New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-31
THE SPEAKERSHIP CONTEST
SECTIONALISM NOT TO DETERMINE
THE RESULT.
PREPONDERANCE OF REPUBLICAN MEM
BERsHIP IN THE wEsT-CHANCEs OF
A NEW-TORk MAN.
ley TELEGRAPH TO The rRIRuxE.l

fBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBCNEl
Washington. May 30.-Enough is already
known to make it assured that the Speakership
contest will not be determined by sectionalism.
but the roster Of Republican membership shows
that II 1t were TO be so the West would win
hands down. Exclusive Of the Republican
Representatives from the late slave States. and
only counting those from the so-called Northern
States the Republican membership Of the new
House is thus divided
Eastern England 60
western states 4'A
or a Western prcponderance OF 80. Be
sides these there 4 Republicans from
Maryland. from West Virginia. from Mis-
souri from Tennessee. from North
Carolina, . from Kentucky. l from Della
vare and / from Texas: total Is. II these
scattering Southern Republicans should divide
on Eastern and Western sectional lines. it would
not change the result. Nor would they change
the result should they all support an Eastern
candidate for Speaker and the Vest remain
solid for Western candidate. The total Re
publican membership is 1s5. which Of the whole
House is a clear majority Of only 13.
While there is apparent a desire at the West
to have a Western man succeed Mr.. Reed the
division Of the Western strength among several
candidates indicates that the sectional idea Is
not paramount. but is rather being used as an
argument in the interest Of individual candi-
dates. The divisions even more marked N
the West than the East. The Speakership con-
test is far from being settled. Aside from all
individual claims there are many reasons why
Eew-York should have the Speakership OF the
House. but It is unfortunate that at this favor
able juncture when the field is open, the En-
pire States Republican membership is 50 smali
in comparison with its total representation.
There are only sixteen Republicans out OF
total Of thirty-four Representatives, against
twenty-eight Republicans TO six Democrats in
the last Congress.
VIEWS OF WESTERN REPUBLICAN,
A wel-known Republican politician from the
West said to-day:
sbs Was or In the last She Would undoubtedly
cure the speakershP She may DO II aS II s n }oT
NewYorker the game Is up II Is the f 5poi
tics long in vogue. has left her at a critical mo
ment weak In the dominant party loI wnlcn sHs
give her the Speakershp. . ,....,
But this is nothing new in NETWORKS p0,itical
history She has been the leader Of all the states
in population and wealth since ls2O perlod OF
eighty years Yet she has nad but one 5 o sPe4K e
tho Government. John ". Taylor. though II Is true
that Mr. Taylor was Speaker OF Two tomgi ~
was Speaker Of the second session Of the NNlth
Congress only. Speaker Clay having found II i'm
possible to attend After lapse OF four years, Mr.
Taylor elected Speaker OF the NIAth Congress,
and served from 1875 10 1877 He was born In Sara
toga County and was member OF the House con-
t.nuOusly for twenty years entering u hrst IN 1913
during the last with Great Britain. After
ward he removed to Cleveland. Ohio, where he
practisSG law, dying in ls24 .,--- - III,
population has held the Speakership for twelve
terms or Congresses Henry Clay Speaker six
terms John g Carlisle three terms, Linn Boyd two
and John White term One Of Mr.. Clays terms
was a fractional one but he Speaker for near
~ twelve years. Thus the interior State Of Ken
lucky has welded the Speakers gavel for nearly a
quarter OF the whole existence OF the country.
Pennsylvania has won the Speakership four times.
but only twice since 1850 Galusha A. Grow was
Speaker in 1878 and Samuel J. Randall from
1916 to lSSl-three consecutive terms. assachusetts
has furnished four Speakers Virginia four. Indiana
three New-Jersey two Maine two, Georgia two;
South Carolina two. and so on. Maine has had
two Speakers. large quota for so small State
comparatively but her tenure has been stu more
greatly out OF proportion. twelve years. Messrs.
Blaine and Reed were each elected three times.
Ohio has held the Speakership but once.
OF course IN view Of the long tenures or Ken
tucl1v Maine. Virginia. Indiana Pennsylvania and
Tennessee and the number Of States II necessarily
been honored with the Speakership Of the House.
Among these the great states OF Michigan.
illinois Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Alabama. Mis-
sssippi and Texas Neither have the New Eng q no
states Of New Hampshire. Vermont or Rhode ISL
and Connecticut held y term, IN the person ot
Jonathan Trunnhu during the second session. from
1871 70 1898.