Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-02
A CLOSE RACE FOR PLACE.
The Texan Dropped by Bookmakers,
Who Are Offering to Bet
EVEN MONEYoN CRISP'SWINNING.
Kerr Conceded Almost Walkover for Clerk
of the House.
AN HONOR FOR A DEFEATED CANDIDATE
rrRoM A STAFF coRRrsroxpENr.1


WASHINGTON, Dec 1.-The air is very
Crisp this evening" is poor pun that is on
the tongue of nearly all the loungers about
the hotel corridors, and it must be confessed
that the Crisp boom has the call to-day.
The Crisp people claimed 30 votes posi-
lively, to-day, aud some careful computers
who are not Crisp supporters concede him
nearly if not quite that number as the mat
ter stands to-day.
Crisp stock is up everywhere. Sporting
men have taken it up and are assisting to
bull the market. THE DISPATCH cores
pondent ran against a well-known local
bookmsker at the Metropolitan, this even
ing. The sporting gentleman said:
Il have succeeded in placing several bets
on Crisp. 1 took him even against the
field. How do rate the candidates? Well,
if L were making book on them it would
Crisp, 6 to against Mills, 3 to 1 against
McMillir, to j against Springer, and 25 to
! against Hatch"
Mills and Crisp Making the Race.
It is but fair to Mr.. Bcokmaker to say
that he has felt the public pulse as it beats
to-day with very sensitive nerves One of
the keen3st observers of the great battle,
and one as nearly unbiased as any Democrat
can be, said to The DISPATCH cor
respondent this evening:
mills has a majority of the Democratic
members. L am convinced of that. But
they are scattered among the other caudi-
dates. 1t is possible he may not be able to
mass them at the right time. If Springer
now believe Mills would come up to
Crisp's vote on the first ballot, and then it
would be grand struggle for the big part
of McMillin's vote when that gentleman
drops out. 1t will be either Mills or Crisn
That is certain. No minority man will be
taken as a compromise. Mills can win,
however, only by the most consummate gen.
erslship.
More Honor for the Defeated Man.
'I really think that the defeated man will
he the more to be envied. He will be the
leader of the party on the floor, will occupy
a conspicuous position, will have less
strain put upon his nerves, will escape the
million petty ahnoyances ofthe Speakership,
and will have a much greater opportunity
. 10 distinguish himself Should Mills be de-
teated there will be no question in regard to
his rank on the floor. Shoald Crisp be de-
feated Springer and McMilliu would make
3 great effort to wrest from him the leader |
ship, but be would undoubtedly be made |
Chairman of Ways and Means, by the |
Speaker, and that would carry with it the
Chairs recognition of him as the leader Of
the party. 1t is great fight Mills and |
Crisp are making the running pretty close
together, but Crisp is beginning to show the |
Texan his heels. -
Kerr, of Pennsylvania, appears to be the I
sereaest of all the candidates for House |
offices He feels every hour more and more |
assured of the clerkship. Colonel Maish |
does not know what to do. One hour he |
saws he will withdraw at once, and the next |
he declares he will stick Though he has |
hosts Of friends, he came so late into the |
fight that he gets no encouragement, and |
will probably soon send word to Kerr that |
he is of the track
Kerr's Rooms Keystone Headquarters.
kerr's rooms at the Metropolitan are the |
headquarters for the Pennsylvanians Up |
10 a late hour this evening only five of the |
Democratic members had arrived. They |
are McAleer, of Philadelphia, successor to |
Randall and Vaux; Mutchier, of Easton;
Wolverton, of Sunbury; Beltzhoover, of
Carlisle, and Gillespie, Of Greenville None |
ence in the Speakership fight except |
Mutchler, who is for Mills 1t is |
reported that Reilly Of the Thirteenth dis |
trict, is for Crisp. and Amerman, of Scran-
ton, the Eleventh district, for McMillin, |
hu; this is not entirely authentic
The first thought of the Pennsylvanians,
as far as heard from, is to make sure the |
calling and election of Chairman Kerr to |
the clerkship of the House. and it certainly |
looks as if they would win. Mr.. Kerr's
headquarters are the most pleasant OF all
those of the candidates, and he is constantly |
surrounded by crowd that is either genial
Of itself, or so by the reflection Of the Chair
mans abounding congeniality.
Among the callers at Mr. Kerr's head
quarters this evening were ex-UniteG States
District Attorney Allen, of Erie, and Mr..
Baker of the same city, ex-County At
tornev. Both gentlemen have, in their
travels, made careful inquiry in regard to
Democratic feeling on the Presidency, and
they say that nine-tenths of all the Demo-
Gratis they meet are for Cleveland