Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-18
MINORITY LEADERSHIP
Mr.. De Almond Announces Him.
self as a Candidate.
IN THE RACE TO STAY
Anti-Williams Men Have Enough
Pledges to Elect Him.
PRESENT LEADER HAS FAILED
To Make Good and Take Advantage Of
Opportunities offered by
His Position.

Representative De Almond of Missouri
| today announced that he was a candidate
for the minority leadership in the Sixtieth
Congress, and that he was in the race to
stay.
II am not the candidate Of any faction,
disgruntled or otherwise said Mr.. De
Almond. II am merely a candidate for the
place, and anybody who wants to vote for
me can do so, but 1 am going to remain a
candidate until the election is made next
December"
This announcement by Mr.. De Almond
is made coincidental with the statement
from the leaders of the anti Williams move
ment in the House that a sufficient number
of pledges already have been secured from
democrats to make certain the defeat Of the
present leader and the election of Mr.. De
Almond in his place
1t will be recalled that some time ago
during the present session the leaders of
the anti-Williams movement came out with
pledges had been secured to make certain
the election to the minority leadership in
the sixtieth Congress of Representative
Champ Clark of Missouri. The statement
was made in good faith.
There seems to have been no doubt at
that time on the part of those in charge
Of the movement that they had enough
votes to elect Mr.. Clark. Their plans were
knocked into a cooked hat by their prospec-
| tive candidate, who being an old personal
| friend of John Sharp Williams, had long
| ject of the proposed change in leadership
| on the part of the House democrats, and
came out with a statement that under no
| circumstances would he be a candidate
against Mr. Williams.
Taken by Surprise.
| The leaders Of the anti-Wiliams move
| ment were taken very much by surprise
| Mr.. Clark had been sounded on the subject
| by number of his colleagues, and it was
| understood that he had consented to be a
| candidate against the present leaders. The
pledges of the House democrats had been
| secured on the assumption that Mr.. Clark
| would be the man, and except in one or
| two instances-where personal enemies Of
| the present leaders were concerned-they
| were not blanket pledges.
The leaders of the opposition to the Mis-
| sippian were discouraged, but they did not
| admit defeat, and they Immediately began
| looking around for somebody with whom to
| replace Mr.. Clark and who would be good
( drawing card. Mr.. DeArmond was finally
| selected, his willingness to run was made
sure of in advance this time and the work
| was begun.
| The statement was made today by a
prominent democrat that sufficient pledges
| had been secured to make certain Mr.
| Almonds selection.
1.-THE statement made in the morning
papers," said this democrat, ito the effect
| that this opposition to Mr.. Williams is
being managed by Representative Lamar Of
! Florida and Representative Shackleford Of
| Missouri, both of whom are opposed to
! Mr.. Williams continuing in the leadership
on grounds that are partly personal, is
| absolutely untrue. The fact is so, far as
| know, that neither one of these gentlemen
| has been so much as consulted by those
| of US who are backing Mr.. DeArmond.
| This was not out Of any discorrtesy to
J Messrs Lamar and Shackleford or by reason
nf I'd of fhnif yiarrp hut z 10
well known that those two gentlemen will
| not vote for Mr.. Williams as minority lead
| err in the Sixtieth Congress, and that they
] will vote for almost any other good demo-