The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-28
THEY WANT REEDS SHOES.
And the Fight May Make a Good
Deal of Feeling.
THE WEST STRONG FOR IT
That Is to Say, the Region Is Which in
the East They Call the West-New
York's Rivals in Row
Over Plat.

Washington. May 27.-Thus far no
better presentation of the speakership
controversy has been made than the
one which has just been given in the
Post, of this city. The contest has
started up recent talk here, due, per-
haps, to the presence here of Congress
man Hopkins one of the candidates,
during this week. The summary of the
situation in the Post is practically as
follows:
apart from the personality of the
candidates" said Mr. Hopkins, there
is a broad question to be considered in
connection with the speakership. It in
wolves, in my opinion the future of the
republican party. From this point of
view, the Importance of recognizing Il
linois cannot be overestimated. Illinois
will be the pivotal state in the next
presidential campaign. 1t is to-day
doubtful. Chicago with 100000 of peo-
pie has to-day democratic mayor and
democratic officers. The recognition
given to Illinois by the election of a
speaker of the house from that state
VIII ielp TIE ISpubllCdH party IN lflat
state by stimulating home pride, and
will make the state certainly republi-
can. Political power is moving west
ward. New York is no longer pivotal,
while Ohio, once a doubtful state, is
now surely republican. The fighting
ground has progressed into Illinois and
the "a electoral votes of that state may
decide the next presidential election
1t seems to me, therefore, that the
leaders of the party ought not to over
look the Importance of the speakership
contest in its effect upon the approach
ing national campaign
Mr.. Hopkins naturally declined to
discuss the speakership fight in it's de-
tails, so far as these details related to
pledges from members. He says, how
ever, that he has already received a
very large number of encouraging let
tiers, many of which come from New
England and Pennsylvania, while the
feeling in the West is decidedly friend
ly to his candidacy.
One of the interesting and satisfac
tory features of the campaign to the
friends of Mr.. Hopkins is the enthusi-
asm with which Representative Can
non has entered upon the work of help
ing Mr.. Hopkins. AS soon as the dele
cation had decided to support Mr. Hop
kins, Mr. Cannon forgot his own ambi-
tions and proceeded to use his influence
in securing votes for Mr. Hopkins. He
has already seen a number of Indiana
members, and has written letters to
other of his personal friends in the
house, urging them to support the I'LL
nois candidate. He is said to be meet
ing with a degree of success, beyond
his anticipations.
An Enemy's Country.
Iowa is, of course, forbidden field
for Mr.. Hopkins, but he is said to have
secured support both in the Kansas
and Nebraska delegations. The Michi-
gan delegation is unpledged, but Mr..
Hopkins spent five years in that state
and is graduate of a Michigan uni
versity. One of the congressman was
his classmate. and the law partner of
another congressman was also a class
mate. so that if personal relations fig
ure in the contest, Mr.. Hopkins has
already very excellent nucleus to
work upon. So far as can be learned,
no direct pledges have been made in
Indiana or Minnesota. In California
and other Pacific slope states it is real
lied that the Nicaragua canal is an
issue. and upon this question Mr.. Hop
kns' position is well known. He was
friendly to the construction of the canal
as long ago as the days when Repre-
sentative Doolittle of Washington en-
deavored in vain to secure legislation
and while his ruling upon the canal
rider to the appropriation bill in the
last congress was adverse, it is a fact
that he could not have made any other
decision without violating the rules of
procedure in the house. In fact, the
friends of Mr.. Hopkins say that his ac-
ton in that case, where he rendered a
judgment in opposition to his personal
sentiments is an additional argument
to prove his fitness for holding the
position which he seeks.
Plat and Payne.
The recent assertion of Representa-
tive Payne of New York to the effect
that he proposed to stay in the race,
regardless of Mr. Shermans candidacy,
is said to be entirely sincere. In this
connection an interesting story is told
of Mr.. Payne's position. 1t is said that
when the question of a successor to
Senator Murphy was under considera-
ton Mr.. Payne had many friends in
the New York legislature, and Senator
Plat is reported to have hesitated for
some time between supporting Mr.
Payne and Mr.. Depew. When he final
ly decided in favor of Depew, he went
10 Mr.. Payne. according to statements
made by the latter's friends, and sug-
gested that as Mr. Reed could not be
expected to remain indefinitely in the
house, time would come when his
successor would have to be chosen. In
that event, it was understood that Mr..
Payne would have the support of Mr..
Platt. When Mr.. Sherman entered the
race Mr., Payne thoroughly canvassed
his district, and came to the conclusion
that he could not be defeated for con-
gress, even if he ran counter to the
Platt organization by becoming Mr.
Sherman's rival. Feeling, therefore,
that he had nothing to lose, and being
DESTROYS of demonstrating his resent
ment of the manner in which he had
been treated, he became a candidate for
the speakership. and proposes to re-
main in the field, even if his determn-
alton operates ito the defeat of Sher-
man. Several of Mr., Payne's friends,
with whom he has talked over the sit
uation, have repeated this explanation
of his position, and predict that Mr.
Payne will not retire until the fight has
ended.
LIFE SAVED BY CARDS.