Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03
RICHARDSON IS MINORITY LEADER.
Tennesseean Chosen Democratic
Candidate for Speaker.

Tennessecnn Chosen rs Democratic
Candidate for Speaker.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The democrats
of the house of representatives, at their
caucus held in the hall OF representative,
this afternoon, selected Representative
James d. Richardson OF Tennessee as the r
candidate fer speaker after spirited con-
test which lasted through six ballots. This
carries with 1t the democratic leadership on
the floor. Mr.. Richardson has served four
teen years in the house and is the oldest
democratic member in point of service ex-
cept McRae OF Arkansas. The candidates
after Mr.. Richardson were Represent atives
De Almond of Missouri, Bankhead Of Ala
bama and Sulzer of New York.
Representative Hay OF Virginia was elected
chairman of the caucus by vote OF II to 62.
cast for McRae of Arkansas 1t has been
customary for the oldest member in point
OF service to preside over the caucus and
the selection OF Hay who has served only
one term Is an unusual honor. The name
OF Norton OF Ohio was also presented for
presiding officer, but was withdrawn. Rep
resentatives Cummings OF New York and
Robertson OF Louisiana were elected secre-
taries.
Richardson was placed in nomination by
Mr. Carmack of Tennessee. De Almond
was nominated by Benton OF Missouri. Bank
head was nominated by Bell OF Texas and
Sulzer was nominated by Cummings OF New
York.
The first ballot resulted: Richardson 43;
De Almond, 80; Bankhead, "a, and Sulzer,
20. The four following ballots showed little
change.
At the end OF the fifth ballot Underwood
OF Alabama withdrew Bankhead's name and
on the first roll call of the sixth ballot about
two-thirds OF Bankhead's supporters went
to Richardson. At the end of the first roll
call the vote stood: Richardson, s.; De
Almond, 40, and Sulzer, 90
Before the second roll call began sulzer
withdrew and asked his friends to vote for
Richardson. There was a general stampede
to the Tennesseean and he was nominated
on the sixth ballot, receiving ninety votes,
against twenty seven for De Almond and
two for Sulzer. The nomination was then
made unanimous.
Mr. Richardson, who was in the ways and
means committee room, was escorted to the
hall by Messrs. Ball OF Texas, Carmack OF
Tennessee and Sulzer OF New York and made
a felicitous speech thanking his colleagues
for the honor they had conferred upon him.
Owing to the lateness of the hour he said,
he would no more than return his profound
thanks, trusting that he had proper appre-
clation for the great responsibilities placed
upon him by the action OF the caucus. His
highest ambition, he said. would be to meet
these responsibilities and discharge them so
as to meet the appreciation OF the democrats
OF the house and of the country, His chief
regret, he declared was that the result OF
his victory would be a disappointment,
which he hoped would be only temporary,
10 other gentlemen aspiring to the trying
position to which he had been chosen, In
conclusion he said he hoped each member
would be ready to give him the cooperation
ho would have been glad to give to another
had the result of the caucus been different,
The following candidates for house officers
were then selected: Clerk. James Kerr,
Pennsylvania; sergeant arms former Rep
resentative Brookshire OF Indiana; door
keeper, Henry Moler Of Illinois, postmaster,
George L. Browning OF Virginia,
The caucus also selected the following