The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-02
FOUR Contests
FOR SPEAKERSHIP
FIRST STRUGGLE FOR HEAD OF
HOUSE HONOR WAS
IN 1909.
PISTOLS IN 1859
Members Not in the Habit Of Carrying
Firearms, Thought 1t Wise to Go to
Session With Guns on their Hips,
Prepared for Emergencies.

Washington, April 2.-The new con-
gress, which convened in extra ses-
sion today, is not the first at which
there has been a struggle for the
speakership. The contests of 1893,
1S49, 1855 and 1859 were the most
bitterly fought.
The first contested election in the
house was in 1909, when the election
of speaker was complicated by the
question whether two blank ballots
should be counted as votes or not. But
this was mild in comparison with four
later cases.
When the twenty.siXth congress met
on December 2, 1899, Garland, the clerk
in accordance with custom, then and
now, called it to order and began the
roll call. When he came to New Jer-
sey he called the name of one mem.
Der and then remarked that, as five
seats belonging to that state were
contested, he would pass over the
names of the members from New Jer-
sey. Garland's apparent unwillingness
to assume authority was in reality a
gross assumption of it, for he was TAX
ing upon himself to decide temporar-
lily the status of claimants. By keep
ing the five New Jersey members out
until a speaker had been elected the
democrats would choose that official
Moreover, his own position as clerk
was at stake in the same way.
The clerks notice let loose storm
OF debate. A motion was made to ad
journ. The clerk observed that he
could put no question, even Of ad
journment, until the house was form
ed. But the knot was quickly cut by
a general cry to adjourn, followed by
the clerks declaration that the hous'
was adjourned.
Two more days of this farce wen
by, when common sense asserted II
self. Leaders of both Wings and Dem
ocrats went to the venerable ex-presi
dent, John Quincy Adams, and begge'
him to interfere. On December
he rose to address the house, but no
the clerk. Turning to the members
he said: "Fellow citizens! Members
elect of the Twenty-sixth congress!
And he urged them to organize then
selves, offering as means towar
that end resolution ordering tn
clerk to call the members from Ne
Jersey possessing the credentials froI
the governor of that state"
Resolutions there had been befor,
but the clerk had refused to put then
Representatives cried out:
"How shall tho nuastinn no MT ."
They received the quiet answer:
81 intend to put the question m
self"
But this was not necessary. tt
key had been found. and anybody couI
use it. A South Carolina memb,
sprang to his feet and offered res
luton that Williams of North Car
lima, the Oldest member of the hous
be appointed chairman of the meetin
Williams objecting, he substituted u
named OF Adams. and put the que
ton. In reply came IAN almost uI
versal shout In the affirmative"
The difficulty in 1S49, 1855 and Isl
was the fluid state of parties. NJ,
called themselves Democrats al
Wings, and in the later congress
Americans or Know Nothings and II
publicans, but with the exception
the last the name meant nothing.
In the first of these contests II W
proposed to facilitate the election
a speaker by transferring his power
appointing committees to the hous
and again by electing tempora