The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-22
MIR. SPEAKER KERR AND HIS COM
MITTEES,
Whnt IL Good, what II Imperfect, aud what
IL Had about Them.

MT. kerrs predecessors have had so delicate
and difficult a task to perform az he has had in
the arranging OF the standing committees OF
the llrlse. There never was a legislative body
convened in the national capital that had so
much raw material In 1t as the popular branch
Of TIC Forty fourth Congress. There are I'M
questionably many men ameng the new recruits
who are FAR aboye the average. and quite u nam
her VINO will before the close of the present
session Distinguish themselves on the floor az
well rs In committee work but the dihi Guilty
Mr.. Kerr had to contend with in making uD his
committees was wOful lack OF knowled edge OF
these gentlemen. The experience Mr.. Kerr has
had In public life was confined to a few terms In
Congress during a period when the Democrats
were largely In the minority. or the Democrats
with whom he served then there are less than
score and a half now In the House. liz had q
very limited acquaintance with the younger
generation OF politicians from whose ranks
came ~ large a proportion of the Democratic
m ioritv. lie never was an active polite / ora
tor, and had but few opportunities Of coming in
contact with the rising young politicians out
side his own Slate. and, In addition TO all this
forbidden ny his physicians to engage in any
serious mental labor, and has thus practically
been living life Of scclusion entirely outside
the active political arena. IL II not surprising,
therefore. that In the making up of the com.
mittees he should nave MADE few unwise Sc
lections and overlooked entirely many very
bright and capable young legislators. That he
has conscientiousiy lahored to do right mo- one
doubts, but be certainly mas gone wide Of the
mark In moro than one instance.
In the choice Of n Chairman OF the Committee
Of Ways and Means he maze "a most serious mis-
take' ana one, too, that Is peculiarly untortu-
nate. In that his motives Will always be q res
toned. Mr. Morrison. whom he elevated to this
high position over the heads OF older and more
capable men. was the member who conducted
h.s ctmpaiCn for the Speakership and made the
combinations which secured his election. He
has served but Two terms in Congress, IN the
Thir,y -eighth aud Forty-third, and distinguished
himself IN neither. As shrewd pOli ican md
an aIrOit wirepuler he has few EQUALS but he
has yet to develop the qualities requisite for
high statcsmanship. Inc other mem 5ers Of tho
Ways ana Means are men Of experience I'm
puhic affairs, and undoubtedly average very
well intellectually.
the selection Of Mr.. Randall for Chairman Of
the Co imittee on Appropri tons was doubt
less dictated by MIR. Kerr = sound Judgment. Tor
Of all the men on the Democratic side Randall
was best qualified Tor that position. The Com
mitee "a Appropriations Will tie the important
one during TINS Congress az least, and the Chair
man OF II must be the leader OF the House.
Mhntever OF capt. there Is to be made for the
Democratic party thus winter must be llrgely
que To the man who holds u & most responsible
position. NJ. Holman Of Indiana is second TO
Randall on this committee, and he + most adj
mir bl, fitted for the place. hut with tho ex-
ceutiDu of these two men. the Demucrnts an
tuis committee are not above the average. while
are on ".
The Committee on Banking and Currency IL
strongly m. de w. and tnero h not man on 1t
VINO e not for me hardest Of hard money.
ciuc Ruifoads, Mr.. herr has laid himself open
to tie most serious criticism. The advocates
ct all the subsidy jobs nave all alon. claim q
mat thcN were eur. OF committee favorable TO
their interests. and some If the more indiscfeet
10 hers openly declared that Mr.. Kerr wa
pledged To put on the men they named. This |
can scarcely utheNc, but certainly II rom Scott
hiuseif had had he priyiie-e II making TINS
commit zee, he Could not have mace II more in
his iutefesi than Mr.. Kerr has The Charm. an
(Alr Lamar ia % man Of high honor und tran
scenIent auilty AS an advocate. aud he /, he IT
Al he rFtalL La
heve- l. nearest 10 the heart OF his people, and
tue one in winch they have tho deepest Interest
inc pnllcN 81 building M the PROSTATE indus
tries of TIE South 10y huei ] Government aid.
He Is tue man 81 all others the most cipaule Of
presenting TINS policy IN the most 10 cine and
a trdCtiye form, anu II he fails to carry Tom
Scntl'r subsidy scheme tnrough TINS win or. IL
wiz toe because genius and clio Iueuce are s.
potent litp ley h|Ne u-ualN ucen ~ legislative
bodies. o. the thirteen men on this committee.
nine of the % arc known t. To- aVOWed advocates
OF tue Texas Pacific subsidy.
In the choice ot Proctor Knott of Kentucky Tor
ChAittuau ut TIE iuliriiIy Committee Mr.. Kerr
certainly consulted nis own ppf-oual irelin,,,
"a. her ~ iu nus Judgment ~ lawyer. Mr. N mott
j. a. question: ~ MAN OF abtiiN. tut as a LAWYER
r. re hidi dozen other Democratic meunu IL.
