Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-23
TIE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

TIE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
The division Of the Ways and Means
Committee over the tariff and tax bills
has afforded Washington correspondents
topic upon which to exercise their mag
nations. The ingenuity which some OF
them have displayed in accounting for the
difficulty in the committee is wonderful
They say it is due to Speaker Blaine
They aver that he made up the commit
tee to ruin Dawes, to advance his own in.
terests as candidate for the Vice Presi
dency, had no regard to the wants or wei
fare OF the country, and that the recent
contretemps is what he desired and the le.
Ultimate result of the mode in which he
fashioned the committee
This is all pure and cheap fiction. Mr.
Blaine cannot wink but some gentlemen
with large imaginations see plots, won
ders and riddles developing. We happen
to know that in the making up of the
Ways and Means Committee, Mr.. Blaine
did his whole duty conscientiously, I'M
selfishly, and with an amount of thought,
attention and labor which but few men
would have given the subject. In the APP
pointment of chairman he took the names
of Dawes, Garfield and Kelley. the rep
resentative and leading names Of the three
shades of opinion in Congress and the
country upon the tariff, and asked the
opinion, by letter, of the republican men,
bers of Congress outside the States OF
Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania and Ohio, as
to which of these men should be appoint
ed. The delegations from the States
mentioned We're not consulted. because
each having a candidate among the names
presented it was very proper thing to
omit them.
These letters were sent during the last
summer and responses were received in
the early part of the fall The result of
the inquiry was that two-thirds of the
republican members of the House declared
in favor OF the appointment OF Mr.. Dawes,
while the other third was divided between
Garfield and Kelley with Garfield leading.
This settled the matter of Chairman with
MIR. Blaine. The appointment is that of the
republican members of the House itself.
They advised it. Mr. Blaine made the
appointment which they designated. And
SO those who have found fault with it have
nnconsciously been butting against the
House. while their magnificent fctions
about the Speaker having made the an.
polntment for selfish and ambitious pur.
poses bring them no credit.
La the filling up Of the committee the
Speaker endeayored 10 make il correspond
TO the prevailing sentiment in Congress
and the country upon the tariff. 1t was
evident that some notifications and
changes were demanded and the Com
mittee was formed with view to that
fact. Mr.. Dawes is moderate Protec-
zionist. The opinion OF the House in favor
Of his appointment indicated the feeling
Of the House to be in that direction. Mr.
Blaine lost favor in Pennsylvania, his
native State, and led the way for free coal
although the OWNER Of coal mines, by
forming the Committee as he did, but
what the best average public sentiment
asked nc gave regardless Of his private
interests and the promotion Of his public
ambition.
This is different tale from some which
have been circulated through the news
papers. IT has the merit o. being true
however. Doubtless the Committee is not