The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-11-12
7 CANNON IN THE LEAD.

eTn politicians who have been in Wash
ington lately, 1t would seem that Repre-
sensitive Joseph Cannon. OF Illinois, is far
in the lead OF the other candidates In the.
race for Speakership of the Fifty-eighth
Congress. The opinion seems to prevail
that q Western man will get the place.
and so far the only formidable opponent
to Cannon from that section of the coun
try is Representative Babcock. of Wiscon-
SIM Babcock has not announced his cam
didacy yet, but he has been looking over
the field with view to entering the race
if he thinks he can win. and will an
nounce his candidacy on Saturday.
Already a Cannon committee has been
formed, being composed OF members OF
the Illinois delegation. and headquarters
are TO be established In Chicago. a
systematic campaign for Cannon will be
inauguratec. and tho proba bIities are
that it will meet with pronounced sue
cess. Cannon's supporters claim that he
has pledges from the majority OF the Re-
publican Representatives from Michigan,
Minnesota. Kansas, Nebraska. Indiana
and Iowa. in addition to the solid sup
port of the Illinois delegation, carrying
twenty-five votes.
If these claims of the Canonites are
correct, there can be very little chance
for any other man to defeat Cannon for
the Speakership. He has had long SER
vice in the House, and is very good
man on the floor As chairman OF the
Committee on Appropriations he has had
abundant opportunity to display his ablI-
ity before the other members of the
House. In this he has an advantage over
8Babcock. as more men have actual
knowledge of his capabilities.
BABCOCK'S CHANCES
On the other hand Babcock. as chair
man Of the Congressional Committee for
several years, has come into personal
contact with more men of his party and
probably has more personal friends than
Cannon. He has been able to help some
of the present Congressman to be elected.
and therefore holds strong claims on the
gratitude OF a number OF them. His ten
dency toward tariff revision causes him
to be looked upon with suspicion by
many Republicans. although this might
be Offset by the fact that his views on
lose OF me siu-
ninistrat;on.
There will be a meeting Of the Wiscon-
sin delegation on Saturday. when they
will give Babcock their solid endorse
ment- IT had been thought that there
would be a split in Wisconsin over BAD
cocks candidacy, as Babcock stands for
tariff revision. and is looked upon with
suspicion by the stalwarts on account OF
this Senator Spooner is at the head OF
the stalwarts. and it was thought that
he would probably fight Babcoci. but
he announced in Washington to-day that
this was not true. and that he IS en-
dorsing Bahcock heartily The four
Maryland Republicans in the House are
also for the Wisconsin candidate He
helped them against Senator German In
the recent campaign.
Babcock is one of those who thinks the
West should have the SpeaEership and
in substantiation of that view he points
to the fact the East has the President.
the Secretary of the Navy. the Secretary
Of War, the Acknowledgement and the
President Of the Senate. This attitude
on Bahcock's part Kills the rumor to the
effect that his support would go to DAT
zell. CT Pennsylvania. in the Speakership
contest. Babcock hopes as a matter OF
fact, to draw largely from Dalzelrs sup
port In Pennsylvania and New York
when. that gentleman finds he has no
show. which Bab cock thinks will be the
case.
AS Cannon claims to have already
pledged nearly seventy per cent of the