Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-26
A UNIQUE CONDITION
Henderson's Coming Election With
out Opposition in Caucus.
RECENT SPEAKERSHIP CONTESTS
Custom of Giving Chairmanships
to Rivals.
UPSETTING THE PRECEDENTS

There probably never was a Speaker of
the House who went into office under just
such conditions those which will sur
round the election of General Henderson to
over the speakership, but it has not hap
pened before within the memory of the
present generation of statesmen that con-
test, once initiated, has fallen through prior
tc the assembling of the caucus. Reed had
no opposition as a candidate for the speak
ership, when, after two democratic Con-
crosses, the republicans captured the House
in the Fiftyfourth Congress. He, however
had been Speaker of the Fffty-first Congress
and had been out of the office during the
two succeeding Congresses simply by virtue
of the other party being in control. But as
big man as Reed was regarded did not
get into the speakership in the first instance
without a hard fight After he had once
been elected it was in accordance with Gus
tom to give him reelection at the first
succeeding republican Congress, and all his
subsequent elections We're without opposi-
ton.
1t is without recent precedent, If indeed
there ever was a case Of the sort, for a
man to be chosen Speaker for the first time
without opposition in caucus. Several can
didates opposed Reed before the caucus Of
the Fifty-first Congress, and the contest be-
tween him and Mckinley was very sharp.
Samuel Randall had been elected three
times, and there had been an intervening
republican Congress when he was defeated
by Carlisle in the contest for speakership
of the Forty eighth Congress- Randall then
being at variance with a majority of his
own party on the vital issue of the hour
After that Carlisle had no opposition In re-
election as long as his party was in control
When the republicans elected majority
of the members of the Fifty-first Congress
there was vital issue between the repub-
lican candidates for the speakership. the
important question before Congress was the
tariff and there was perfect harmony
among republicans In support of the protec-
ton policy. The party was as much unit
as to the only real issue then as they now
are on the question of preserving the gold
standard. Yet, without any difference as to
policy, they managed to get up very i've
ly contest.
When the democrats got control of the
Fifty-second Congress that party was more
harmonious than 1t had been for years:
Their differences on the question of tariff
policy had been settled, for those not agree
ing with the majority had almost all drop
ped out of the House, and the divisions over
the money question had not yet become
sharply enough defined to form factional
contention. Crisp who was a pronounced
free silver man, was strongly supported ny
eastern democrats, and Mills VINO is now
counted as opposed to silver had iargeiy
the support from sections where silver is
counted as strong. Thus, with condltlof
of harmony unusual within the democralic
party one of the most bitter and determined
struggles in the history OF Speahefship eoii-
tests occurred.
Customs Regarding Committee As
signments.
The Hons, has some we'll established Gus
toms with respect to committee assign
rreuts following O contest over the speaker
ship. 1t is recognized that after making
fight for the speakership the successful can
didate has friends to reward, and that, as
a rule men who opposed him in the inter
est of some other candidate cannot expect
to be shown the same consideration they
would have received had their own candl-
date been elected There are exceptions to
this however, in favor of the leading I'M
successful candidate and OF certain mem
hers of long and distinguished service on
particular committees.
The successful candidate Is expected to
appoint his chief opponent to the chairman
ship of the committee on ways ana means
and to treat other candidates with conslo-
Grafton, according to their prominence ON
account of their differences on the tar1n
question, Carlisle varied this in the case of
Mr. Randall, appointing him chairman OF
ways and means, and appointing his own
chief supporter to the leading chairman
ship. Reed appointed Mckinley to the ways
and means craftsmanship after defeating
ship. Crisp on the other hand, ignored pre-
cedent, and made a general REIMBURSEMENT
of committees, even In his second term
making some radical changes from the as
signments made by him during his first
term. He declined to appoint Mills to the
ways and means Craftsmanship, and subse-
quently deposed Holman from the chair
manship Of appropriations.
Theory Regarding Seniority.
There Is a general theory that seniority
should control in the matter of committee
assignments, after the principal defeated
candidate has been cared for but thers Is
so much fexibility about this that it is
much a fiction, except where a Speaker,
succeeding himself without opposition, has
merely to rearrange committees originally
of his own designation. A Speaker elected
for the first time is supposed to have had
contest, and to be under some obligations,
expressed or implied, and in making his
committee assignments Is not held to be
bound by the selections that We're made by
his predecessor When Speaker succeeds
himself however, he is not expected to
make material changes In the committee
assignments except as they are rendered
necessary by the failure Of certain members
of the Congress Immediately before to be
re- elected. Vacancies occurring on commit
tees by reason of the retirement of men
from Congress ara expected to be filed, as
a rule, by promotions along the line of
seniority. Heart burns are sure to result If
this practice is departed from.
Henderson's Peculiar Position.
General Henderson will be peculiarly sit
uated, inasmuch as he will not come into
office under the conditions of either of the
ordinary classes Of Speakers. He will go
into the office for the first time. and. there
fore, be, constructively, free to make COM
mittee assignments according to his own
ideas, and yet he will not be IN the posi-
tion Of a successful candidate with friends
to reward and opponents to punish. Still
further from the line of precedent will be
the question of leadership or ways and
means assignment. At the outset he had
rivals in the field. and, according to Gus
tom, the leader of those rivals should be
made chairman Of the ways and means
committee But all rivals got out of the
field so speedily that no opportunity was
afforded to determine which was in the
lead.
Another curious thing is that both the
rival candidates who were counted as seri-
ously in the race at the start have their
way toward highest preferment blocked by
men from their own states whom they can
not set aside. Payne stands between Sher