St. Paul daily globe., 1886-01-09
THE HOUSE CoMMITTEEs.

If Speaker CARLISLE had devoted a
whole year to the construction OF the house
committees he could not have performed the
work more satisfactorily than he has done.
He displayed wisdom by recognizing the
value of experience. When a member has
| served one term and has become familiar
with the work of any particular committee
on which he may have served, il is great
mistake TO place him on a new committee at
the next session. BY doing so the country
is deprived Of the benefit Of his experience.
Speaker CARLISLE has recognized this
fact by retaining the old members
on the committees where they had
previously served. The only nOta-
bic exception is the displacement of AIr.
CURTIN from the head of the committee on
foreign affairs. 1t is understood that Mr..
BELMONT, who succeeds Gov. CURTIN in
the Craftsmanship of this important commit
tee. was appointed TO this place in defer
ence TO the wish of the secretary of state,
with whom Mr.. BELMONT is a favorite
Beyond the fact that Mr.. BELMONT is a
very rich young man and once expressed a
willingness to put up good deal of money
in the event Mr.. BAYARD should be nOmi-
mated for the presidency. he has had no
special prominence. While it is desirable
that the head of this committee should be
in accord with the state department.
still. if Mr.. CARLISLE removed CURTIN
and appointed belmont for the sole reason
that the latter Is a pet of the secretary of
state, then the speaker has made grave
mistake. The speaker of the house is the
servant Of the country and not of any cabi-
net officer The public interest is the first
matter for consideration and Individual
fayoritism should not be considered at all
i'm matters of public concern. Speaker
CARLISLE is such a clear-headed man and
possessed of so mnch conservatism that we
are inclined to believe that he was induced
to make this change in the committee on
foreign affairs for reasons other than have
been made public.
The construction of the committees in
dicates that the speaker is determined that
the legislation of the house shall be strictly
in accord with the Democratic idea. Nor
rison at the head of ways and means.
flanked as he is by able eXponents of tariff
reform, means tariff revision; Randall at
the head of the committee on appropria-
tions means economy in expenditures, while
the construction of the committee on coin
age, weights and measures indicates clearly
enough that so far as the house is concerned
its head is set against repeal or suspension
of silver coinage. OF the fourteen men,
bers of the committee the West has six
members, the South four, the New England
states two, New y ork one and Pennsylvania
one. Taking the sentiment of the various sec
tiOns as an index to the action of the COM
mittee it is fair to assume that the ten men,
bers from the West and SOuth will oppose
silver suspension, whatever course the other
four members may pursue.
The universal satisfaction that the COM
mittee appointments have given to the MEM
bers of the house is an evidence itself of the
confidence the members have i'm their
speaker The fact is that Mr.. CARLISLE
is virtually the leader of the Democratic
party, and will exert more influence than
the president in shaping the policy of the
party for the future. Nor is it possible that
the party will suffer by eXalting Mr.. CAR
Isle to leadership. His abilities are only
equalled by his modesty. lie is a man of
wonderfully pure character, and has shown
that he combines all the elements of true
craftsmanship. If the Democratic house
will consent to submit to Speaker CAR
IIsLE's guidance and will continue to trust
him as it now shows the disposition to do.
there will be no danger of any serious mis-
takes being made, and the Democratic party
will not suffer in public estimation.