The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-25
The SUCCESSOR OF CRISP
There Will Be a Strong Effort Made
to Prevent the Speakers
Reelection.
Some Factors. Including Tam
many, That Will Enter Into
the Contest.
win Spend Christmas Day--Other
Capital News.


the speakership of the Fifty-tbird congress-
threatens to become very bitter. There
were at first great many who pooh poohod
the idea, not only that the contest would be
bitter ono. but that there would be enough
strife to be worthy the name of contest.
Should the contest only smack OF bitter
ness the democratic party will be able to
consider itself fortnnsts. Tho indications
are, however. that there will be moro Ill
feeling aroused than has characterized any
OF the speakership contests Of recent years.
The Reform club incident promises to
play conspicuous part In the contest. The
play will not be made ON the surface. bat
will be one of the chief means of keeping
the Crisp men together. Though Cleveland
had nothing to do with the dinner. except
to attend it and speak, tho Crisp Iieutenants
will insist that he did, and endeavor by
such talk to work up the southeastern men,
bers and the members OF the silver states
snub to silver. and that tho only hope the
silver men can have of securing any legis-
ton in tho next session favorable to free
silver will rest on the return to the chair of
man who is in sympathy with their inter
ests.
Should Tammany take a hand in the
speakership fight the bitterness will be in
creased and the armed harmony which now
obtains in the New York democracy will be
no more. There Is strong reason for be-
lieving. however. that Tnmmany will not
take hand in the fight, to the extent, Mt
least that it did last time. If that organ
izstion should conclude to try once more
at speakership making il will be in behalf
of the man whom Grover Cleveland wants.
The reason for this is Crisp's failure
to get a solid Hill delegation to the Chi
cago convention. OF course, that should
oil be over and forgotten now. but it isn't.
Hill helped Crisp in his spsakership
fight, and in return Crisp was to help him.
He didn't do SO and Hill has no more use
for him. Tammany helped him and he in
return distributed among Tammany's
friends large amount Of the house pat
ronage. But in 80 doing he paid off his
debt to TammanY akd bsth are square.
That being the case. Tammany is much
so long as Cleveland keeps Whitney's
promises. And, as there is no doubt OF his
keeping them. it is safe to say that Tam
many will not do anything in the speaker
ship fight of nature antagonistic to Cleve-
land.
heprob6uUdblNo WlEsOu ID now 0pOut the
only candidate for the spsako,ship spoken
of In opposition to crisp. So far as brains
are concerned no better selection coul be
made. Mr.. Wilson ia perhaps the bra iniest
tariff reformer in the house, with the excep-
tion of Mr.. Springer. He is a very keen
orator, quick at repartee. But he is not
success as a presiding officer. He lacks
the vigorous personality necessary to COM
mand the attention of turbulent house
composed of nearly three hundred and fifty
members. He might pound his Ravel on
the desk until he was black in the face and
he would be only adding to the noise. No
one would paw any attention to him in
times of excitement. 1t is a pity, for he ia
we'll liked and all would wish him we'll. On
the floor he is the peer of any man. But he
is not cut out for speaker, and unless the
Cleveland democrats select some other man
for that office some very turbulent scenes
will be witnessed in the next house should
Wilson be elected. and there is little doubt
OF his being elected if the Cleveland men
stick to him.