The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-03-09
CONGRESSIONAL
TONGUES WAGGING
Anent the Bailey Wheeler Episode and
Its Results.
CONTEST FOR LEADERSHIP
Is a ThFee-COrnered Fight, With De-
Almond Last Choice.
BELIEVED THAT HE WILL WITHDRAW
And Thus Clear the Field for Richard
son and Bankhead, Who Are in
the Race to the Finish
Reeds Idiosyncracies.
BELIEVED THAT HE WILL WITHDRAW

else now but discuss the Bailey Wheeler
episode. Mr. Bailey does not seem to re-
greet the position he took, but believes that
his act will call attention of the country
to the fact that the congress of the United
spect. He believes thoroughly that a re-
Nuisance period of tho constitution can be
had If a few of the leading men continue
to revert back to the document and con-
tinue to proclaim it the supreme law of the
land.
His friends say that his declaration that
he will not accept the roll of leadership
in the next congress will not prevent his
nomination in caucus. He can decline it
then If he wishes, but they say they are
determined that he shall have the option
Of accepting 1t. The trouble with this pro-
gramme is that many may take him at his
word and transfer their fealty to Richard
son, De Almond or Bankhead, seeing In
one of these the future speaker, and there
fore wishing to show an agility to get on
the band wagon
Bailey May be In the Senate
1t is generally believed that by the time
the Fifty-seventh congress- rolls round Mr..
Bailey will have ceased to be member of
the house. but will have succeeded Mr..
Chiffon in the senate. There seems to be
no doubt that Mr. Bailey intends to make
the race for the senate, the next vacancy
occurring two years off. He is very popu-
lar in his state, as is shown by the fact
that his act in Withdrawing from the next
leadership fight has been endorsed by his
legislature. This, too, when 1t is remem-
hnr fhnf Mr. Dali l.ac AolxA
the opposite stand on the question of ex-
pansion as taken by the convention in his
state.
Chiffon Is a strong, honest man, but not
a snowy one. There Is not enough of the
dash about him to be pleasing to the
Texans. They like Mr.. Baieys contempt
for the east and its customs. They delight
over his refusal to garb himself in a swal-
low tail, as the dress suit is known there,
and what pleases them most is his indiffer-
ence to themselves.
Looking at the matter from this stand
point, possibly Mr.. Bailey has done the
best thing. He could never be speaker if
not elected to the senate, and to be merely
the leader of the minority without the
speakership prize ahead of it, is but an
empty honor
Logrolling Has Begun
Members of the house see all this and,
therefore, begin to count what 1t will
be worth to them in the way of commit
tee places to be among the first for this or
that man. If Bailey stays out of the race
the fight will narrow down to Richardson
and Bankhead the latter being the recipi-
ent of Baileys friendship in the race. De
Almond will have some following, but will
not be nearly as strong as either of the
others. Bailey as a free lance will be even
more picturesque than he is as leader
He has caught the attention of the coun-
try and will never lose it. for the reason
that back of all his vagaries in dress and
manner lies a big brain and a mammoth
amount of knowledge.
Strange it may seem as alphabetical
as are Reed and Bailey they are almost
invariably together on big propositions.
After one whole congress of fighting and
pickering they are closer together than
of the day. OF course they are at variance
when it comes down to the principles of the
two parties, taking it for granted that
Reed believes in the great fundamental
principle of the Republican party, that of
Capitalization of the power. But on the
pending issues and even on the minor ques-
lions, such as to the right Of volunteers
to hold seats In congress Reed and Bailey
stand together. Mr.. Reed thoroughly en-
dorses Mr.. Bailey in the stand he has taken
toward the Democracy.
Reed Would Do Likewise
I believe it is exactly what Reed would
do should the Republicans ever sustain an
appeal from q ruling of his. Had the house
overridden him in the debate on the sundry
civil bill and tackled on the Nicaraguan
canal bill as rider Mr.. Reed would in all
resigned the speakership in
stanter. It is one way a leader has to
bolster himself up when he sees things
going against him. Should Reed resign
the speakership on account of such mat
ter the Republicans would have declined
to accept It and rescnded its decision first
There are those who doubt this and until
the house does override Mr.. Reed and Mr..
Reed does resign there is no way to
prove It,
Mr.. Reed says now there was nothing
personal in his refusal to recognize Gen.
eral Wheeler, but had Mr.. Payne not saved
the situation by asking to be recognized,
which let way out for Mr.. Reed, and had
the general continued to demand the right
to speak the speaker would have undoubt-
eddy have ordered out the mace and caused
the arrest of the hero of Santiago.
One can imagine what the gentlemen in
the pavement in the galleries would have
done. 1t would have been a scene to tell
for generation Some say that the speaker
was just getting ready to call for the SER
geant-at-arms when Mr.. Payne took the
floor and General Wheeler sat down. Mr..
Reed feels very deeply on the subject of
divorcing congress from the appointive
power of the government, as deeply as
does his enemy, Mr.. Bailey.
Reeds Row With Robbins
This is shown by the fact that when Mr..
Robbins, of Pennsylvania, went to the
speaker to demand his salary as congress-
man, Mr.. Reed refused to sign his war;
rants without which he can not draw a
cent from the treasury. General Wheeler
Is spared this trouble as he has been draw
ing the salary of major-general, which is
several thousand more than the salary of
congressman. But Colson, Robbins and
Campbell have been drawing up to last
November when the speaker stopped sign
ing their warrants, the salary Of the con-
gresham, as 1t is more than that Of colonel
But after the action of the house in re-
fusing to unseat them they thought they
would be able to draw their back pay as
congressman. Mr.. Robbins said to tha
spea ker that the house had decidad nv ftn