The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-09
Reed Will Have No OppO-
SitiOn as Speaker.
Man From Maine Cares Lit
tie for Place, However.
A Bit OF Gossip About Mrs. Cleve-
land-Y0ung Sc0vel's Case.

WASHINGTON. March e.--LSpecial. i
Now that the official call for the meeting
of congress in special session has been is
sued by President Mckinley, gossip Is rife
concerning the speakership nominations OF
the two parties in the house OF representa-
tives. Among the Republicans there Is
but one candidate. Mr.. Reed viii have no
opposition. IL Is true. that there has been
great deal of dissatisfaction with the
speaker on the part of Republican mem
bers during the past session growing ont
OF his persistent refusal Co permit the pas
sge Of bills which in their aggregate effect
might constitute n raid upon the treasury.
Many OF these dissatisfied men would be
glad enough Of chance TO enroll them
selves under the banner of another leader.
While they admire Mr. Reed very much
for his ability and his wit, they would be
better content 10 have in the clair n speak
or who will not try To manage the business
of the house, but will leave that to the
house itself.
Let Us Have Peace.
But there Is no leader to stand up against
Mr.. Reed, No one cares to make a race In
the face of certain defeat. The suggestion
has been made that General Grosvenor of
Ohio or Mr. Hopkins OF Illinois would
make good rival for Reed. But SO far
neither of these gentlemen has indicated
any willingness to be considered in the
hands of his friends On the contrary,
both say emphatically they will not stand
as candidates, and that they are for Reed.
IL either Grosvenor a Hopkins were to
consent TO make the race, the result would
hah ba faefinn hot fho
friends Of Speaker Reed and those Of the
kins are original Mckinley men, and the
candidacy of either of them would be taken
as n signal for war. President Mckinley
probably would not permit any special
friend of his To stand against Reed If he
were able to prevent 1t. The president
wants no wars He Is a man of peace
and proposes TO have It.
Some of MIR. Reeds intimate friends say
he would not be averse to struggle for the
speakership nomination of the new con-
gress He doesn't care much for the office
anyway, though he has no doubt Of his
ability to beat any one that should run
against him. If Grosvenor or Hopkins or
another were TO happen to win the prize
away from him, Mr.. Reed would not feel
NOTN D1u. llt tlltu tdht pldCt
OH the floor, where he no doubt would be
able to have great deal of fun. 1t is
whispered that some of the ambitious Re-
publicans of the house might be induced to
run against Reed If they were assured they
could not win. They dread the ex-speak-
er's presence as a free lance upon the floor.
Mr. Reed will be his own successor without
u struggle.
Democratic Leaders.
On the Democratic side, oddly enough,
there Is quite competition for the empty
honor of posing as the party candidate for
speaker Two or three able gentlemen are
already in the hunt. Conspicuous among
these is Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee and
Mr.. Bailey of Texas The latter was a
few years ago the "baby of the house." but
he Is now quito a veteran, so rapidly does
time pass. 1t is difficult to tell which Is
ahead at this writing. A dark horse who
may beat both of them out is our old
friend, "Silver Dick" Bland Of Missouri
The gossips have it that Nr. Bland is the
Bryan candidate, or at least the choice of
that wing Of the party which favors the
denomination of Mr.. Bryan in 1900 The
only advantage of practical sort in the
Democratic nomination for the speaker
ship Is that it carries with It the right to
be regarded as the party leader upon the
floor
Now that Mrs. Cleveland has left the ma
tional capital for hor homo in Princeton,
N. j., it will do no harm, perhaps, to tell
a little story concerning her. l give 1t upon
the testimony Of one Of the women CORE
spondents Of Washington, u member of that
corps of society writer's who from long ex
perience know all the ins and outs of high
life at this capital. "When Mrs. Cleveland
first came to Washington, as n bride" said
this society writer, 'she was young and
rather new. She was beautiful indeed
and as gracious as she was pretty. But she
did not know how to dress herself. What
do you suppose she wore the first time she
held reception in the White HouseY A
thick plush of a reddish color. II made
her look like sofa done upin pink. Well,
we society writer's couldn't stand that, SO
we took the first lady Of the land In hand
and taught her TO dress 30 rs TO make the
most of hor charms. Speak TO her about 1t
No, not for worlds. We knew
q trick better than that We just wrote up
q description OF the sort of gown Mrs.
Cleveland should have had on, precisely as
IL that was what she had worn. The gown
she actually did wear we ignored altogeth
err Two or three lessons Of this sort were
all that were needed. Since then Mrs.
has attircd herself faultlessly."
The Case of scoveI.
President Mckinley has personally in
terestcd himself In the case Of Sylvester
Scovcl, so long held in a Spanish prison in
Cuba This adventurous young newspaper
man IS personally known To the president.
His father. Rev. Mr.. Scoycl. was formerly
one Of McKlnlcy's constituents. The
young man himself visited Canton last fall
and told Major Mckinley, who had just
been elected president, great deal about
Cuba, and made n fine impression with
his modest manners and frank, manly
speech Scoyel Is really n young man of
fine character. He is brave He is thor
oughly devoted 10 his profession. do not
remember any finer work than that which
he has done i'm Cuba In the face Of onor-
nous difficulties.
OF late there has been striking increase
in the number Of colored people commit
ting suicide In the District of Columbia.
Years ago such n thing as "A suicide among
q h.