The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-06
THE COMMITTEES.

The action of Speaker Carlisle in plac-
ing Mr.. Mills of Texas at the head of
the committee on Ways and Means and
appointing Mr.. Randall chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations was fore
Swallowed in our Washington correspon-
dence. Mr.. Mills is a tariff reformer
from an agricultural State. He is one
of the oldest members, in point of ser
vice, in the House of Representatives
and one of the ablest of its members.
The place he holds is second in impor-
lance only to that of the presiding Of
ficer. He has his own views as to the
manner in which tariff reductions should
be made but has expressed willingness
to keep his ideas on that subject subser-
Went to the great object of maintaining
harmony in the party ON the eve of one
of the greatest struggles it has or may
have with the other party.
This important committee, to which
tariff legislation will be referred, has
both sides amply represented 1t has
two members from Pennsylvania, the
State most concerned i'm maintaining the
present tariff. One of these is Scott, a
new member, but the other is John
Kelly, better known as Pig Iron ;"
Kelly, one of the staunchest and ablest
defenders of the high tariff. The result,
of course, will be a minority and a ma
jority report in which both sides of the
question will be presented in the strong
est manner and with an array of infor-
nation which will challenge study.
Despite the proverbial tendency of
Congress toward ''logrolling" on the eve
Of Presidential canvass, there is reason
to hope that the battle will be fought
out this session and that conclusion
will be reached. The question is too
pressing, is too intimately connected
with the prosperity of the country and
the safety of its business interests to
allow it to be slighted. The attention Of
the whole country has been called to 1T
as never before. The message of the
President so sharply defined the issue
that all could comprehend its bearings.
The Republican party cannot afford TO
go before the country with the stigma
upon it of lodging the question. 1t must
accept the guage of battle.
Ii there are Democratic Protectionists
there are also Republican Tariff Reform
ers, and the latter outnumber the
former. The Democrats feel obliged to
support the administration as a matter
of more importance than that of sup
porting the interests of few manufac-
turers against those of hundreds of
thousands of other manufacturers and
consumers who are oppressed by a
tariff entirely artificial and nearly pro-
hibitory in many of it's provisions.
The ripe experience of Mr.. Randall will
be happily utilized on the important
Appropriations COMMITTEES, one of the
hardest worked bodies in the country.
II is second only to the Ways and
the country. Since most of the legisla-
tive work of modern times must be done
in committee rooms the Importance of
the Office of chairman of such commit
tee as that on Appropriations is very
great At the same time it is one which
tions of the day. Mr.. Randall, being at
once one of the best informed and most
capable of our public men and Demo-
crat who is not in sympathy with the
majority of his party on vital issue, is
appropriately placed on a committee
where his views will not bring him into
disastrous conflict with his brethren.