Daily globe., 1881-03-10
Organizing the Senate Democratic Chair
mdnshipS.

Organizing the Senate Democratic tha'f-
ndRshipS.
WASHINGTON, March Q.-The Democratic
Senator's held a-eaucus this afternoon for the
purpose of receiving and acting npon the re-
port of the caucus committee Of Senator's ap-
pointed to arrange the majority membership
of the Senate committees. A NUMBER OF
changes Of minor importance were made in the
bill presented, but the only notable
conflict of opinion was in regard to compost
ton of the committee on finance. The caucus
committee recommended the appointment OF
Senator's Mcpherson and Camden to succeed
Kernon and Wallace and the retention OF
VOORHEES,, Beck and Bayard as the remaining
Democratic members of this committee, Bay
ard of course to continue TO be its chairman,
and contest at once arose as to the propriety
and party policy of he proposed appoint
ment Of Camden, the new
West Virginia Senator for this important po-
sition. It was opposed on two grounds;
1ected; second, that as Camden Is q national
bank president his appointment on this COM
mittee might give It such menace toward leg
islation in favor of national banks and pro-
tective tariff as would be unwise and impoli-
tic in view of the sentiment of the majority OF
the Democraticic party upon thoss subjects.
The debate was protracted for several hours
upon these and cognate questions, but nnally
the selection was agreed to with the under
standing it may yet be changed, after consul
tation on the part of several members with
Camden, who was not present.
The caucus being apprised of the refusal OF
the Republican caucus to prepare list OF Re.
publicans for appointment as minority mem.
bers of the committees. said committee
OF nine were authorized to complete
the assignments for presentation
to the Senate tomorrow. There was no diff.
ference of opinion as to the propriety and ex-
pediency of exercising the power of the pres.
ent majority to organize the remote commit.
ices without further delay,/ and although
single objection will prevent action on the list
tomorrow an election may be expected to
take place Friday night. tits understood the
caucus decided to assign Gen. Malone
to three or four committee places, In
Guiding position on the railroad and military
committees The assignment of chairmanships
as finally agreed upon by the caucus are as
follows:
Privileges and elections, Salisbury.
Foreign relations, Johnston.
Finance, Bayard.
Appropriations, Davis. (W. Ya.).
Commerce, Ransom.
Judiciary, Davis. (Ill.)
Military affairs, Grover.
Naval affairs, Mcpherson.
Postoffces, Maxey.
Public lands, Jones. (Ela.).
Indian affairs, Coke.
Pensions, Grover
Claims, Cockreu.
Patents, Call.
Territories, Butler.
Railroads, Lamar
Reviser of laws, Garland.
Agriculture, Slater.
Manufacture, Williams.
Education and labor, Brown.
Mines and mining, Farley.
District of Columbia, Harris
Civil service and retrenehment, Walker.
Public buildings and grounds, Vest.
Improvement of Mississippi river and It's
tributaries, Jones.
TRANSPORTATION routes TO the seapoard,
Beck.
Private land claims, Edmunds.
Revolutionary claims, Anthony.
Engrossed bills, Conkling
Enrolled bills, Pugh.
Rules, Morgan.
To examine the several branches Of the civil
Eervice, Hampton.
Census, Pendleton.
Library, VOORHEES,.
Presidential elections, Morgan.
Epidemic diseases, Harris.
Painting, Hill, of Georgia.
Contingent expenses, Vance.
The Republican Senator's also held caucus,
and the interchange of views was ln-the same
line of discussion as last Mondays meeting.
No formal caucus action was taken, but 1t was
unanimously understood the determination
that they will decline to submit lists for COM
mittee membership, and refuse to promote the
organization of committees until the Republi-
can vacancies in the Senate are filed.
The Senate.