St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-07
The House Unlikely to Have
a Regular Presiding Of
fieer Today.
How Former Congresses Have
Transacted Business I'm
der Such Conditions.
The Twenty-Sixth Congress
Appointed Chairman to
Administer Rules.
Thirty-Fourth and Thirty
Sixth Congresses Presided
Over by the Clerk.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-F1Ve generals
resting on their arms, each hoping for
re inforcements from the forces of the
others-that is the condition of the
speakership contest tonight. All
day long proselyting has been go
ing on, but, so far can be as
certained, without material re-
suit. The supporters of Mr..
Mills and Mr.. Crisp stood firm against
the attacks of the other candidates.
Assaults on their ranks were made
repeatedly, but without perceptible
effect. The McMillin, Springer and
Hatch men poured into the ears of
Mills and Crisp men, who would
listen to it, the argument that
neither Mills nor Crisp could in
crease their present strength under any
circumstances, and that either McMil-
lin Springer or Hatch, according TO the
sentiments of the men advancing the
argument, was sure to win. Heavy as
were the assaults brought to bear
on Hatch's little army of five,
the qaintette refused to go
over to any other candidate.
A rumOr that the Hatch men had
agreed to go over to Mills on the first
ballot tomorrow morning was knocked
in the head by Messrs. Tarsney and
Dearmond, of Missouri, who tonight
stated emphatically that they would
not vote for Mills under any circum-
stances, but would vote for Hatch until
it was obvious to them that he could
not be elected. They preferred Crisp
to Mills, they said. Another rumOr
held it that Stahlnecker, of New York,
would lead
A Mills Detection
and go over to some other candidate,
but Mr.. Stahlnecker positively denied
this. The presence of ex-Postmaster
General Dickinson in the lobby of the
house last night during the caucus was
a subject of much gossip today, many
members asserting that he was looking
after the interests of Mills as
the personal representative of ex-
President Cleveland. The discussion of
Mr.. Dickinsou'S connection with the
contest, however, did not cause any
change of votes. There was deserted
appearance about the headquarters of
the various candidates tonight that con-
trasted strongly with the scenes of the
past week. Then all was excitement, and
each candidate wore look of happy
confidence OH his face. Tonight the
candidates looked tired and sleepy, and
ii was obvious to those who saw them
that the heavy strain of yesterday had
told on them severely. Mr.. Mills has
Jared the worst. He has suffered
from insomnia for several nights,
land tonight he is Frustrated
at his apartments at Will
lard's. The excitement of the
prOtracted caucus has told on his nat
urally nervous disposition, and he re-
tired early this evening in order to get
needed rest before the renewal of the
battle tomorrow morning. How long
that battle will last is involved an un-
certainty. Careful inquiries fail to dis
close any break in the support of any
candidates, although one of Mr.. Crisp'S
principal lieutenants claimed tonight
that assurances had been given Crisp
that at least
Ten Of the Mills Men
would go over to him. Names, how
ever, of these deSerters are not forth
coming. 1t is certain that Crisp looks
for some break III the Hatch ranks, four
of the five Hatch supporters, it is
claimed, being in favor of Crisp as a
second choice. A prominent MissOurian,
who has been an answering worker for
Hatch's nomination, made the state
ment to some of his friends tonight that
if Mr.. Hatch sees that his chances have
disappeared he will go into the caucus
and cast his vote for Crisp, and that
four of his five followers will then put
themselves In line for the Georgian.
Whether this Is true or not, the
Crisp people are basing hopes
on it, and they. include it in
their claim, that they will have to-mor-
row enough votes to elect their candi-
date. A meeting, attended by nearly all
the nlnety-One men who voted for Mills
on the last ballot cast IN the caucus, was
held to-day in the principal headquar-
terS of Mr.. Mills. Ringing speeches urg-
ing united action for the Texan were
made, and many members gave pos
tive promises-cOuched in language
that made them almost oaths
to stick to the Mills standard through
thick and thin. The meeting was an
enthusiastic one, and those who attend
ed it say that the assurances given were
such that it is certain that Mills will go
into the caucus tomorrow without the
loss of vote. McMillin men also held
meeting. and McMilin was given every
assurance that he would poll
At Least Seventeen Votes
the number he received on the last bal
lot, on the first ballot tomorrow. His
adherents claim that if break occur
in the Mills or Crisp vote it Will beto
the advantage of McMillin. McMiIlin's
strongest peint is the Spartan-like con-
stancy of followers. He polls eight
cen votes tre first ballot last night,
and these 3 10 20 on the thirteenth
and fell ton the last, loss of only
one vote in the seventeen ballots tak9n.
Springer was the strongest of the dark
horses at the beginning, and gradually
dropped from 40 votes on the first ballot
TO 10 on the last, while Hatch
dropped from IA the first to on
the last. The McMillin men quote
these figures to show McMillin is the
only man of the three weaker candi-
oates who can hold his own, and they
claim that this gives them the key to
the situation in the event of a pro-
traeted deadlock, and will finally
make McMillin, whom they also claim
is the second choice of a majority
of the Democratic senatorial mem
bers, a~~compromise candidate for
speaker. Conservative opinion is prac-
tically unit that the contest will not be
settled when congress is called to order.
No one. however capable he may be in
judging such matters. can predict the
result with certainty. There has been
mo change in the situation since last
night, and contest memorable for its
length may occur.