Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-04-15
Dailp Ncnnebet Journal.
Au yusta, Tuesday Morn'g, April 10, 1879
Speaker Randalrs Committees.


The republicans having expected little are
not disappointed Mr. Randall was elect
ed by the votes and efforts of the hard
money democrats. and vet he has formed
the two committees which are to deal will
the currency, that on Banking and Curren
cy, and that on Coinage, Weights and
Measures, in the interests of the nflation
lists. Of course his hard money friend,
are indignant at such betrayal of the i'm
portant interests which they represent. and
for which they had good reason to expect
fairer consideration.
The disappointment of Fernando Wood
TO the craftsmanship of the Committee ON
WAYS and Means is also resented by the bet
ter portion of the democrats. Mr. Wood 5
name has always been coupled with the
most corrupt politics of the worst demo-
cratic element in New York city. He has
also proved very inefficient chairman.
His first appointment at the head of this
important committee, rs refOrmer,
shocked the country, and the present ap-
pointment is worse than that. The New
York World speaks of Mr.. Wood as 1.-THE
scaDdalously unworthy and incompetent
person whom Mr.. Randall. in pursuance
no doubt of the private engagements to
which he owes his seat in the Speakers
chair, yesterday insulted the country by
recalling to position which he has once
VIGOROUSLY disgraced." This is severe
language for democratic newspaper to
apply to the democratic chairman of the
committee on WAYS and Means. and to the
democratic Speaker of the House. What
is the party coming TO when its own organs
are compelled by sense of duty to de-
nounce Mr.. Wood as scandalouslv I'M
worthy and incompetent person, and Mr..
Randall rs a jobber and trafiicker for the
place of Speaker? If the opponents of
Messrs. Randall and Wood were to apply
such language to them it would at once be
branded by the democratic press as ere
publican lie" but that common resource
of the democracy IN n difficult situation
will not work in this case.
Another feature of the committee APP
pointments is the great influence which has
been given the South upon the committees
OF the fifty-two chairmanships, twenty-six
of them are giving to the South. and these
include all the important committees eX-
cept that of WAYS and Means The South
has the power in its hands now to shape
all the important legislation of Congress.
The North with all its vastly greater in
terests requiring the attention of Congress,
its larger area, industries, commerce. man.
ufactures, wealth, population, and its tried
and sterling patriotism, is now put in lead
ing strings to the States which formed the
Southern Confederacy and of which the
proudest boast is that they fought four years
to destroy this government. This viewed
from democratic standpoint may be all
right; but the candid, independent, patr-
otto citizens can only hang their heads in
shame and Indignation when they think
of the humiliation to which the patriotic
North has been reduced by the success of
the democratic party in regaining the CON
troll of Congress.
The North has one important chairman
ship, and that filled by Fernando Wood of
New York, a 'scandalously unworthy and
incompetent person. says the World. and
the South holds all the other chairman
ships of importance. Truly the Conted-
eracy if not already "on top does not
lack much Of being there, and certainly
will be fully "on top in 1881 if the dem
ocrats succeed in electing next year their
candidate for President The North would
not believe until it heard the roar of
Southern artillery in 1861 that there was
danger to the government from the Seces-
sion element; will it wait now until the
South is again in arms before it will arouse
to the fact that there is danger from a sol
id South led by Confederate generals act
uated with the purpose to recover what
they lost in the Rebellion and get even
with the North
A new society has been organized in
New York for the purpose of promoting