Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-29


coming session. 1t may, however, make its
| appearance in q different shape. The Inn
| provement of the roads, though, will again
| be a vital issue, and the local members are
| In hopes that measure can be passed which
will meet the approval OF Governor Pattison
and the people at large.
Prospective Political Legislation.
IN the line of political legislation there
are number of important matters pending.
Under ordinary circumstances the Congress
sional, Representative Senatorial and Ju-
dicial districts of the State would have been
reapportioned before this time. The fact
that the General Assembly and the Execu-
| tive are of opposing politics has thus lar
| stood in the way, and unless a compromise
| can be effected may still do so. Governor
| Pattison vetoed the measures of this kind
| at the last session. 1t is hard to see, though,
what the Democrats can gain by blocking
the redistricting. The present arrangement
| is about as near gerrymander as possible,
and the Democrats have practically no
| chance of securing the two congressman
! who are elected at large because of the fail
ure to reapportion.
This matter is of especial Importance to
Allegheny. Under the last census the
| county is entitled to three Congressman in
stead of two and the fractional part of an
other district 1t is limited that the Repub-
| lican leaders will endeavor to get rid Of
some factional quarrels when the new dis
tricts are formed. For instance, it is held
to be highly desirable to separate Greene
and Washington counties, whose feud was
largely responsible for the failure to elect
Republican Congressman in that district.
The attempt of ex-State Chairman An
drews, of Crawford to get into the Legisla-
Throne a Of ms N
esting incident. The managers are now un-
derstood to be not particularly favorable to
Mr.. Andrews ambition.
The Nomination for Speaker.
THE caucus of the Republican members of
the House of Representatives, to select can
dates for Speaker and the other officers of
the House, will be held in the hall of the
House. at Harrisburg, on next Monday
evening at o'clock. The latest slate bears
the names of Representative Caleb C.
Thompson, of Warren county, for Speaker;
Charles E. Voorhees,, Chief Clerk; A. H. Fet-
terolf, of Montgomery, Resident Clerk; J. B.
Rex, of Huntingdon, Reading Clerk, and
Forrest R. Nichols, of Crawford, journal
Clerk. Mr. Fetterolf is in the field as a can
didate for Chief Clerk, but although he an
nounced some time ago that he would not
accept any other position, his friends have
agreed upon compromise by which he
will take the Resident Clerkship, which is
now held by Mr. Voorhees,.
1t will be noticed that Allegheny county
does not figure very extensively in this pro-
posed arrangement. Ono OF the clerkships
was expected for this vicinity, but lack of
candidates or some reason has apparently
caused a slip. This may be adjusted yet,
and in any event the local representatives
aYn n n Qpp0rho1 a 10 nF l,a
minor positions.
The Spenkership nomination is not or
course; formally conceded to Thompson yet
II Mr.. Lafferty remains in the field he will
receive a fiattering support in the caucusl
BurdicI, of Mexican, and Farr, of Scranton
also have ambitions in this line, and may
secure some votes. But, nevertheless. Mr.
Thompson will succeed himself unless there
is a most radical change in the programme.
Wants a Good Chairmanship.
NOTWITHSTANDING this fact, 1t is an
nounced that the candidacy of Representa-
tive Harry L. Walton, OF Philadelphia, will
be maintained until the caucus decides the
question. Mr.. Walton gives it out that he
is still in the field, and he has number of
supporters among the members from differ
ent sections Of the State who have pledged
themselves to stand by him. In order that
there NAV be no friction, however and to
prevent the impression going out among
the country members that philadelphia
wants everything" including the Speaker
ship, the Chief Clerkship and the bulk of
legislation, the Phila delphia members in
general, while claiming to be friends of
Walton, are prepared to abandon the idea
of making him Speaker, and press him for
the craftsmanship of the Committee on Ap.
preparations, which, in the last House, was
held by James S. Fruit, ot Mercer, who has
been elected to the Senate.
A call has been issued for a caucus of the
Democratic members of the House, to meet
in the Supreme Court room at Harrisburg,
on Monday evening next. The call is signed
by Representatives Fow, of Philadelphia;
Wherry, of Cumberland; Ritter, of Lycom.
ing; Skinner, of Fulton and Baker, of Mont
gomery. Messrs. Ritter and Baker have
been mentioned i'll connection with the COM
plimentary nomination of the party for the
Speakership, with the chances in favor OF
MI. Ritter. Some of the Democratic men,
bers would like the compliment to fall to
Mr.. Wherry, but it is understood that he
does not desire the honor.
Representative John Kearns, OF the Fourth
district, is the only Democratic member of
either branch from Allegheny county, and
any honors set aside for the minority in
this section will naturally be allotted to
him. Mr.. Kearns, too, has prepared some
bills on important topics to which he in
tends to devote considerable attention.
The Election OF Senator.
THE chief event of the early session, Of
course, will be the election of q successor to
United States Senator NJ. S. Quay. Congress
man Dalzell has just Deen indorsed by the
majority OF the Allegheny county delega-
tion, and will receive their support in the
Republican caucus, which will be called
after the Legislature is organised The
election is fixed for Tuesday, January II, at
8 o'clock P. M, when each House will vote
separately On the following day they will
meet in joint convention, when the result
will be officially announced.
Among other names which are more or
less mentioned in connection with the Re-
publican nomination are those of Congress
clares he is a candidate, but nobody appears
TO be impressed with the announcement,
while the latter has not definitely stated his |
Intentions in the premises. Senator Quay's |
friends are in a most complacent mood, and |
announce that he will be chosen as his own /
successor practically without opposition.
For the complimentary Democratic nomi- |
nation several leaders have been spoken of, |
state Senator Ross perhaps most promi- |
nently A local Democrat mentioned the |
name Of James 8. Guffey in connection with |
this honor, but there is no evidence that Mr. |
Guffey has any aspirations in that line.
Grover too Fat for Santa Claus.
Atlanta Journal.l