The San Francisco call., 1899-06-04
THE NEXT SPEAKER.

THE choice Of Speaker to succeed Mr.. Reed IS
OF very great importance to the country, and IS
to be influential in determining the future OF
the Republican party
The candidates are Sherman and Payne Of New
York Bingham and perhaps Dalzell OF Pennsylvania,
Hopkins OF Illinois, and Henderson OF Iowa.
The Republican strength in the House consists of
fifteen votes from the South sixty-six votes from the
East. and one hundred and four from the West;
necessary to a choice in the caucus, ninety three.
The East enters four candidates, the West two, the
South none.
Since the adoption Of the constitution thirtyseven
rqen have held the Office OF Speaker of the House.
Ii was originally estimated the third place IN the Gov
ernment By development, and prescription it
has in some important respects become the first
place 1t has been occupied by Pennsylvanians four
times Connecticut once New Jersey twice, Massa-
chusetts four times, North Carolina once Kentucky
six times New York twice, Virginia four times, Ten
nessee twice Indiana three times, Ohio once Georgia
twice South Carolina once Maine twice The Office
has been held therefore, fifteen times by the East,
seventeen times by the South and five times by the
West.
Now, as the center OF population and OF party
power has shifted to the West is natural that that
section should look possession of the Speakershp.
As the West has only two candidates, it is natural
that one OF them should succeed. The two Western
candidates are men OF note Mr. Henderson has been
elected nine times to the House from the Dubuque
District He is vet young man, born in 184o. He
had hardy rearing on a farm; at enlisted a
private in the Union army, advanced to a second
lieutenancy had leg shot off in battle and dis
charged in May 1868. In June, 1904, he re-entered
the army as colonel of the Forty-sixth Iowa and
fought till the close Of the war The interregnum OF
year was devoted the study of the law and at the
close OF the he began the practice OF that probes
sion and rose speedily eminence among the senior
members of very able bar. He succeeded William
B. Allison in the House upon that gentlemans pro-
motion to the Senate, and has been regularly re
elected ever since.
He is a very able debater and IN the h-ascatch-
can Of the floor and in the hard work of the com
1nittee room has long held first place His presence
is genial ard his manner highly social and engaging
lie is the peer OF any the list Of candidates and OF
any who has occupied the chair parliamentarian
He has already the delegations of Iowa, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Ohio, and fourteen from Illinois, ma
jority in Michigan the Dakotas and Wyoming, and
a majority in Nebraska and Kansas
His Western competitor Mr.. Hopkins of the
Aurora District Illinois, was born in 1876 and has
been eight times elected to the House He is a law
yer and man OF decided strength on the floor and
in committee work. He has not seemed. however
to impress himself upon members as the equal oi
Henderson in fitness for the Speakership and as Hen
derson has within less than score Of votes enough
to elect it is probable that the whole Western vote
will soon go to the latter, as we'll as several from
Pennsylvania and New England
From every point OF view it is desirable that the
Far Western States impress themselves victoriously
IL this contest The strength OF the party its cres
influence, its growth since the defeat Of 1892 ha.
been in the West. Outside the State of Ohio there
are no weakening feuds and factions in the great
Western States.
Republican leadership there has fought down the
rising tide Of Populism and clinched Republican su
premacy permanently in the politics OF vast anc
growing region.
1t is to be hoped that the California delegation viii
carefully consider the situation and give their as
sstance as one man in transferring the power OF tht
Speakershp the long step westward that lies between
Maine and the Mississippi Valley
1t cannot be gainsaid that Eastern interests have
profted by long possession of the Speakership
Blaine Reed and Randall all able and their abil
ity was made powerful in the Speakership by Eastern
influence and that influence wise in its day anc
generation for it had its reward 1t is surely time
to begin to even up for the West and as California n
the Western keystone the furthest reach toward tht
setting sun. Our delegation may be able to do some
thing significant for Western interests in perhaps con
trolling the election of Western Speaker.