National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-12-21
auhoRs OF coMMIrrEE-MAK1Ns

the committee line. 1t should be remem-
bered that he had no voice in the selection
of the material of which the committees
are formed. He found big pile of stuff,
and had to make the best he could out of it,
however Indifferent. Much of it was green,
and the committees made from it can hardly
be fairly expected to prove so close jointed
as though it had been well seasoned. A
good committee carpenter should be per-
feet Judge of material. He should be able
to recognize at sight the green stuff that
will season well. He should be able to
select those pieces which are liable to dry
rot if left to the action of the n itur i stmos.
phere, and, taking them from the exposure
to evil influences, place them in the drying
kilns, under the tendance of some old Dem
ocratic nurses. After q short course of
seasoning there they may come out well
cured. How well Mr.. Kerr has succeeded
in establishing his reputation as judge of
stock on sight. time will show. The criti-
cisms upon his labOrs in this line when the
committees were announced yesterday in
the House were various, and upon the ave
rage not entirely complimentary.
Elsewhere we print a list of the old,
seasoned material which he had on hand,
left over from the committees of the last
House, and out of charity to the Speaker,
and that spirit of fairness which we like to
see obtain among politicians, we wish to
remind critical public that it presents
most pitiful bit of leaven for such an i'm
mense heap of fresh dough. 1t shows that
the people in the Congressional elections of
1874 slaughtered the old, experienced
statesmen of the last House, upon both
sides, without mercy. Many of the old
committees have only one, two. or three
members returned to this House, and those
mostly either old Republican stagers from
near the head, or Democrats who have
served so long at the tails of committees
that to walk up 10 the head now and accept
the responsibilities of shaping legislation,
instead of finding fault with others for
doing so and picking flaws in their work on
the floor of the House, is an awkward
business. In fact, the old Democrats have
been so long upon the guerrilla war-path in
the House that it will take them some time
to become used to shaping and defending a
policy OF their own, instead of attacking
that of the Republicans.
In this view we are not sure but that
Mr.. Kerr has acted wisely in placing raw
recruits, ready and eager for the fray, in
the front rank of battle instead of throwing
forward those Conservative and cautious
old foxes who have been in public life so
long that their past record is always rising
like lion in their paths, and frightening
them into state of passive inactivity. We
take it that Mr.. Kerr's selections mean an
active, progressive combination of the South
and West for internal improvements and
cheap transportation at the expense of the
national credit. The Texas Pacific Rail-
way, the Mississippi Levees, the Kanawha
River improvement have all friendly chair
men and committees for the consideration
OF these projects, while the finances and
currency are chiefly placed in care of men
who arc believed to be of Conservative ten
denotes, although, as between protection
and free-trade, and initiation and hard
money, they may be considered pretty
evenly balanced. The Republicans upon
these committees have been very fairly
treated so far as we have yet observed.
What the Judiciaryihas done to Mr.. Kerr,
that he should have placed the ARENAS
Ward of the House at its head, we cannot
imagine. Probably Proctor Knots inge-
nious defense of his conduct in going back
on Duluth, when in Congress some years
ago, impressed the mind of the Speaker
that those talents might prove of the great
est utility in devising ways and means for
the Democracy out of the slough of recon
struction in which it finds itself bemired.
A Democratic policy of reconstruction must
be invented, and if Knott's genius is not
equal to the task, then why not? Eli?
That must be it. And then the venerable
in age, but in years of experence-who
was chairman Of the Committee of Com
merce in Buchanan's time, now appears
second upon the committee, while Frank
Hereford, of West Virginia, is at the head.
This, we take it, means that the internal
COuuCICC ID w VIC SalCt4 IOA ny tuIb 11OubS
as well as that with foreign nations And
further, that the internal is far the most
important, because it feeds the foreign
commerce. The Mississippi valley and the
great Lakes and the Southern rivers, in
GLIDING the Kanawhs, are now to have
show. What is the use in having West
ern Speaker if no benefit is to be derived
from il?
The composition of the Committees Of
Public Buildings and Grounds and of the
District of Columbia, the two in which the
people of this vicinity are most directly in
terested, appear to be eminently satisfactory.
Mr.. Holman is an old member, distinguished
for his economical tendencies, and was not
formerly remarkable for breadth of views.
Latterly, however, he has favored judicious
appropriations for all necessary public
works, and he will, no doubt, be willing to
grant quite as much for our public build
ings and grounds as prudence and wise
economy will justify, He is ably seconded
by Mr.. Wells, of Missouri, who has all the
practical and progressive spirit incident to
the western growth. The District Com
mittee is composed mostly of new men.
Mr.. Hendee, Republican, of Vermont, is
the only old member. Mr.. Buckner, of
Missouri, is the chairman, and he Is reputed
to be gentleman of intelligencesnd prob
ity. Abused as we have been during
the last two or three years,
it is now to be hoped that the
mouths of our slanderers will be stopped
until the new committee shall have author
lied statements inimical to the fair fame of
the citizens of the District Ifthe commit
tee is fair one, and we believe it is, that
is all we ask. We shall spprehend no diff
fculty in obtaining recognition to reason
able extent. We are SO entirely dependent
nrnn Congressional legislation that IL Il