The times., 1898-01-15
WHO WILL Be CHAIRMAN !?
Question for the Democratic Con,
greSsiOnal Committee.
RIVALRY BETWEEN FACTIONS
Meeting TO Be Held Next Wednes.
day Night Which May Influence
the II ca kership Fight Next Year
Names Discussed, But No One
Decided Upon.

The Democratic Congressional Com
mittee win meet next Wednesday even
ing. when a chairman and other Off
crs win be elected.
Great Importance attaches to the re-
organization of the committe by rea-
son of the fact the party regards the
election Of a Democratic House this
year as d foregone conclusion.
The committee viii, Of course, have
great deal to do with the election, and
its influence viii be commanding. For
that reason aspirants for the Speaker
ship of the Fifty-siXth Congress are
nanifesting a lively interest. Chief
among these candidates is Representa-
tive Richardson, of Tennessee, who has
been prominently mentioned for chair
man Of the committee. Mr.. Richard
son has not yet said whether he would
accept the craftsmanship or not but 1t
is thought he will do so if convinced
that the best interests OF the party de-
mand t.
MIR. Richardson's colleague, Benton
NIcMillin. who may by Wednesday next
be practically a Senator-elect, could
probably be chairman for the asking,
hut he rs too busy with his contest at
Nashville to consider the matter now.
Neither Mr.. Richardson nor Mr.. Nc
AliIlinsis vet member of the commit
tee. as the place of Tennessee has been
left open pending the result at the
State capital.
If ATr McNillin should be defeated
scarcely possible contingency, there are
those who declare that he would at
once be put on the committee ana
placed at its head.
This would leave the Speakership in
q peculiar muddle, as the two leadlns
candidates for that honor would De
Tennesseeans.
Rut aside from the organization OF
+l,p naxt House. the course of the COM
rnittee at its first meeting is expected
Ia have something of a bearing on the
nomination in 1900.
Re is blind who cannot see that there
Is a friendly rivalry between the East
and the West for mastery Inc East
has taken the initiative. and Just now
the storm center is the new Democrat
;r cl1,h on Manhattan Island, where re-
ceptions are being given ana guests
entertained
a nrominent New York Democrat,
Jefferson NJ. Levy. said yesterday:
The plan of the Democratic Club Is
ca To harmoniZe all the elements OF tne
Democratic party that at the next na-
tional election the candidates oil the
marty shall be elGCtcO II liit 1DNA4Ao
crafts of the city. State and nation de-
mand to know upon what platform We
purpose bringing all Democrats togetn-
e,, nv answer is the present platform
Of the Dartv as framed at the latest
national convention. until new plat
form is enunciated A political party
can have but one platform at time
..Tf the Democratic Club shall be sue
cessful in its efforts at harmony we
purnose. between now and the meeting
of the next national convention with
in tho club a campaign of education.
We hope, by this means. to convince
all Democrats that the only platform
nnon which the Democratic party can
hone 10 90 before the people with any
degree of success is a platform which
,,edeclares and reaffirms the teachinga
of Thomas jefferson, and those teach
ings only
1t is said quite a delegation of East
ern Democrats will be in Washington
the early part of next week, and that
they will remain until after the 18TH
instant.