Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-01
THE HOUSE OFFICERS
Rood the Only Name Mentioned in The eau
Gus for Speaker,
MCDOWELL SECURES THE CLERKSHlP
All The other Except the Chaplain
who HAD Been Forccnsted for
Pnccs Secured Them on the
First UniIot.

$500 AHNN
nominated ex-Speaker Thomas b.. Reed Of
Maine for speaker Of the Fifty-fourth con-
gress. This action was anticipated, as al no
time had any effort been inaugurated to con-
test his election. Hon. Galusha Grow, who
was speaker Of the house in 1859, nominated
MIR. Reed IN the caucus. lie simply presented
Mr.. Reeds name. and the nomination was
made by n rising vote and amidst cheers.
Mr.. Grow, Mr.. Cannon and Mr.. Payne es-
corted Mr.. Reed TO the hail. and when the
cheering, which greeted his appearance, had
subsidized, he made a brief speech of ac-
ceptance.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemcn-"For the
honor which you have conferred upon me-, l
tender you my sincere thanks. | am not IN
the least liable to c%onfound with my own
personality this tribute Of your kindness. l
had once the good fortune to be so placed
that | rep .4ented as well as | was able the
patriotic sense of a great party, and 1t is to
that patriotic sense Of our party that you
tender the tribute Of your matured, as well
as y1ur temporary approval. History will
accord us praise for what we did in the Fifty
first congress. and 1t may accord us its praise
in this for what We do not do.
DUTY OF THE PRESENT CONGRESS.
1--WE have unfortunately a divided govern
ment. which usually leads to small results.
But there are times when rest is as health
giving as exercise. We must not forget that
our first and greatest duty is to do all we can
to restore confidence to business, and that
we must avoid all business legislation, except
in the direction of improved business. Rather
than run risk we can afford to wait until well
matured plans give us assurances OF per-
manent benefit. Crude and hasty legislation
Is above all things to be Stunned. Could we
cause our immense popular majority to over
flow into the other hra nchpg of tho coyarp
ment, and could we have full control, we
would create, not a perfect world perhaps.
but a world rather more fit 10 live in than
we have lately had. Applsuse) Even as
things are, | do not for a moment doubt that
our patriotic instincts will lead us to make
every sacrifice. except of principle. to rescue
our country from Its temporary disaster.
mot only have we been elected by the
overwhelming vote of the people. as their
servants, but as a house of representatives
of which we are thu majority. the right to
initiate taxation for the people is by the
constitution placed in cur hands as a sacred
trust. which we have no right to surrender,
and which all parties. however they differ on
o,ner things, assuredly maintain
THAT we shall b. ready at all times to
furnish adequate revenue for the government
according to our sence of public duty no man
can doubt.
This is the great nation OF this hem
isphers, and while We have no desire to inter
fere with other nations, we shall maintain
our position with irmness and self-reapcct,
and at the same time, with consideration of
facts, and that conservatism of action which
shall leave no bad question to trouble our
future. In this, / trust the whole govern
ment and all its branches will be in accord
with each other, and with the people,"
When Mr.. Reed has finished his speech of
acceptance Mr.. Foss of Illinois and Mr.. Hill
born OF California each presented him with q
gavel. These he accepted with appropriate
remarks. In the course of which he alluded
to the fact that he had spent some years on
the Pacific coast as a young man. In his
remarks Mr.. Reed said: ITO all the au-
dience / must add that I cannot undertake to
reconcile the differences of these gentlemen
as to their metallic views"
The point in Mr.. Reeds last remark was
the fact that Mr.. Foss made an allusion to
sound money, while Mr.. Hilborn talked fer
free silver.
The gavel presented by Mr.. Foss was made
of wood from the home Of Henry Clay in
Kentucky, and was handsomely carved
and mounted with silver and gold. The
gavel from California was from the old war
ship Hartford. which has recently been re-
fitted in the Mare island navy yard.
SLATE ALMOST LIPPE THROUGH.
Previous to Mr.. Reeds nomination the
caucus had organized by electing Mr.. Gros-
venor of Ohio chairman of the caucus by q
vote of 1853 to "a for Mr.. Henderson of
Iowa. Mr.. Ellis Of Oregon was elected sec
rotary by a vote Of 1879 to n for Mr.. Hooker
of New York. These officers arrived during
the session.
Mr.. Grosvenor's election was a victory for
what was known as the Mcdowell combine
on house Offices. and foreshadowed the sue
cess of the combine ticket. In order the fol-
lowing officers were selected by the caucus.
the vote for each being about the same as
that given TO Mr.. Grosvenor: Clerk, Alex
ander Mcdowell Of Pennsylvania; sergeant
alarms, Benjamin f. Russell of Missouri;
doorkeeper, William ]. Glenn of New York;
postmaster, Joseph C. McElroy of Ohio.
The successful candidate for clerk, ex-
Representative Mcdowell, was nominated by
Mr.. Dalzell- Of Pennsylvania and General
Henderson of Illinois, also an ex-representa-
tive, was nominated by Mr.. Cannon of Illi-
nois. The vote was Mcdowell, 1854; Hen
derson, "a. Mr.. Russell was nominated by
Mr.. Barthold of Missouri. and Mr.. Evans of
Kentucky presented the name OF Mr.. Ed
Parker of his state. Mr.. Evans said that
the south was a few years ago practically
without representation on the republican side
of the house; the republicans OF that section
had by determined work wrested twenty
three representatives from the democrats.
Party policy demanded that these efforts
should be recognized In the distribution OF
officers and he thought that the position of
sergeant-at-arms should be accorded that sec
ton. But Russell was elected, 1877, to 10 for
Parker. 1t was thought that after General
Henderson had been defeated for clerk that
he might be presented for sergeant-at-arms,
but the general found that the combination
was too strong to be broken In that way. Mr..
Payne OF New York nominated Mr.. Glenn FOR
doorkeeper and Mr.. Liney Of North Carolina
named William Upton of Tennessee for the
same position. The vote was: Glenn, ia:
Upton. 65.
Mr.. Northway OF Ohio nominated Mr.. Nc
Elroy for postmaster, and Mr., Upton of Ten
nessee was named by Mr.. Mccall of that
state for the place. The vote was: McElroy.
167; Upton, 70. The most protracted contest
was for the position Of chaplain. Nine men
were nominated. only two being outside OF
the District OF Columbia. Rev. ii. N. Couden
OF Michigan was nominated on the third bal
lot. receiving 102 votes, against 30 for II. c. |
Fisher OF Kansas. the other candidates hav-
ing been in the meantime withdrawn.
The caucus adjourned at 1:15 Sunday morn
Ing, after providing for the employment OF
two additional pages In the house.
NEBRASKA DELEGATION DIVIDES.
Two Vote for McDOwcII and Three for
Henderson In Caucus.
WASHINGTON, Nov. S0.-(Special Tele-
gram)-Attempts made during the week to
get the Nebraska delegation together on the