The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-12-11
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON. d. c. Dec. Sth, 1891.
Charles F. Crisp, Of Georgia, was
nominated for Speaker Of the Fifty
second Congress by the Democratic
caucus on the thlrtieth ballot on Mon
day night. 1t was a close fight between
Crisp and Mills, with Springer and
McMilln following. On first ballot
the vote stood, Crisp, 81; Mills, 7S;
Springer, 80; McMillin, 1S. Hatch, ID;
Stevens, 1. On the last ballot it stood,
Crisp, IIo; Mills, ro5; Springer, 4;
Stevens, I. Hon. S. P. Wolverton of
your district voted for Mills to the
last.
Ex-Congressman James Kerr Of
Pennsylvania was selected for chief
clerk, Ex-congressman Samuel S. lo-
der of Ohio, for Sergeant at arms, Ex-
congressman Charles H. Turner Of
New York, for Door.keeper, and Ly-
cargus Dalton of Indiana for Post
master.
Never was the circus which is al
ways part of the drawing by lottery
for seats in the House on the first day
of new Congress, more enjoyed by
the members and spectators than it was
to-day, and the ring LEADERS in the fun
were mostly the men whose nerves had
been racked to their utmost tension
during the long uncertain period Of the
Speakership contest in the caucus.
The gayety Of the members to day was
therefore but the natural reaction Of
nature. The spectators in the CALLER
les also took part in the sport. When
the members were all huddled up in
the open spaces behind the seats and
the blind dfolded boy made his appear
ance to begin drawing the numbered
marbles out of the bo" such remarks
as: "You'il get pulled for running
ottery," 'where's the cops" and SWAN
,maker will be after you" might have
been heard in all parts Of the galleries,
md even upon the floor of the House.
Never before were there so many
new faces in single Congress and in
consequence there has been an unusual
run on the first edition of the Congress
sional Directory. Everybody wants
to find out something about the un-
known men. The occupations of the
Representatives, as given in the Direc-
tory, show that the lawyers are still in
the majority, there being aI3 who are
owners of legal 'sheep-skins." Farm
ers came next with IS, school teachers
AZ, merchants "a, manufacturers &c,
bankers and capitalists 10, journalists
10, printers 9, physicians S, sailors 3,
Clergymen 2, miner, machinist,
blacksmith, bookblnder, carpenter,
I tanner, I car fnisher, and 1 harness
maker. The total OF occupations Civ
en- is greater than the membership, but
that is because some of the members
have followed more than one occupa-
ton. 9 Of the members were born in
Ireland, 3 ia Germany, 3 in Canada,
in Norway, in Sweden, 1 in Greece,
I III England, and I in Scotland. 1t
would be difficult to get more repre-
sentative body together.
The fellow who thinks he knows
what the House is going to do, is as
numerous as usual, but the man who
really knows what the House will do
does not exist. 1t will take some little
time for the members to confer and
arrive at some conclusion. Nothing
will be done hastily, and nothing will
be done before it has been approved
with practical unanimity by the demo
cratic members. Every member with
whom your correspondent has talked
appears to fully realize that upon the
action or non action of the House may
depend the election of a democratic
President next year.
The Senate also has an influx of
new members, there being 6 Of them,
including the three Alliance Senators,
Irby, Peffer, and Kyle, the first of
whom will vote with the democrats
the second with the republicans, and
the last as he happens to feel at the
time, upon all political questions.
Mr.. Harrison announced to day that,
as the House would take considerable
time to organize, he would not send in
his message until tomorrow. There
is a reason for believing that the change
of programme was made not because
of the organization Of the House, but
because of change which Mr.. Harri-
son was persuaded by Mr.. Blaine to
make in that portion of his message
relating 10 foreign affairs.
The deadlock in the democratic
:aucas from Saturday until to-day,
rave many of the new members an en-
irely new view Of Congressional poll
les.