New-York tribune., 1882-02-15
THE 1SSElfRLV COVJtJTTEEC.

Mr. Sneaker Patterson has at length named
the standing committees of the Assembly
Having DELAYED announcing them until the
public forbearance ceased to be a virtue and
until dickering with the factions Of his party
had had its perfect work, yesterday he per-
formed the duty whose long postponcmcnt
will ever stand to his discretit.
The list rs whole will, we think, be favor
ably received by the people. Remembering
that in accordance with unvarying political
custom the Speaker is bound to bestOw all
the chairmanships upon the majority the
general opinion will be that he has made q ju
dcious use of his material. And the makeup
of the committees below the chairman
is also fairly good The selection of
Erastus Brooks to lead Ways and Means
had been anticipated and heartily commended
on all sides He is by all odds the
ableSt and most experienced Democrat in the
Assembly, and cannot fail to render good and
faith eul service in this most responsible posi-
ton. Associated with him are not only several
of the strongest members of the majority,
but the two most sagaciOus and best
equipped members of the minority, eX-SpeakeTs
Alvord and Sharpe. The judiciary Committee
is headed by Mr.. POucher, lawyer of good
standing from the interior, and one OF the
most influential of the new members. New
York City cannot complain of the number
whatever she may think of the wcight-of her
representatives on Cities. A New Yorker,
Colonel NJ. c. Murphy, is its chairman, Willie
three other New Orkers are on it, not to
speak of Mr.. Stanley from just across the
river in Brooklyn. We think Mr.. Patterson
might have made a much better selection FOR
chairman. Mr.. Murphy has had abundant ex-
perience as Il legislator, but iii all franllness,
experience has not made him wise The Railroad
Committee has for its chairman the most expert
enced member of the Kings County delegation,
Mr. Stanley, and has the services of
other tried and capable men, notably
Mr.. Baker, of Monroe, who was a mcm-
ber of the famous Hepburn inves-
tigating committee. Mr. Cock, who has seen
service in both branches of the Legislature,
and who is sensible and prudent if not snowy,
is chairman on Commerce and Navigation.
Here, again, the metropolis is well repreS ented.
Three members of the New-Yorll delegation
are on the committee. OF late years the make
up of the Insurance Committee has been closely
scrutinzed by the people. Mr. Catln, who
now leads it, has already served two terms in
tho Assembly, and while never taking prom
inent position has always been regarded as a
perfectly upright man. We should say he
would make a negatively good chairman. The
other Democrats on the committee do not con-
tribute az much strength as do Messrs Potter,
Raines, Van Orsdale and Van Allen, the Re-
publican members. The Speaker went to Lock-
port for the chairman Oh Canals, Mr.. Higgins He
is one of the new members whose ability as leg
islator is yet to be demonstrated. Three MEM
bers of the last House are among his colleagues
on this committee. The military men of the
State will hail the appointment of A. J.
Parker, .jr, to the chairmanship of Militia with
peculiar satisfaction Mr.. Parker was for
several years Colonel of the 10th Regiment,
and has been president of the State Military As
sOciatiOn. lie takes deep and intelligent inter
est in whatever concerns the National Guard.
Among the Republican members of the COM
mittce is General Baker, who made a most gal
liant record during the war, in which he bore
an active part from its beginning to its end
Without stopping to characterize the rest of
of the committee we may say in regard to all
of them that they are made up as well as
could be expected.
But what tho general public thinks of the
cOmnnItceS ID ono uIIHS' w hdI lallndHy
thinks of them we apprehend is quite another
1t will be seen by reference to the list that
the Speaker sat down on Mr.. Kelly hard. No
one of the Tammany members, nOtwithstand-
ing the fact that all of them generously, con-
fdingly turned in and voted for Mr.. Patterson,
gets a chairmanship. No, not quite that. Mr.
IIaggerty, who led the grieving, gets the
chairmanship.on Grievances A more cruel
parliamentary practical joke was never played.
Surely, Mr.. Patterson might have spared
Tammany the indignity of this ill-timed pleas
antry. What Tammany is going to do about
it does not yet appear. But we much mistake
the fighting qualities of her representatives in
the Assembly if they do not strike back ac-