The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-10
REID and A'GRED|E
To be Speaker and President,
Respectively.
PALMER AND KEIGER WIN
In the CIerkShip Contests
Close of the Campaigns
PALMER AND KEIGER WIN

Guthrie. o. T, Jan. a-(speciaL)-The
Republican council caucus met this after
noon and agreed upon the following organ
izadon:
President-Hugh McCredie, Of Pottawat-
omie county.
President pro tem.-A- H. Huston, Logan
county.
Chief clerk-O. G. Palmer, Ponca City.
Reading clerk-Harry Ardery, Guthrie.
sergeant-at-arms-D. +. Smith, King
fisher.
Chief enrolling clerk-John Hinkle. Per
kins.
A full complement Of clerks, pages and
janitors was selected.
The house Republican caucus made the
following nominations and adjourned until
10 o'clock tomorrow morning:
Speaker-Thomas Reid, Ell Reno.
Speaker pro tem.-N. II. Merton, Guth-
re.
Chief clerk-C. NJ. Kelger, Grant county.
Sergeant-at-arms-C. II. DeFord, Okla
homa City.
Doorkeeper-W. II. Painter, Guthrie.
Euatchman-L. F. Norris, Payne county.
Messenger-A B. Holiday, Garfield
county.
A last desperate effort was made by the
opposition 10 defeat Tom Reid for speaker
Saturday night, and for a few hours some
of Reds weak-hearted supporters were
visibly frustrated and worried. "Grstmil''
Jones had returned to Oklahoma City ap-
parently discouraged and under the i'm
preston that he had given up the fight
the supporters Of Reid fattered them
I,oF Tac ,f zf+
had disappeared and their candidate
would have clear sailing IN the caucus
While still basking in this feeling Of
false security the word was passed around
the lobby in the hotel corridor that the
opposition had taken up the candidacy Of
DR.. A1cElrath for the speakership. To add
20 the effect Of this sudden announce
ment, the impression was artfully con-
veyed that the old, factional fight had
been resurrected and TO those not on the
inside It seemed that the bitter feeling
that at one time existed between Barnes
and Flynn had been revived. Such was
the situation at midnight and people who
were fooled by the brass band" politics
went to bed under the impression that
& was all up with Reid and that McElrath
would be speaker of the mouse. When
the Sabbath morn dawned and the hotel
corridors again filed up the political at
mosphere was still decidedly McElrathish,
and Dr. McErath himself, when appealed
TO for information, declared that he held
the key to the situation. But in making
this declaration he did not as publicly
state what his course would be in the
final disposition OF the speakership. To
his political friends, however, he did de-
clare his intentions, and they went away
entirely treasured that he had not lost
his head in the excitement. By noon the
news was generally circulated, nOtwith-
standing the effort to keep it quiet, that
NcElrath realized that the concentration
of he opposition strength upon himself
was not sincere, and simply a subterfuge
10 divide the West side vote, and this
was virtually the expiring gasp OF the
opposition to Reid.
Chagrined and disappointed IN its efforts
against Reid, the opposition next turned
It's attention TO the organization Of the
council. where the political chaos present
ed a moro inviting field for intrigue.
Hutto was admittedly in the lead for pres
ldent, with three Of the necessary five
votes absolutely at his command. Hugh
McCredie and DR.. Winkler had arrived
on the ground. compiling the attendance
of the eight Republican members; but
instead of clarifying the situation their
accession only added TO the element OF
doubt as to which wap the cat would
jump. There were scores Of private eau
cuses out of which grew rumors and com
blnattons innumerable, only 10 be smash
ed by the searching inquiry Of the icono-
clast who had to be shown. For instance
&. was given out late in the afternoon
lust before Dennis Flynn took the traiT
for Washington. that the presidency CUES
ton was settled and that Bddison woulC
be the man. The rUmOr even furnished
the names included in the combination
which were Biddsou, McCTeady, Brett
Winkler and Ravens. The rumored com
bination was smashed, however, by Bid
Olson himself who promptly and emphat
ically declared It 10 be a lie that ne haC
entered into such a combination Later i
the night the story was circulated ans
with such persistence as gave it ere
dence to the effect that Ravens, Wrinkle
and Biddlson were in a combination I
give their three votes 20 any one VIII
could bring the other two votes necessar