Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-14
CARLIsLE's PROBLEM.
The Composition of House Com
mittees from q Repub.
lican Standpoint.
Current Speculation and Com.
ment In Washington.
Washington Special to the N. Y. Tribune

Washington Special to the N. Y. Tribune.
Not only does Speaker Carlisle's
haggard face ard weary air give plain
evidence OF the mental strain and
anxiety imposed by bis attempt to
make fifty committee chairmanships
go round" among 1870 importunate
Democratic patriots in way to satisfy
them all but the members OF his cab
inet" show signs OF great fatigue and
worry. Colonel Morrison, the Speak
er's premier, probably bears the heav-
lest weight Of responsibility. He is
more sought after and more ceaslessly
importuned by anxious Democrats
probably than is the Speaker himself
for every anxious applicant seems to
believe himself secure if he can obtain
the good Offices Of the Illinois states
man.
The second member Of the Speakers
cabinet is Ahram s. Hewitt, who ap.
pears to be charged with the duty Of
ascertaining the hopes, desires and exs
pectations Of the Eastern men gener,
ally and those Of New York especially,
including in the latter case Republi.
cans as we'll as Democrats. Mr.. Hew-
lit is conscientious, and his recon-.
mendations to the Speaker no doubt
will be guided and controlled by his
best judgment as to the abilities, quail
i6cations and deserts Of the men from
whom the selections areto be made
1t is no wonder, therefore, that be feels
a deep sense Of responsibility.
Mr.. Tucker, the affable Virginian,
is abe third and last of the Speakers
confidential advisers, and he seems to
be occupied in looking after the in
terests Of the Southern Representa-
tives. 1t is contrary to his nature and
disposition to be reticent on any sub
ject, and some Of his efforts to con
ceal information are said to be comical
in the extreme, although in the main
successful. :
Into this inner circle Of Speaker
Carlisle's advisers neither Mr.. Ran
dali, Mr.. Cox, Mr.. Springer, nor any
other Democrat, no matter what his
prominence or what his opinion OF his
own capacity is, is allowed to intrude.
1t is, however, true that men like Mr..
Willis and Mr.. Blackburn, Of Ken
lucky, and Mr.. Ellis, OF Louisiana,
who were among Mr.. Carlisle's most
earnest workers, are consulted about
certain things, and in few cases in
dividuals have been permitted to
know what good things are in store
for them. The article about House
Committees published in the Tribune
to-day was studied with great interest
by Democrats as we'll as by Republic
cans Some Of the men, whose names
we're put down for prominent chair
manships, declared that the guesses
we're poor ones, but their criticisms
we're based upon hope, not knowledge.
In the main the forecast is regarded
as a reasonably fair and probable one
A correction should be made as to
the Craftsmanship of Public Lands,
There is reason to believe that it will
20 10 Mr.. Holman. 1t is also under
stood that upon the organization oil
the COMMITTEE on Rivers and Harbors
Mf. Ellis will be madeChairman of it,
and not Mr.. Dunn, who offered the
resolution to create it. S. s. Cox is
anxious to have his old place as
Ohairmanoi Foreign Affairs, and he
would regard refusal Of the Speaker
to appoint him as not only an affror
to the great State of New York, but a
personal slight to himself, who was
her candidate for the Speakership.
Gossip to-day indicated that Mr.
Hiscock is assigned to the Ways anG
Means Committee and that Mr.. Wads.
worth, of New York will be given 9
place on the Appropriation Commit.
tee. Among the old Democratic
members the hostility to General
keifer Is intense, and many Of them
declare that his appointment as Chair.
man Of the Committee on Public Ex'
penditures, of which Mr.. Randall wal
Chairman in the last Congress, is out
Of the question.
tits probable that the committee
appointments will not be announced
until the day before the beginning Of
the holiday recess.