Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-06
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Ill ABouT COMMITTEES.

.,,. s,rl,slr's uaen,isble Jes-whs Some Of
IN. ,aalimaashlps Were Gi,sn.-sir. Fucker
IN Besson.
IRON onf Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON. ID. c., January 81
The Speaker looks as though he had
recently suffered from spell OF sick
ness, and his appearance is not TO be
wondered at when it is remembered
that he has just passed through the
trials incident 10 the assignment of 325
congressman to committees, where their
political fortunes may be made or I'M
made during the ext.two years.
The entire list was completed Sun
DAY night after continuous work during
that day, with the assistance Of Mr..
Morrison. But some Of the assign
men;s leaked out in spite OF the utmost
care on the part Of Carlisle and Morri-
son, and then the Speaker was besieged
by dissatisfied congressman who pleaded
with him TO change their assignments.
For instance, one said "My dear sir,
begof you not 10 assign me TO that COM
mittee, for II you do | shall certainly
lose my chance Of reelection to Con-
greSs." The good-natured and too
yielding Speaker finally agreed to try
TO accommodate the dissatisfied con-
gresham by placing him where he
thought Le could do something that
would promote his own political in
terest. This one change made 1t neces-
sary to alter other assignments all along
the line, and gave the Speaker infinite
trouble, This is a single example Of
what was repeated in many instances,
and the result was that the list was not
ready for official announcement when
the House convened this morning.
The Committees on Coinage and
Banking and Currency have given Mr..
Carlisle a good deal Of trouble. He
has tried 10 make them strong and con-
Servative, hut however wise his selec-
tons nigh, be he was sure to be Sc
verely criticised by the extremists Of
the East and West. Bland, Of Mis-
sour, retains the chairmanship Of the
Coinage Committee, but, as was fore
shadowed IN this correspondence, his
committee will probably be more mod
eyate than he, aud will give the House
an opportunity 10 express its opinion
upon the Presidents recommendation
on the silver question.
by way of compensation for placing
western man at the head Of thatcOm-
mittce, Mr.. Curtin, of Pennsylvania,
an eastern man Of even more promi-
nence. was chosen for chairman Of
Banking and Currency. 1t is expected
that this selection will be unsatisfactory
to Mr. Curtin, who wanted to hold the
chairmanship Of Foreign Affairs, but it
was desirable to make room for
Perry Belmont to satisfy Secretary
l|ayard. Young Belmont, it is said,
hoped thai when Mr.. Bayard became
Secretary Of State he would remember
that he hal been faithfully adhered to
by the elIer Belmont for so many
wears as he ideal candidate of the
Democrats for the presidency and
that the honor Of the Assistant Secre-
tsry ship oi State would be given to
Perry. That position is one of so
much Importance that Mr.. Bayard did
not venture. 10 pay his political debts
in the wa that Belmont desired, but
II is under, TODD that he made a special
request to Mr.. Carlisle that Perry Bel
mont be made chairman Of the Com
miitee on FoIeign Affairs. This APP
pointment is generally regarded by
congressman as unwise, and strong in
huenceS we're brought to bear to pre-
vent ii.
The disappointment Of Morrison to
the head OF Ways and Means handicaps
the tarifi-ieform movement in the very
beginning but the selection was un-
aOidablc under the circumstances, and
the free-t'sders may, after all, be able
TO make p better show than they did
under hi leadership in the Forty
eighth Co gresS. The new committee
is compos,d of better material than the
old one. Hewitt. Of New York Ham
mond, Of Georgia; Breckenridge, OF
Arkansas, and Breckenridge, Of Ken
lucky, are strong men. and Mills, Of
Texas: Mcmillan, of Tennessee Har-
riS. Of Georgia, and Maybury, Of Michi-
gan, ase about equal to the average of
the old committee.
The re .,ution of Mr.. Hewitt, of New
York. on Ways and Means is under
stood to have been in compliance with
his own wishes. 1t is said that he de.
shed to have the craftsmanship OF Naval
Affairs aiso, but when he found that
he could not have both places Of so
much importance he chose to hold has
place on Ways and Means.
A New England congressman, in con-
versAtion to-day about the recent en-
tertainment of party Of congressman
by the Merchants Club Of Boston, says
Representative Ran. Tucker was the
lion Of tn occasion. and that his speech
at Lawrence was a great success. 1t
did our people good he said. ITO
hear the tariff talked about in a way
they were not accustomed to. Tuck
or's ides were new to them, aud were
expressed 20 tersely and felicitously
that he made himself by far the mos;
popular Of the guests OF the club. ="
General Banks says fuckers speech
was he best of all.