Year: 1875

Ihe Spenkershtp OF the Next House.
An industrious but quiet personal canvass
is going on beneath the surface of politics in
the interest Of the several democratic candi-
dates for the Speakership. OF these candi-
dates four are prominent and active, and one
has been talked of as a compromise candidate
in the contingency of none of the leading
four being able 10 secure q majority of the
democratic caucus. The active four are
Messrs. Wood and Cox, of New York; Ran
dali, of Pennsylvania, and Kerr, of Indiana;
was) Mr.. Sayler, of Ohio. The result OF the
Ohio election puts Mr.. Sayler beyond the
pale of choice, for the democratic party can
not afford to give this honor to Ohio, which
would be an er post fdcto Endorsement OF infia-
ton in present circumstances. OF the other
candidates all are qualified by their abilities
and their long experience in the House to
preside over its deliberations with credit.
Mr.. Wood would fill the station with
more dignity of manner than any OF his
rivals and would discharge with more
<clat the social hospitalities which are of late
years expected of the Speaker. 1t is an
other point in his favor that he received the
complimentary votes of the democrats at the
organization of the last House. The un-
failing readiness and dexterity of Mr.. Cox
would appear to great advantage in the
Speakers chair, and his jocose good humor
would have happy influence in softening
the asperities of public business on exciting
occasions. The proceedings would run
smoothly under his guidance, and he
would be equally popular with his own
party and the republican members Mr.
Randall who is a dexterous parliamenta-
rian and strong partisan, would apply the
rules with skill in the interest of his own
side, but the democratic majority is too
large to need this kind of support from the
Chair. Mr.. Kerr is not only equal to the
duties of the position, but he has char
acter for stainless and unassailable integrity
which would be of more value to his party
than the most consummate skill in the rou-
tine duties of the Speakership.


Judging from present indications the real
choice will lie between Mr.. Kerr and Mr.
Randall with preponderance of chances in
favor of Mr.. Kerr. Mr.. Wood and MIR. Cox
weaken each other by being from the same
State. Neither will be supported by the
unanimous democratic delegation from his
own State--an advantage possessed both by
Mr.. Kerr and Mr.. Randall 1t is for the in
terest Of Governor Tilden that the honor be
not conferred on New York, since it would
be an impediment to taking the Presidential
candidate from this State. Governor Til
den's friends desire that the Speakership be
given to the West, and now that Mr.. Sayler
is out Of the question their influence will be
given to MIR. Kerr But, quite apart from
Governor Tilden's wishes and aspirations,
Mr.. Kerr's election to the Speakership would
be for the advantage of the party Whether
Governor Tilden shall be nominated for the
Presidency or not, the reform issue is the
only one on which the democratic party can
win, and the sincerity of its devotion to
reform would be attested by electing as
Speaker q man whose honesty is as little
open to question as that of Governor Tilden
himself There is no better practical method
Of committing the party to reform than by
comforting the first national honor securely
in its gift on Michael G. Kerr.