The record-union., 1892-12-13
THE SPEAKERSHIP CONTEST.
FIRST GUN FIRED By THE REFORM
CLUB OF NEW YORK.
Claim Made That the Nugwumps Want
to Dictate Who Shall Preside
Over the n sxt House.
Special to the REcoRp-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 1.-THE first gun
in the Speakership contest Of the Fifty
third Congress has been fired by the Re
form Club of New York, and the battle is
now on. While the Reform Club was
doubtless in entire ignorance in advance
of the philippe which Tom johnson of
Ohio pronounced against Speaker Crisp
and Chairman Springer Of the Ways and
Means Committee, the disposition of
Congressman is to consider Johnson's
utterances and discourtesy offered
Speaker Crisp by his hosts as only part
OF plan which has its origin out of Con-
gress, and which IS N attempt by the
club TO dictate the Speakership of the
Fifty third Congress.
For the first time there was a desire ex-
pressed for a list of membership Of the
Reform Club" and Cochran and others
who succeeded in examining such list
assert that at all times Mugwumps and
Republicans are able to control the desti-
MES and policies Of the club and that
therefore it is not much of a Democratic
club after all
There is a general expression in Con-
gressional circles that Cleveland and
Crisp have thorough understanding as
to the tariff reform course to be pursued
in the Fitty-third Congress, and the
President-elect was III entire ignorance of
the intended slight to be placed upon
Speaker Crisp. Speaker Crisp's speech,
had 1t been delivered Saturday night
would have shown that while in the pres
ent Congress, with a Republican Sen
ate, he favored a tentative plan of separate
bills, his opinion of the course to be
pursued after next March, when the
Democrats control not only both branches
Of Congress, but the Presidency as well.
is that the tariff should be revised by
general bill.
AS the morning papers to-day con-
hrmed the previous reports of the slight
imposed upon Speaker Crisp, and
strengthened the impression that it was
Intentional, and designed for popular
effect throughout the country, the House
itself took early and effectual means to
resent the indignity which had been
offered the presiding officer, and as the
Speaker entered to rap the House to
order there was a demonstration amount
ing to an ovation. When silence was
finally restored, and alter the Chaplain's
prayer, members mounted the rostrum,
and, grasping the Speaker by the hand,
congratulated him upon the esteem in
which he is evidently held by the House.
1t is doubtless q matter of great graft
cation to Senator Crisp that among those
who most emphatically condemn the in
hospitality of the Reform Club are many
mem berS who were not even his sup-
porters in the last fight.
To Bourke Cochran of New York the
incident is the subject of considerable
merriment. Il told you all about these
people," he said. "When we took up the
management of the campaign in New
York we refused to give them single
appointment or chance to speak. They
would have ruined everything. Yet,
now, when everything is over and we
have won the battle, the 600 Mugwumps
come forward and want to read 600,0 900
regular Democrats out of the party.''