New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-06
SPEAKER CIRLISLES COMMITTEES.

The Speaker has at last, after an unpre-
cedented delay, announced his committees.
The composition of them makes it plain why
he needed so much time. Such work as he has
done here is not to be done hastily. Committee
hacking requires the most careful attention
to detail, and the most rigid inquiry into the
standing of members, and of this difficult art
Mr.. Carlisle has shown himself master. He
set out to accomplish certain objects, and has
made sure of them ALL
A majority of the present House is undoubt-
cdly in favor of reduction of internal revenue
taxation, as majority of the last House was.
Hut the Ways and Means Committee. as MIR.
Carlisle has carefully pieced it together, is
evidently made up against any internal revenue
reduction that is not at the same time accom-
panied with general reconstruction of the
tariff To render the accomplishment of his
purpose the more sure, the Speaker gives the
majority eight out of thirteen members of the
Committee, though seven would have been the
proper proportion, seeing that the House is so
nearly tie; and of these eight no less than
six are from Southern States. The chairman.
Mr.. Mills, is from Texas. and five of the Demo-
cratic members, NIcssrs- McNlillin, Wilson.
Turner and the two Breckinridges, are from
Tennessee, West Virginia. Georgia, Kentucky
and Arkansas. These States are to dominate
the revenue legislation OF the country. All
of these men have been selected for their known
hostility to protection, and their determination
to force reduction of the tariff before that
Of the internal revenue in spite Of the latter s..
unpopuarity among a large number OF tho
Southern people. One of them, Mr.. Breckin-
ridge Of Kentucky, is on record On this sub
Jet in an elaborate report to the last Congress.
which cost the Democrats several southern dis
tricts at the following election Only two
members of the majority in this Committee are
from the North-Messrs. Scott and Bynum.
The Republican members make up IN brains
what they lack in numbers Mcssrs. Kelley,
Reed, Mckinley and Browne hold over from
the last Committee, and Mr.. Burrows takes
the place vacated by Mr. Hiscock.
All the ability of the Appropriations Com
mttce, except for Mr.. Randall is in the Re-
publican minority, made up of Mcssrs Cannon.
Ryan, Butterworh, Long, McComas and ID. b.
Henderson, The majority Of the Committee is
exceedingly weak. Mr. Holman is dropped
out, greatly to the relief, no doubt. Of both
parties, for he is the most obstinate and per-
tinacious Of all dcmago9ues. The judiciary
Committee, of which Mr.. Culbcrson, of Texas
is chairman. seems to have more than the aver
age of ability though most of it is, as usual
at the end Mr.. Bland is again at the head OF
a Committee on Coinage, Weights and Meas
mes which the Speaker has carefully packed
against any suspension of the coinage of silver.
Mr.. Clardy of Missouri takes Senator Rcagan's
place as chairman of the Commerce Committee.
and Mr.. Belmont retains the Foreign Affairs
Committee Mr.. Holman succeeds in obtaining
one of his ambitiOns-thc craftsmanship of Pub
lie Lands Mr.. Blount remains at the head OF
tho Post Office Committee, and Mr.. Springer
becomes chairman of the Committee on Terri
tories to make sure that Dakota casts no cleo
toral votes this year. One OF the most amusing
of all the committees in its composition is that
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, of which
only four members are from seaboard States,
while nine are from the interior.
Next to the arbitrary arrangement of the
committees to carry out certain IDEAS the most
noticeable feature of this list is the predomi-
nance of the Southern members not only in
their numbers but in the importance of the
places they receive. The alb lily as well as the
numerical strength of the Democratic party is
in the South. 1t Is as distinctly a sectional
party as it was before the war.