The New York herald., 1875-12-21
Speaker Kerr's Committees.

the democratic party from a powerless
minority in Congress to an overwhelming
majority, has brought into that body large
proportion of unknown and inexperienced
men. One of the most serious drawbacks to
the efficiency of the democratic party results
from its exclusion from power during the
last fifteen years, which has deprived
its capable men of opportunities for
political training. The new House is
composed, for the most part, of untried men,
and Speaker Kerr is not to be blamed if he
has made mistakes in asserting such o mass
of unknown materials. 1t is only the chief
positions on the most important committees
that can come within the purview of criti-
cism when the great body of the members
from among whom the selections had to be
made are alike unknown to the Speaker and
the public. But if he has made mistakes in
assigning the conspicuous positions no great
confidence can be placed in his minor selec-
tions.
The appointment of Mr.. Morrison as Chair
man of Ways and Means is, at least sur
prise. 1t may be a brilliant feat of wisdom,
scrutable to common eyes. If Mr.. Morrison
were one of the new members who have
never served in Congress before the
public could more easily honor the
check which Speaker Kerr has drawn ON its
confidence. 1t might then be assumed that
Mr. Morrison is an able man who has failed
to make mark for lack of opportunities
But it so happens that the new Chairman Of
Ways and Means has already served four
years in Congress and has been ranked with
the commonplace members. He first came
into the House in 1868 as member of the
Thirty eighth Congress at the same time with
Mr. Blaine. AS both Of these gentlemen
were new members it is not discreditable to
either that they were assigned to low places
on an unimportant committee. Itso happened
that they were put on the same committee
and near the tail end of it. Mr. Morrison,
probably known to Speaker Colfax, while
Mr. Blaine was not, for Morrison stood
as the sixth and Blaine as the sew
enth upon the Committee on Militia Mr.
Blaine rose rapidly into high consideration
in that Congress, participating largely in
the debates and exercising a decided infu-
ence But Mr. Morrison was a cipher
During the first session he offered one or
two unimportant resolutions, but took part
in no debate. In the next session, while
Mr. Blaine continued to rise in the estima-
ton of the House by frequent displays of
ability, Mr.. Morrison never rose from his
seat to address the Chair but once and then
on q point which was frivolous and ridicu-
lous On an occasion when many members
were called to account and fined for absence
Mr. Morrison rose to question of privilege,
saying that he had offered the amount
of his fine to the Sergeant-at-Arms in bank
notes, and that he had refused to accept it
because bank notes were not legal tender
This piece Of small bufoonery is Mr.. Nor
risons only record during the whole session
Of 1864-5 He was then left out Of Congress
by his constituents until the session Of
1874, when Speaker Blaine showed his APP
probation Of Mr.. Morrison's talents by as
signing him the tenth place upon the Com
mittee on War Claims Mr.. Blaine is re-
puted to be good judge of character and
capacity, and as he had served on the same
committee with Mr. Morrison in the Thirty
eighth Congress he had excellent opportuni-
ties to gauge his abilities. Mr.. Morrisons
Congress was on par with his
insignificant place on one Of the minor COM
mittees 1t is, therefore, matter of wonder
that he has SO unexpectedly risen to the
leadership of the House, or rather to a po-
sition to which that honor has been hereto
leader man who has never yet been able to
command it's attentions If he has any quail
fications for the Craftsmanship Of Ways and
Means the public does not know how he has
acquired them. He has never served on that
committee nor any committee charged with
the examination of similar subjects. This
appointment is as yet, an unsolved riddle,
the public having no other evidence of his
abilities than the encomiums Of people who
have discovered that he is profound fnan-
cier within the last three days.
We can appreciate the reasons why the
Speaker thought it inexpedient to appoint
either Mr. Wood or Mr.. Cox to this distin-
guished position; but there are dozen
democratic members who would have salts
fed public expectation better than Mr.. Nor
rison. If, for example, this conspicuous
place hed been given to Mr. Lamar it would
have been a fttihg recognition Of the force
Of his talents and the dignity OF his charac-
ter. He would have been leader whom
the most experienced members Of the House
would have felt il no degradation to follow.
The other prominent chairmanships seem
judiciously bestowed, which increases the
mystery Of Mr.. Morrison's appointment.
Unless Mr. Morrison should make an unex-
r,nctnd dirrlnu 10 lnlenfe IN The tnrnnros.a &c