New-York tribune., 1899-12-18

served more than one term. All in all y Is
doubtful IL the Republicans in their paimies'
days were ever stronger In the SENATE
THE DEMOCRATIC MINORITY.
To meet this commanding array OF talent the
Democratic minority is far from well equippeu
Some of their strongest men have reeenuy
passed out of the Senate giving place TO he-
pubncans Among the missing. and they VIII
he sadly missed in the coming battles, are
Messrs Gray OF Delaware; German. OF Mary
land Mills. OF Texas; Turpie and voorhees, o,
Indiana: Faulkner, of West virginia, Can "a
Florida George and Walthall OF MISSISSIPPI,
Hill OF New York: Vance. OF Nortn Caroi,ra, s
Brce of Ohio and Harris. OF tennessee. me
Democratic leadership is now IN the nanos "a ~
Morgan Cockrell Vest. Jones, Daniel Bale anu
Money COckrell, Morgan and Vest are olu sen
ators and strong men. Cockrell has been IN tne
Senate twenty-four years. Morgan twen.y
and Vest twenty. Messrs. Jones and Berry OIL
Arkansas have been Senators fourteen years.
Among the newer material there are some orism'
intellects. but nevertheless the hepuoi'can su
periority Is very marked.
In the House the Republicans are correspond
ingly superior TO their opponents The DEBATES
in the first skirmishes for position nave alreauy
demonstrated their complete mastery Oh the
legislative theatre of action. Recent changes
have played havoc In the Democratic ranks
Old timers like Bland. Blount. Culberson, DOCK,
cry McMillin. Mills. Sayers oates, Hatch anu
others too numerous TO mention are no longer
in the House. Though regretted as man Dy
his Democratic colleagues, the late MI Biaiu
elimination at this tuncture- or transltloh s not
looked upon unanimously as an unalloyed ms
fortune to the Democracy. which may lho II
convenient TO drop the 16 10 plank next year.
They are aware that upon that issue the strong
voice Of Silver Dick could only be silenced py
death. AS long as he lived and sat In congress
the silver dollar had seepless advocate. ne
might have caused trouble In certain quarters
UNTRIED MEN ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE
There are no long tenure members left on the
Democratic side Mr. Richardson the new
leader has represented a Tennessee district
fourteen years while Messrs De Armond' OF
Missouri and Bailey. OF Texas. his lieutenants'
have served but eight years each T. c. Catch-
ings and ]. NJ. Allen Of MISSISSIPPI ana MI.
McRae, Of Arkansas. have served fourteeh Yeas
each, the longest Democratic tenures. Ihese are
the leading Democratic names now vi c0uise, i
there are some younger members or orilllaht
parts whose voices will be heard during the
present session. but on the whole the Demo-
cratic personnel is not impressive.
On the contrary some Of the strongest men
in the history Of the Republican party are
found In its membership OF the present House
The two oldest members of the House are
A. c. Harmer Of Pennsylvania, and J.
r. Ketcham, of New-York. who have served
twenty-six years. j. q. Cannon, X. r. HIT
A. ]. Hopkins and G. w smith. or LIMOS
stand credited respectively with twenty-four'
seventeen fourteen and ten years service. H.
H. Bingham and John Dazell, Of Pennsylvania;
have been Representatives for twenty ana
twelve years, respectively % IL
Wadsworth and J. S. Sherman Of New-York,
have been fourteen. twelve and ten years IN tne
House respectively. c. A. Boutelle, OF Maine;
and William w. GrOut, OF Vermont. have served
sixteen years; j. +. Dover the brilliant Iowa
orator has served ten years The two Repub-
lican floor leaders G. II. Grosvenor, or ONO ana
w p Hepburn of Iowa, have been twelve
wears in the House. These are the leading Re-
publicans but there are many other aple ana
influential men who have served from two to
four terms and are graduated" legislators. ef-
fective members the floor and In committee.
Among them may be mentioned Messre. Loud,
OF California: Cousins and Hull. or Iowa;
Charles Curtis and Long OF Kansas; Babcock
Moody. of Massachusetts; Loudensager, or
New-Jersey, and William Alden Smith, OF
Michigan. -
THE SPEAKER.
Now when the two lists are scanned II re-
oures no very great knowledge OF House timber
and requirements TO arrive at the conclu-
sion that the Democrats heavily out
classed The change in the Speakership Is per-
hans cause OF some little concern to the
Republicans not from lack OF confidence In
General Henderson, who has served sixteen con-
secutive years in the House, and Is popular,
but because he is an untred man In that ex-
acting position. man may be a successful
member and vet utterly fail in the Speakers
chair There is no alarm; the Republicans are
merely a little nervous in regard 10 Speaker
Hendersons newness TO the place. somewhat
exaggerated. perhaps. by the fact he has sue
ceeded such a master of the art as Thomas h.
Reed The new Speaker is not losing any
ground with the House.