The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-27
The Committees.


IL is announced that Mr.. Cox will decline
service as chairman of the committee on
naval affairs, and that Mr.. Springer contem-
declining the Craftsmanship assigned to him.
With these exceptions tt is probable that the
speakers assignments will be accepted with
only such private indignation on the part of
the disappointed as every man whose vanity
has been wounded is entitled to Indulge. 1t
is quite true that Mr., Cox and Mr.. Springer
have not been given places equal 10 the
claim which long service is generally con
sidered to establish; but speaker Carlisle is
quite right in holding that other things, as
for example, fituess, are to be taken iuto ac-
count. No man of good parts ever made
worse use of opportunities than Mr.. Cox.
The general notion that he is popular man
because he sometimes says laughable things
is erroneous. He is as thoroughly dslked
by his party associates as any man on mis-
side, and for faults of disposition that make
him disagreeable. His long service is not
on account of great ability or influence eth
er at home or in the House. He goes to
Congress term after term by the favor of
John Kelly and serves him. Probably he is
as cordially disliked by those who have
served on committees with him as any man
can be, and whoever else may regret that he
is not to be chairman Of the committee on
foreign affairs the other members are not
bewailing his absence. The committee on
naval affairs is the one which would deserve
coincidence if he was to sit at the head of its
table.
If any committee of Congress should have
at lis head man of a Judicial temper and
legal knowlege it is the committee on cleo
tions. Mr.. Springer has been member of
that committee, and shown himself to be
nothing but the most narrow and unreason-
able of partisans. In setting him aside the
Speaker has done wisely. If the commit
tees conclusions are no less partisan, there
is probability that they will be supported
with some show of good reasons and some
appearance of dignity in debate.
The first thing that will strike the reader
who runs through the names in the list of
committees is the number of new men whose
names are not associated in the mind with
Congressional work. Who they are, what
their capacity, or their disposition, may be,
are questions which do not answer Them
selves. Their record is to be made. We
have yet to become acquainted with them.
Some of them may be recognized as men
who have obtained political prominence
in other fields; but that gives little
assurance that they will be prominent in
Congress. The House of Representatives is
an arena where peculiar talents are required
for successful performance. Many a local
great man does not get on there at all, and
sometimes men of whom no great expecta-
tions were entertained succeed surprisingly
We shall know these candidates for national
fame better six months hence.
Almost every one turns instinctively to
select few of the committees and carefully
scans their composition in order that he may
form an opinion of the probable policy of
the majority. In view of present polit-
ical issues the Committee on Ways and
Means is tightly regarded as the one which
affords keynote to Democratic policy. The
striking fact about this committee is that
the Democratic majority is composed of
men who are pronounced anti-protectionist
some of them declared free-traders, while
the Republican minority is composed of ex-
treme proteetionists, with one exception,
Kasson of Iowa. 1t would seem impossible
for such committee to agree upon any
measure. The committee was plainly con.
sttuted to force an issue on this question
and to make this issue as sharp as possible.
The Democratic majority will certainly pro-
pose new tariff bill making great changes.
The minority will favor no important
changes, and as the members of the COM
mittee will lead and give shape to the debate
the Republicans are likely to be forced into
the position of opposing any modification of
the present tariff. Furthermore Kelly who
heads the Republican minority is an invalid,
Mckinley holds contested seat from which
he is likely to be ousted, and Mr., Russell is
not debatsr. Upon Messrs. Kasson and
Hiscock will come the brunt of the labor on
the Republican side after the bill is reported.
This committee was made up to make the
issue for the Presidential campaign, and it
is not consistent with the conservative tone
of the Speakers address on taking the chair.
The committee on appropriations is COM
posed with an equally plain purpose to
make poin. of reducing appropriations.
Randall, Holman and Townshend, these are
well known economists of the cheese-par-
ings school. We may expect another spasm
of niggardliness similar to that which Of
Tended the country but few years ago. The
committees on banking and currency, on
coinage, and on commerce, are not consttu-
ted in manner to reassure the great bust
ness interests of the country. They will
confirm the impression made by the consti-
tuition of the committee on ways and means,
that the great financial and industrial inter-
ests of the country are without security
when the Democratic party controls egsla-
ton.
Our readers in consulting the list will see
for themselves how far this conclusion Is
applicable to the other committees We
expect a long session and disturbing one.
The Republican minority is small but if it
will stand firmly together it can make a