Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21
Circulation Every 100A1
Evening Yesterday / OL4A
sATURDAY. DECEMBER p. 1918.
The House Speakership.

The House Speakership.
Closely following the announcement
of Representative James r. Mann of
Illinois that he will be a candidate for the
Republican nomination for Speaker OF
the next House of Representatives., comes
the news that Representative Frederick
IL Gillctt Of Massachusetts also will he
candidate Had Mr. Mann decided to
rclinqui>h his claims for the honor -
and for awhile il was believed be would
he compelled TO. by reason Of illness-Mr.
Gillctt would have succeeded TO his place
rs what is called the logical candidate. :"
Mr.. Mann was accepted as such because
hc was the floor leader Of the House
Republicans. and during his enforced
absence. by reason Of illness. Mr. Glllett
took his place as director OF tie Republ-
can minority.
But significance attaches TO Mr.. Gil
let's candidacy, by reason Of the Re
publican opposition that is beng mani
tested to the candidacy OF Representative
.I1nIl- :. YIN Nphd AaNt
had plain sailing. but political conditions
today are somewhat different from what
thev were before the November election.
No longer is there cordial desire among
Republicans 70 return TO the old reaction
ary. do-nothing policy Of the Republican
party before il vas driven from power by
The, election OF 1912. Some Republican
leaders. looking TO the future, fear that a
return 10 former ooeditHns. with Pen
rose ruling the Senate and Mann as
Speaker OF the House, would so arouse
public Indignation and lpcite public dis
gust, that the Republican party would
be Overwhelmingly defeated at the Presi-
dential election OF 1920. To this feeling,
which seems TO be growing, may be at
tIibuted the candidacy Of Representa-
tive Gillett OF Massachusetts, for the
nomination for Speaker.
But. no matter what may be the out
come OF this Republican contest, it is
hardly probable that Representative
Gillett could secure the nomina tion, even
If Representative Mann should be de-
feated The position OF Speaker of the
Heuse is looked upon as one of great
political influence and importance. For
ms reason, there has, for years, been an
undercurrent OF opposition in other sec
tions of the country against allowing 1t TO
go 10 the eastern section. Geographical
considerations have been largely infiuen-
tial III both parties. in determining the
choice FOR Speaker of the House.
In the early days of the country's
hissor,. the Speaker, perforce had 70
come from the eastern section. because
here was no western section such as We
have today But even IN those days there
was jealousy between the southern sec
tion and the New England section that
was manifest IN the elections for this
high office After the Civil War came the
antagonism between the West and the
East, and TO the former section OF the
suard Of the honor of being presiding
officer ot the House Prom 1865 10 date,
the only Eastern states Representatives
10 preside over the House of Representa-
tivcs under Republican administration
were James G. Blaine and Thomas B.
Reed, both of Mainc
On the Democratic side, it was the
same. The first Democratic House Of
Representatives chosen after the Civil
War was at the election Of 1874, and until
the Democratic caucus vas held on the
eve OF the assembling Of Congress, the
following March, II was generally be
Leved that Samuel J. Randall of Penn
sylvania, who had been a leading member
OF the body, would be selected for Speaker
But the caucus voted for Michael G.
Kerr Of Indiana, who was elected Kerr
died before the close Of that Congress,
and Randall was elected 10 succeed him,
and also was reelected. But then came
John c. Carlisle of Kentucky and Charles
Crisp Of Georgia. No Eastern States
Democrat since Randall has been elected
Speaker of the House by a Democratic
body, and the present Speaker il Champ
Clark OF Missouri in the interim, Re
publican maiorities OF the House made
but one choice Of an Eastern Democrat,
Reed OF Maine, other selections BY Re
pubiicans being j. Warren kciffer of
Ohio and David b. Henderson of Iowa
II will thus be seen that Representa-
tive GilIett viii 60 into the contest against
Representative Mann handicapped by
territorial prejudices. 1t is fact, at
tested by the happenings Of the past half
century at least, that the section Of the
country lying west of the Alleghanies has
. political prejudice against that section
Iyine along the Atlantic seaboard There
= no real reason for this feeling but it