The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-12

NOW tHdt the elections IN the states are
over congressman are beginning to gather
in Washington Speaker Henderson is ex-
peeted here about the middle of the month
and will open quarters at one of the hotels.
which will then become the Mecca of the
republican members of the house. The
committees are to be made up and the pat
ronage of the house is still unsettled.
By long experience congressman have ar
rived at the conclusion, reached by the bird
family long ago, that the earliest in the
Held catches the best worms Speaker
Henderson says he has not made up the
committees Undoubtedly he has thought
over the matter during the summer and
mas decided upon the heads of the chief
committees, but as Ions as they have not
| been made public there is still a chance
| to have them changed
The employees of the last house will make
| frantic effort to retain their places but
the tip has been given out that few, If any,
of these will be kept on the pay roll. There
is to be change all around. The power
has shifted from New England to the
northwest, and the northwest will there
fore demand the lions share of the pat
fonage. 1t was the northwest which prac-
tlcally settled the speakerships fight SO
early and made certain the election of Cen
eral Henderson. For instance 3. f. Russell
or Missouri, who was the sergeant-at -arms
Tor the past four years, will be defeated in
all likelihood to make room for Henry
Casson of Wisconsin. Missouri is looked
upon by the republicans as being in a hope
less democratic condition, and the poHti-
clans in the house don't see any use in
wasting such fine piece of pie as the sar-
geant-at-arms upon it. Mr.. Casson was
the chief clerk of the agricultural depart
ment under Secretary Rusk He Is now
one of the general agents of the rural free
delivery, with duty in Wisconsin.
Ex-Representative Ellis of Oregon also
wants the place, and the delegations from
the Pacific slope will in all proba bility back
him for the post The Wisconsin delega-
ton Is now at work trying to shift matters
and to get the senate to elect Mr.. Ellis as
sergeant-at-arms of the senate in place of
Colonel Bright, the veteran sergeant-at-
arms of that body. The latter has held
over in spite of politics, for the reason
that the senators think their personal COM
fort more important than providing for a
new man. Colonel Bright knows the whins
of each senator and moreover is a personal
friend of nearly every member of that
body. A tremendous effort Is going to be
made to remove him, but it will be DIFF
ficult thing to do in spite of the big ma
jority the republicans have. 1t Is pretty
well settled that General Clarkson, former
ly of Iowa, but now of New York. will sue
coed General William r. Cox of North
Carolina as secretary of the senate.
The fight over the committee places In
the house is going to be very vigorous The
eastern members will try to hold their
places of Importance and are in no humor
to sacrifice much to the west merely be-
cause the west has succeeded in landing
the speakership.
Minority Candidates. Active
The democrats will not congregate here
until after Thanksgiving Day. then they
will come almost in body. The candidates
for the minority leadership are active,
though each seems to be on a still hunt
for votes, Representatives DeArmond.
Richardson and Bankhead are all good pol
iticlans and don't hunt for what they want
with brass band There is some talk here
that Bailey's name will be sprung on the
caucus at the last moment and his friends
will insist upon his accepting the most if
they see that none fthe other candidates
have a clear majority. 1t is not believed.
however that Mr.. Bailey can be forced to
change his mind, For he can be very firm
when he once decides to. There may be
some surprises when the democrats meet.
for the very reason that the democrats are
not giving out much as to who they favor.
They seem tothink that there should be as
much harmony possible in the next
house in order to insure a good fighting mi
nOrifN, as so mucn VIII Depend upon the
politics in the next session of congress.
The general impression among the repub-
lican members who have come here is that
the next session should be a short one. In
fact it is stated mat the president does not
want any lengthy session and that General
Henderson favors adiourning early in
the spring as 1t is possible even If much
legislation has to be passed over. However
the outlook from a purely business stand
noint is for a long session. though politics
may enter into the game and bring it to a
close sooner, than could otherwise be ex-
pected
Is Gage Next?
There is an underlined rlrmor, hut one
which is being received with a good deal of
credence in official circles here to the eff
feet that Secretary Gage is the next cab
net officer to retire to private life. Sec
RETRY Gage is understood to be very tired
of his duties in official life. preferring to
return to business activity Moreover he is
not making money sufficiently fast to
please an energetic Chicago financier The
report is that he has accepted the presi-
dency of one of the large banking institu-
tions in New York. and that his fidus
Achilles Assistant Secretary Vanderlip, will
go into trust company.
The secretary is not rich man. what
would be rated as rich either in New York
or Chicago. He has had several good Of
ferS from various DdlklHS lHSillullOHS
throughout the country since he has been
in the cabinet, but recently he has had one
which sorely tempts him to desert P-esi-
dent Mckinley. The secretary does not
relish the attacks which have been made
on him, and the war the Chicago Tribune
has made on him for his duplicity regard
ing the merit system has made him thor
ough1y sore with his present place. Then
too. he fears that his financial scheme for
monitary reform Is not going through con-
gress and it is known that he has little
respect for the financial Knowledge of the
average national legislator. He will not
discuss the matter, and so Assistant Sec
rotary vanderlp denies it. In spite of this
officials here would not be surprised to hear
of his resignation at any day.
Dewey's Future
A good deal of interest here hinges about
the future movements of Admiral Dewey.
There is good deal of disappointment over
his marriage This can not be explained
possibly on any other ground than that the
people hate to see their idol wed. They re-
fleet. too upon the fact that he could not