The evening times., 1899-11-27
RICHARDSON IN THE LEAD
He May Scare the Democratic
Nomiua..yh for Speaker.
The Tennessee Representative Said
TO Have SiNty-scven Votes Already
PiedSed-0ther Candidates Fight
in,; Rnrd for the 5iinorit! Leader
ship-CInims siadc by Aspirnnts.

Representative Grosvsncr, Chairman OF
the House Republican Caucus Committee,
will today, it is expected, reach this city
to remain until after Congress adjourns.
Immediately after the arrival of Repre-
sentative Grosvenor, Representative Rich
ardson. Chairman OF the House Democratic
Caucus Committee, will call on him and
together they VIII arrange the time for
holding the caucuses of their respective
parties. The matter of detail would have
been attended tc before this. had not Gen.
eral Grosvenor been absent from the city
during the past week.
1t was said today by prominent mem
Der OF the House that there is no doubt
that both the Republican and the Demo-
cratic House caucuse5 will take place next
Saturday but the hour is yet to be deter
mined. Inasmuch as the Republican party
is in control of the House, it is the desire
of the Democrats to let General Grosvencr
select first the hour for the convening OF
the Republican caucus, and then the DEM
ocrats will arrange for theirs.
II the Republicans prefer to meet during
the day. the Democrats will assemble at
night.
The contest for the minority leadership is
now on in earnest, and each of the
Richardson. De Armond, Sulzer, and Bank
head-is working hard, to secure the place.
Each claims that his chances are the best
and each has special reasons TO offer why
he should be selected to receive the Demo-
cratic nomination fer Speaker, and the
honor conferred thereby by being the mi
nority leader on the floor. Each of the
four candidates has expressed himself as
being very confident OF success in the con-
test Saturday.
A Democratic member of the House said
today that in his opinion Mr.. Richardson
had the best chance Of election. He SAID
that the latter had been assured that he
would have from siXty-saven to seventy
votes. and that Mr.. Richardson's friends be-
lieved thai this number would be increased
curing the week.
i would not be surprised sd,'' said tbs
Representative ii MIR. Richardson went
into the caucus with majority of the
votes. He would only require eighty-tnres
ballots 10 obtain that, and ii, as is claimsd,
he has already siXty-seveI, l do not see
great difficulty in the way for obtaining six
teen more votes.
The friends of Mr. Sulzer have put up
a claim that he has had promised TO him
frcm forty to fcrty-fcur votes. but
| an inclined to doubt this Outside of
Ire New York ard New Jersey Democrats
who desirs to please Richard Croker. | do
rot understand whsre Mr. Sulzer can hope
fer votes although his friends assert that
he will gst hem rom Pennsylvania, Illi-
uois. Indiana, Maryland, and one frcm Mas
sachusetts.
MIR. DeAImond will have the solid dele
cation of twelve from Missouri. and il Il
claimed en- apparent good authority that
he has pledged TO him thirty nine or forty
votes MIR. Bankhead's friends feel GER
tain tfat they have at least forty votes, at
present and they hope to increase this
number between ECw and Saturday when
lie caucus will probably be held. l DO not
-. b7laye that Mr.. Barkhead can hold to-
gettcr that numbsr of votes, and | think
that when the split in his ranks takes place
he vote of his followers will be divided be-
tween Richardson and DeArmond. and that
the former Will capture enough TO ensure
his election