Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01
FIGHT FOR SPEAKER.
Democrats Deny Forcing an Extra
Session Because of 1t.
THE TALK OF THE LEADERS.
Crisp Appears to Have the Call at Present
in the Struggle.

trRoM A srArr coKnrspoNpEsr

| WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-Senator Aid
rich returned to the city this morning, and
was in his seat in the Senate to-day. He
will at once take in hand the arrangement
OF an order of business, which will virtually
decide the legislation that will be enacted
during the remainder of the session. When
asked if this order would include the
closure rule or the elections bill. he replied
that he supposed if Senator Cameron came
around and earnestly requested that the
elections bill be taken up to give him
chance to square himself with the Republi-
cans of Pennsylvania, Republican Senators
would doubtless be inclined to oblige him,
but he thought this would be about the
only contingency in which the bill would be
revived. If that be true, then the elections
bill is dead beyond resurrection.
| 1t is probably due 10 the dearth of exist
ing news, following the demise of the clos
ure and elections measures, that extra session
talk is revived. Some usually shrewd OBJ
servers are of the opinion that there will yet
be An extra session. They claim that
number of Democrats in the House are
quietly working to bring about an extra
| session.
| secret OF tne froJects
| Up to this time the chief movers in this
| project have been able to cloak their real
| purpose under the assertion that they did
not propose to allow the transaction OF any
| business in the House until the force bill
was dead beyond resurrection. Now, how
ever, this excuse Is no longer valid. and
| if the filibustering continues, as it is likely
| to do unless the present policy of a few is
changed, its real intent and purpose will
have to be disclosed.
The extra session is being maneuvered in
the interest of Southern candidates for the
| Speakership in general and one or two in
particular. The object to be attained is the
immediate precipitation of the Speakership
contest. Within the past few weeks senti-
ment has developed against the occupation
of the Speakers chair by Southern Demo-
crat, and the Southern candidates are fear
full that this feeling will develop and ma
ture if the election is postponed until next
December. Many Northern Democrats,
members-elect of the next HOUSE, who have
come TO Washington recently, have not hes
itated to say that they would not be able to
explain to their constituents any vote they
might cast for Southern man, no matter
how satisfied they might be of his ability
to fill the position, or however much they
might rely on his conservatism or patriot
ism.
No Northern Candidate Named.
Many of these members.elect had to meet
on the stump expressions of fear that South
ern Democrats would control the next Con-
gress, and they feel that they cannot add
weight to this expression by voting for
Southern man. This is rather doubtful,
however, in view of the fact that Carlisle.
Southern man, held the Speakers chair
during two Congresses.
AS matters look now, no Northern man
will be in the race for the Speakership, and
the argument that it would be bad policy to
choose a Southern man is sprung solely be-
cause Northern candidates for the Speaker
ship, such as Springer and Bynum, see that
the whole drift of the contest is in favor of
the choice of Southern candidate.
At this time it is safe to say that Judge
Crisp, of Georgia, has two-thirds of the /
Democratic strength of the House in his
favor. Mills would probably be equally
strong with Crisp, but his recent and fire.
quent disgraceful conduct on the Fl oor of
the House in his wild and Incorporate as
saults on Speaker Reed have shown his
party that ne would be a dangerous man
to place IN the chair.
Crisp Has the Call.
Judge Crisp is cool, judicial, dignifed
Always a gentlemanin his method of pre-
Isle, consequently his candidacy is exceed
ingly popular with the Republicans and
with all Democrats who desire to- have the
chair nlled by one who will do credit to
the party.
The Judge is certainly the favorite can
didate of the newspaper correspondents.
For few days past Mr. Barrett, the cor
respondent of the Atlanta Constitution, has |
been polling the correspondents on the |
Speakership question. and Judge Crisp came |
out with full two-thirds majority.
If all the Republicans and majority of |
the Democrats have power to prevent it, |
Congress will not meet in extra session. |
Whether this combined power will be e. !
fective in view of the fact that the appro- |
priation bills can be sufficiently delayed |
without any apparent filibustering, is now |
an open question. One thing is, however.
certain: If there is no extra session, the |
Speakership test will be practically |
settled during the summer months bv cor |
respondence and personal visits, and the |
preliminary caucus next December will be |
merely o formal affair.
Democrats Deny the Report.
The Democratic leaders, of course. all |
deny the existence of an effort on the part |
of certain Democrats in the House to force |
an extra session, in the interest of a South |
ern man for Speaker. Congressman Grain,
of Texas, who is a warm supporter of his |
colleague, Mr.. Mills, for the Speakership,
said this afternoon: f'There is not single |
bit of evidence, so far as I can see, that the |
Democrats will fight the battle of the |
Speakership on sectional issues. In fact, I |
know absolutely that no such question will |
be raised"
The Hon. Joseph E. Washington, the |
young statesman from Tennessee, will take |
a very active part in the contest for Speaker. |
He is for McMillen, OF his State. He said: |
"The man chosen to succeed Thomas |
Bracket Reed will be selected on account of |
his ability to preside over the deliberations |
of the next House, not because he is a |
Northerner or Southerner. If there should |
be any disposition on the part of the Dem |
ocratic party to 60 into the sectional busi- |
ness, l would propose to call in George |
Frisbie Hoar and ask him to lead us.
Speaking seriously, however, there is no
truth in that story. 1 have talked with |
about 60 members-elect, and have yet to |
hear one word from any of them regarding
the selection Of man because he happens |
to live in a certain section of country"