The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-22
GENERAL SHAKE UP
in THE HOUSE COMMITTEES.
pI,Idlus til. work and n.llus nora cA,lrn.n to
Help the speaker OutO a Tight pllos-WOnaA''
Cause Goes aArchlns on aud Temperance
Proudly Holds the Congressional Fort

From our Speeid! Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, D. O., December 2l.-lt
has been found that the machinery Of Con-
gress, although 1t has been worked at and
tinkered with for many years, Is not com.
plete by any means. In iactit is changed
great deal every session. The work that
wasdone yesterday in rearranging the COM
mittees was the most important that has
been done for some time. 1t was found
necessary to systematize the routine Of the
House Committees. and several important
changes were made. Probably the most
impoI tant change made in the committees
reported by the Committee on Rules, was
that OF dividing the Committee on Com
merce and creating q Committee on Rivers
and Harbors, which would have charge OF
all ma ters relating to river and harbor inn
proyements, and look especially after
that expensive vehicle known as the
River and Harbor Appropriation bill.
The old members OF the Commerce Com
mittee protected vigorously against diyid.
ing the committee. The river and harbor
improvement bill is an omnibus for men,
beis upon that committee and carries
many personal favors. There has long
been TOO much work before that commit
tee, however. Il is enough 10 look sfter
commerce, for one committee, without
having the many cares Of improving the
rivers 10 look into. Besides, man that
would make good committeeman for
commercial matters. a straight, plain,
practical business man-might know
know. nothing Of matters OF navigation.
THIS WAY, LADIES.
Mr.. Keiier, of Ohio, gave utterance to
some good argument in favor Of Commit
tee on Woman Suffrage. The subject is
generally unpopular in Congress, although
not near so much 80 as a few years ago.
The woman suffragists have a big point
gained. They have o committee already
IN Congress, to look alone after their petit
tions. When Mr.. Keifer said that the
right to petition Congress- should not, and
could not be denied any free people, he
had his point already gained. The women
he said, had a right to petition Congress
for anything-and especially liberty-and
Congress must consider their petitions.
Why not, then, create a committee to look
especially after their demands, inasmuch
as it was distinct aubiect? The argument
was irreiutable. The committee must be
granted. The House could undo It's work
Il it liked, but its work must be done
by somebody, or some committee. The
women are to be congratulated.
THE ToPERs SURPRISED.
Following the first point gained by the wo-
men they gained authority, in conjunction
with their temperance male allies, in having
Committee on Alcoholic Liquors created.
Some old topers looked little hard at Mr..
Randall, OF Pennsylvania, when he advo.
Gated the committee. He believed the
LIQUOR traffic needed looking after as well
as education. Really, there were three
points gained In morals by the revision Of
the rules. There will be more temperance
hereafter In the river and harbor improve
ments, and the women and temperance
people will have little more show. Con-
gress progresses with the times.