The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-01-18
nnNGREss1onAL coMNITTEEs.

CONGRESSIONAL COEAITTEE8.
A Washington special to the New
York World tells something of what
two of the most distinguished rep
resentatives from Tennessee-Gen.
Whitthorne and Judge Houk-think
of the formation of the Congression-
al Committees:
General Whitthorne, of Tennes
gee, said: "The formation of the
| Committees is decidedly partisan.
The purpose is evidence to secure
for Pennsylvania protection at the
expense of the commercial interests
of the great State of New York"
Mr.. Houk, of Tennessee, the
Chairman of the Executive Commit
tee of the Southern Republican
members, and the gentleman press
ed by those members for the Chair
, manship of the Committee on Priv
iIeges and Elections, which has
charge of the contested cases before
the present House, was both courte-
D GUS and emphatic. He approved
Z generally the formation Of the Com
Tnittees and thought them adapted
to the needs of the country and the
S political exigencies of the House.
: He had not, he said, analysed them
; so as to be able to speak OF the spec
Z ial influences which they might ex-
. eru over the leading interests OF the
u country. He was asked, GLOW do
y YOU think the Southern Republicans
y are pleased with the slater?
q ii am not authorized to speak tor
= them and | take it for granted that
~ thew are content. | am perfectly
L satisfied so far as my personal status
IT. is concerned The Southern he
4 publicans desired me to be The
n Chairman of the Committee on Priv
ileres and Elections. | saw tina
there were difficulties in the wa.
/ and so expressed myself.
e. "What do you think of the heav.
ne representation given to Pennsylva
to MIA on the Ways and Means Com
: mittee?"
g 81 think Pennsylvania very luck
P as tothe Elections Committee. L hay
sst no hesitation in saying that | d
not know a Northern Republica
. who sufficiently understands OF
VI customs, the nature Of our Poop
act and the relations between the tV
ay. parties to deal with the question
Of which will be presented to tn
80 Committee as Southern mi
~. would"
MS The opinion of Judge Houk
ecu quite different from that entertal
HIS ed by Mr.. Orth, of Indiana, who,
0'- the 9Th, in the House expressed
Ga protest and his indignation at bel
IL ignored in The formation Of impo
o'S' ant committees. For the last ten
lo9' fifteen years there has been te
oN, ing among legislators that the S.
TIL tenn of naming the personal of co
reS- mittees by the Speaker concentr
~ ed too much power in the hands
Cali one man. So long, however, as
re- Speaker followed the rule of rec
= nizing, as far as possible, the LEI
ger, ers of the House, and placing Tia
lent on important committees, there
has been no emphatic protest; but u
rug comes Speaker Keller, ignor
rs all precedents, and nearly all
ON recognized leaders, causing gr
lists dissatisfaction IN both rank and
sive and in both parties. 1t is annou
the ed that Mr.. Springer, of Hin
that will offer resolution setting &c
'use. that unknown and inexperien
ions men have been assigned to imp
. en- ant committees, while older memt
n OF and those familiar with legislat
800 and the rules of the House, have
,ular only been gagged by being pla
oidly on unimportant committees but
ness, they have been removed from
Vile portant committees whore they b
- long served, and that their ettic
cy as legislators has been consp
ZION ousIy and wantonly impaired;
sa. the action of the Speaker is no
: much a personal affront as it
ever wrong to their constituents an
~ nf the country, whose interests dem
mill that the best ability and most
rove ture experience, or in other We
dur that tools shall not be given to bI
i are lers but to those who can use tt
The dissatisfaction among mem
death is by no means confined to
f DR.. Orth or to Democrats. 1t is sh
She by the friends of Mr.. Ortiz an
caves ayes Mr.. Kasson, and is said to be !
- Ia alent among the Western, the
vas a ern, the Southern, the New
~ all land and the New York delegat
>,,Io1S WASHINGTON LETT,E