Mir. 81, Ter of ONO would have made the most
excellent Chairman Of the Judiciary. Out he was
poitant position undoubtedly, but not what he
was entitled to.
side over the deliberations of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs Nj. Kerr could have thought OF
blf TWO QINtlnr#tiOuS -tOduyi-n to Secretary
ish and Tue az. OF giving good dinners Ii Mr.
flsu himself had mad tue sci CuOn of his m n
Tor tuls place ne certainly would have picked
out swami. IN point Of nbthty Mr.. SNdun ranks
among the iOulth-rItes, and he has probably
less AuowicGec of foreign Affairs than the VCunC-
CSt and most INEXPERIENCED man ON the Demo-
Crdtic side. The only Justification nave heard
OF TINS choice Is one that might nave Deen adj -
V,nccd 10y a Republican Speakrr. b,lt ccrtaI nv
MOI bN a DCmuCttt -tAht Is that custom REQUIRES
man To Ue placed at the mead of this committee
| VINO l. y rsuhdlb acceptable to the President
ana The secretary of STATE. IL woAld Ice hard
! 10 CONCEIVE Of an Argument in favor al selecting
a mend OF TIC Administration for Chairman OF
! the COMMITTEE II Foreign Affairs that would
n'' AMY 70 ihc Nvihlhll cts "h Ailiuuil tton-,
/ W ays and Means, Post Offices ana Post X ads,
or am other c"u'uittce the member- OF winch
are "luuEh' more or less frequently INTO close
c.nnrctl1n wan tho reads Of dep .rtmeuts
Inc tnairn anships of Military and Naval AZ
/ lrs were ludtclOuSlF bestowed. tanning Of
bulu. WI g.t- the former. Is peculiarly uuall-
hru ioi tue pace. MhittnOrue OF tennessee.
VINO h. placed a the h al of the latter ..sr, ed
th1 honor. ana wIl jLstuy 10y hi- conduct tue wis
dom ul the sclectlun. BON these gentlemen
/ VIII work in entire la niury win the Commit
/ tee GA Aprru. rlati Ius, ana goo VIII Holman of
lndidna, MuO gels tnc very important Commit
/ / t. on Pdnuc Buildings ana Grounds.
he tOmnitttr ON the District Of Columbia.
Nttl prouaby turh out "A fairly honest one. ana
So Il Is pe4,,yd, viii tne committee on Post
'At' sdnd Post Noads. The Committees ON "a
4 pcnduute~ M tue treasury, " ar Nayv, Iutr,iui
! ala. tnet departments are not as strong rs they
/ sunu'u ot. For many Years under truunlc u
! RUE these cuuuitttcs nave cen urtnlcl OF d.
/ importance. nn. ln Huppu~i ion iuusc tucy uic
a. tuc utfno-t 90 rtaucc. 10 aulIr u.-~r .'-
tons lHr these uia' r, Mr ho.rha- Iuu.cd 81 istiv
ia 900 tlc WalNillN OF inst .urt- ic SHOWS -rra,
7 we kNt~n INI CIreiersiIrer. Ia h- lttatfIcu, al
IN I,uu- Manila dele sallun Nr. Kerr uc ca NrN
4 w. ur.u.lH. nus /, the most lNliont iIug
h.rnt tuat can hc passed upon his ar
ton in this respect. The pcmohrait,
HtuIc t.um tD.t state are ut.idVdt,
aNuNc tuc average culprJ of tieu side ut tut
! 81 Nure. ito'.i tue u,s, LAWYERS M tine Hons,
! hctun4 e. ItIhtN tAuid ~.tuser, VINO fuprr-tuf,
/ the Ei-utr. M. district. and Jtt cks, from he
IWtuy-utth pl-.rot. TIE Io4ulcr vas uI-tlu
guisutu ulu-tIi 40 tuf hai along witn aIVurdtr
tuD lttiriS liN~ Is ack auu Hulett, aIld ia tht
tHi~.ttu. local uVcuti ne tut % n ~ cuu,
slurNblr u-ure. lie Is pr r.ic l3 ignored bl
htrr, onlN .utug attn Uu FdNCutllu aIu Labor
Jett As irlrs llt le uett r. thtn Stclg T. Gettlu.
luN Id t~tun~; % POSITION most NyXdiloDs, an
tunl'pl WIN NJ uut niue honor.
N iiurh ~ fl n-tu. ana lluuuIs Dear III The
y im ~ places % honor Iuc INST gets ih'
Juulr.lN,t e. nrNlsl.u ui Laws. l'u ,lif l.Xucuul
tuf'r, ana lNaNr and Ctnult, ali iu ont o.
cWuult F0. fhc second has Post nNr. s. AL,
lurt Ao Us, Di-t1ct of t1iumula. AiIuc- AN,
Nlninf, Moutlart res. md lApcuulturrt. ia me
i'~ bNicr Department. The last nat NaNf an,
Nic.u,, NJ ~ ClaitDr. tNIeuui, urvs IN tue sat
/ Department, and EXPENDITURES IN the Depart
mtut Of Justl.r. Nov luih Is RtukIul ait
/ Currency ana hVe uumpur,ant coslmitter-
I MtAr Icun~NN.nla gels Appropriations "u|
Invalid Tensions ud three show places. Oui,
has OBJ iutHrY Affair, fuuhc Lands, ie iitou
Militia aud I'lnuug, ana lurrs somewhat lrtt e.
y Il. 30 10 4 O..