The age-herald., 1898-10-16
COMPLEXION OF
 THE NEXT HOUSE
BY NED BRACE.


 The first general election, since the war made new issues in politics, will be held three weeks from Tuesday. It is the con- gressional election. The full membership
 of the lower house of congress is to be elected. There are 356. The present house Is republican. In it the parties stand: Re- oublicans, 2o4; democrats, 129; populists, 2S. Chairman Kerr, of the democratic con- gressional committee, is confident that the democrats will carry the next house. Pub licly. Mark Hanna claims the republicans will carry it. but his lieutenants are not so confident, by any means.
 Chairman Kerr, of the democratic eom- mittee, is a Pennsylvanian. He is shreWo' far-seeing politician of the German type He, of course, claims everything, but to the congressional committee he has made close reports and has predicted to them that the next house will stand 1t6 demo- crats, IS populists and 162 republicans. He expects the popusts to lose five members. He apportions the certain democratic gains as follows: Alabama, 2; Illinois, '; lndiana' 3; Iowa. 1; Kentucky, 2; Maryland, 2; Min | nesota, 1; Missouri, 1; New Jersey, 2; New
 York, 8; North Carolina l; Pennsylvania, :. ,; Texas, 1; Virginia, g. West Virginia, 7; Wisconsin, ?, making total of 41. Chairman Kerr gives his reasons in each case, and specifics the congressional dis- tricts in which the gain will be made. 1T he is so thorough in his predictions of other states as he is in the predictions that there will be gain of two democrats in Ala bama, Mir. Kerr knows what he is talking about. In New York even the republicans concede a democratic gain of eight con- gressmen. I doubt the correctness of MT. Kerr's prediction of a gain of seven in Illinois, but the democrats may lose sev- eral of these claimed districts and yet carry the house. There does seem to be a very heavy tide running throughout the country in the democratic direction.
 If the democrats do carry the next house, there promises to be a long contest over the speakership. There will certainly be three candidates and perhaps more The three certain candidates are: Bailey, of Texas; Richardson, of Tennessee, and De- Armand, of Missouri. They are all good men, but not one of them stands pre- eminently In the lead. The chances, how ever, are that Bailey, of Texas, will be elected Bailey is a young man of great ability. The only fault ever found with him is that he is given to form opinions for himself and then endeavor to drive his party friends to support them. Bailey's great trouble is his lack of diplomacy. He will probably get the vote of majority of the Alabama delegation. In fact I under stand that most of them have already an- nounced for Bailey in the event that the democrats win the house.
 There has been some talk of General Jo- seph Wheeler for speaker of the house, b | understand Wall not be candidate. General Wheeler is more Of a fighter on the floor than a parliamentary judge. To preside over the house would be an extremely unpleasant duty to him, and Therefore it is not thought that he will be a candidate
 m fhssqyept. Of the next house being democratic. Alabamians 1e oe very con sp!cuous.7 General Joe Wheeler Is fne ing democrat on the ways and means com mittee, and MT. Underwood, MT. Bankhead and several other Aabamians are rank ing men on important and conspicuous committees, and each would therefore get
 
 until after the eighth day of November just what will occur As it is now, it looks as if the democrats will carry the house. but we can't tell.
 Speaking of congressman, many of them have troubles. l was standing on First avenue with my friend Oscar Underwood yesterday when one of his constituents of fox1r I;. hands with him and said, Look here, Mr. Underwood, I see from the papers that the government is giving away seed wheat. I have got some of the finest land in this country down below here and I want you to send me a hundred bushels of seed wheat right away"
 MT. Underwood endeavored to explain that the government only gave away small samples of seed for experimental purposes, and that he would be glad to send him a pint of wheat seed from the agricultural department. The constituent looked sorely disappointed, and it is just possible that MT. Underwood will lose one vote.
 This reminds me of letter my old con- gressional friend Colonel Livingston, of the Atlanta district in Georgia, once re- ceived in Washington. An old lady in his district had ambitions to make an attrac- tive crazy quilt. She therefore wrote Col onel Livingston to please get for her an old necktie from the president, all the members of his cabinet, each and every member of the senate and each and every member of the house of representative, to have each of these statesmen write his name on it, and send them to her at once. Nobody was ever able to learn what reply Colonel Livingston made to this modest request.
 The question of a Greater Birmingham seems to have stirred up hornets nest. Every citizen you find is enthusiastically for it or rabidy against it. The question promises to bring up the liveliest contest of years.
 l am very much in favor of a Greater