot the Michi-
gan delegation would vote solidly for
Crisp and endeavor to effect his election.
The same announcement was made to
Hayes and other Springer men.
At meeting of the Tennessee dele
cation, resolution was presented de-
handing the sentiment of the delega-
tion as TO the wisdom of McMillin re-
naming in the field, but the delega-
ton finally resolved unanimously to
support him until such time at least
as his candidacy should be considered
hopeless,
The first trouble in the caucus came
with the question as to how voting
should proceed, by secret OR open bal
lot The question was referred to
committee on rules, consisting of one
member named by each candidates. At
hrst all the members of the committee,
except Bynum favored secret ballot
Bynum said he would not agree to n
secret ballot until he consulted Mills,
In whose interests he was on the com
mittco. On his return no started to
enter vigorous protest against the
secret ballot, when the other members
SAID 1T was matter on which they did
not care to insist and that sooner than
have any dispute over it, they would
recommend an open ballot which re-
port was submitted to the caucus and
adopted.
1t was suggested that rule be
adopted declaring 4 two thirds vote of
the caucus essential to nominate, but
the suggestion did not find favor and
was abandoned. 1t was then agreed
that the nomination of candidates
should be made by name only and bal
lots taken by viva voice vote, names be-
ing called in the order of the House
rule. Other rules of procedure
adopted were as follows:
A majority of all votes cast in the
caucus to be necessary to choice and
nominations to be made in the follow
ing order: l, speaker; 2, clerk; 3, ser.
geant-at-arms; 4, doorkeeper ;, post
master; 4, chaplain. On all questions
other than nominations, speeches to be
limited to five minutes, therulcs of the
Fiftieth Congress, 30 far as a '5plicable, to
govern proceedings of the caucus, ex-
cept as herein modified
The rules were adopted by acclama-
ton, and the various candidates were
placed in nomination. Mr.. Mills was
nominated by Culberson, of Texas;