St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-14
Falling to Get What He Wants, He Re-
fuses to Accept That Which He
Can Get.
Ewo-Thirds Of the House and Majority
Of the Senate Oppose suspending
of Silver Coinage.
Mr.. Coke Lays Down His Views on
the Dollar of Our Paterna1
Ancestors.
The Senate Has Taken No Action on
Contested Cases. Minor
Mention.
Much Ado over Nothing.

Special 10 JDe GlODe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Representative
Curtin of Pennsylvania did to-day what he
should have done last week, if done at all.
He formally declined the honor of being
chairman of the committee on banking and
currency, and his resignation was promptly
accepted by the speaker and the house.
For several days he has privately authorized
the statement that ne meant to throw away
the chalrmanship. and his remarks in that
direction justified the inference that when
he would resign he would say something
that would make a scene in the house. But
he prOlited by the advice Of cooler heads so
far as to announce his request TO be eX-
cused in a dignifed and courteous manner,
merely stating he had been
ADVISED BY FRIENDS.
and by the newspapers not to state his rea-
sons for declining the honor the speaker
had been pleased to offer him. but he had
private reasons Of his own. Members had
gathered about the Pennsylvanians in an
ticipaton of something interesting. but
they were disappointed. Mr. Bland of Mis-
souri, Obiecting to eXcuSing him, but did not
vote against it nor anybody else, and within
two minutes the whole affair was over.
After all the talking that Mr.. Curtin and
his friends have done for week past, to
make him appear as much-abused person,
the fact is the speaker had good reasons for
not reappOinting him to the Craftsmanship
of the committee on foreign affairs, and
actually promoted him according to the
ranking of the standing committees by
making him chairman of the committee on
banking and currency. If the speaker
erred at all it would seem to be in giving
the latter chairmanship to man who was
CONFEssEDLY INCOMPETENT
to ill it, and it is a relief to that committee
that he has been excused. In declining,
Mr.. Curtin has left his state with only one
craftsmanship out of fifty, and Texas which
already has representatives at the head of
three desirable committees, is likely to get
a fourth. as Mr.. j. +. Miller of Texas is
the senior member of the committee on
banking and currency. Mr.. ErmenUout is,
however, very anxious to take Mr.. Curtin's
place, and the Pennsylvanians in congress
want him to have it. He was the senior
surviving Democrat of that committe of the
FOrty-eighth congress. and was transferred
to another committee to make room for Mr..
Curtin.
HOUSE ROUTINE.
WASHINGTON. Jan, 13.-In the house
the moment Mr.. Curtin, of Pennsylvania.
who had been comforting with friends, sue
ceeded in being recognized by the speaker,
he arose and said:
1t was your pleasure, sir. to do me the
honor TO place me first on the list of the COM
mittee on banking and currency. did in
tend to state to the house my reasons Tor de-
clining that honor, but on the advice of many
friends, and on account of the sentiment of
the public Journals of the country, have
concluded to offer no reasons of my own As
TO declining the position 1t was your pleasure
to give me, did not heed the advice of any
man, for my disposition in this respect was
made up from the beginning. For reasons of
my own, which seem to be understood by my
friends and colleagues on this floor, do ask
this house to excuse me from the important
duty as chairman of the committee to which
you have assigned me.
THE HOUSE ACQUIEsCES.
The Speaker-If there be no objection, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania will be ex-
cused from duty as chairman of the commit
tee on banking and currency.
Mr.. Bland of Missouri moved that the
house do not excuse the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, but this motion received no
support. and Mr.. Curtin was excused.
This devolves the Craftsmanship upon Mr..
Miller of Texas. Mr.. Hill of Ohio, on be-
hall Of the committee on territories, called
up and the house passed the senate bill to
legalize the election of q territorial legisla-
tive assembly of Wyoming. On behalf of
the committee on the presidential laws Mr..
Caldwell of Tennessee called up for action
the HOar presidential succession bill. but on
the statement by Mr.. Cooper of Ohio that
the minority report had not been printed
the discussion Of the subject was postponed
until tomorrow. The house, on motion of
Mr.. Morrison, at l o'clock adjourned.