Evening journal., 1891-12-05
CRISP MEN CONFIDENT.
They Believe Their Man Viii
Be Speaker.
THE GREAT BATTLE OCCURS TODAY


Treachery In the Camp os Springer, who
Is stn said 20 Hold the key to the
sitaation-Mins Men Crying, "AREtsfng
TO Beat crlspg'
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.--To be speaker, OF
not to be speaker That is the qSest'on
that is agitating Messrs Crisp Of Georgia,
Mills Of Texas, Springer Of Illinois, Mcmillin
ef Tennessee, and Hatch Of Missouri, today,
The question has been agitating them FOR
some time, it Is true, but they are more
than ever interested in the subject today,
because today the winner Is to be declared.
The Caucus in Session.
The Democrats caucus 10 nominate
speaker for the house OF representatives Was
called 10 order this afternoon in the hail Of
the house, shortly after 3 O'Clock
The members were slow in getting to-
gether, but vote win soon be taken. The
unmRstaxable drift Of sentiment Is favora-
BILE to Crisp His people claim victory
with an air Of easy assurance that Is very
irritating to the followers Of Mills. They
stake their regulations ns political prophets
-O'Ferrall, Catchings, Montgomery,
O'Neil, and other Of his iieutenants-tha
grisp win have 9s and probably 100 votes on
the first ballot.
a Break on the Second BALLOT.
They believe whom this ballot il finished
that enough Of representatives who have
cast their votes in other directions ~ a mat
ter Of compliment or state pride, hut who
a. h.nrt Erfr,. MOS, ,~tif oI.ana., tlssr
votes in such numbers ~ practically TO M
sure Crisp's nomination.
One hundred and fifteen votes az the out
side viii be necessary 10 a choice, and the
candidate who starts with = hundred or
thereabouts may safely hope TO increase his
lead
One Argument Against Mills.
The Crisp men today advanced strong
argument against Mr. Mills selection They
made the point, and IL is good one too,
that the bulk OF Mr. Mills support comee
10 him from states that aro safely Republic.
an. These are California, Iowa, Wisconsin
Michigan, Massachusetts, and Illinois, il
Mr.. Springer drops out. On tho other
hand Crisps support comes 10 him from
such substantial Democratic states IA New
York, New Jersey, Virginia, North and
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louis,
kama and Mississippi The two lists OF ssates
furnish an awkward parallel under the CIR.
cunstances from which Mr. Mills friends
found 1t difficult 10 eacape.
The Use OF csevelsnd's Name.
Very general regret is expressed by many
of eKP President Ckveland's friends that hia
name has been injected into the speaAership
canvass The impression has been industri-
Dusly circulated that Mr.. Mills in this fight
represents the ex-president; that vote for
Mills Is an expression OF good feeling for
Cleveland and that vote for Crisp Is an act
Of antagonisn to the New Yorker.
Treachery Of springer's Mes.
The treachery in Mr. Springers camp has
been q notable feature of this contest Mr.
Springer has at all times held part Of the
Illinois and an Of the Iowa delegation by the
Slenderest Of threads Fully dozen Of these
gentlemen have been ooquetting with Mr.
Mills for the past week
They are Mills men at heart, and they an
anxious to 90 over to him. Mr.. Springer Il
In the fight, and ia the fight 20 stay. Thl
Mills men admit this They also confes
that their efforts to win over the hosts d
Mr. Hatch have been unavailing. Thi.
means that they have practically abandoned
hope,
An}tutnS to tcAt Nftsps
SO it follows that few hours before the
first ballot William NJ Springer still hold
the key to the speakership situation. Tn,
Mills men are working with desperation
and for twelve hours have been discussing
the practicability Of capitulating and turn
ing their support over 20 MoMillin Hatch q
William l.. Wilson, Of West Virginia, so a
10 beat Crisp
Mr. Mills Processes TO believe that tn
future Of the Democratic party would b
unsafe with Judge Crisp in the speaker
chair, and If he finds he connot be NOM
mated he is willing TO sacrifice himself for Ia
good Of his party.
The Farmers Alliance Man.
The Farmers Alliance members, VIII
have resolved to constitute a third party i
the house have united on Representativ
Thomas f. Watson, Of Georgia, As their car
iidate for the sp,akefship. Jerry Simpso
thinks this Is the best policy for the An
ance, but this conclusion does not prever
him from joining Henry George in effectiy
missionary work among the Democrats
support OF Mr.. Mills
Mr.. Simpson good naturediy remarke
that, since the chances are not encouragiu
Tor the SUCCESS u Mr.. Watson, he prefe
bhe next best man. who, in his opinion,
the gentleman from Texas