Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-31
WATTERSONS CRITICISM.
The Kentucky Editors Opinion of
Crisp's Appointments.

..iti ~ eiaoordte review of the speaker
sna nis committees; Among other things
time in the history OF the Democratic
party IN Congress is the principle laid
down that the organization of the Uorse
- matter not of friendly rivalry among
friends, put Of personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
iactional power. A stronger man chan
Mr.. Crisp might have paused before giving
nlinsell ana his party over to the asscr.
better things.
NO one will deny the right Of Mr.. Crisp
70 make his own committees but when he
likes It as the rule of his arrangement 10
reward those who supported him, and TO
PUNISH ms opponents, and in doing this
SENDS the tried men of the House to the
rear and brings the untried men to the
'front.' the country and the party have the
rlSnt 70 hold him 10 very rigid accoulta-
bility for the consequences. If the results
vindicate his forecast, well and good. IL
they fail to do so, which seems only too
likely, he will live to regret his own cleo
The following estimate of Mr.. Springer
~ maze; Naturally, the reconstruction of
Tue ways ana means committee monopol-
ICES public attention and interest. The
selection OF Mr.; Springer for chairman
Would not be happy one il there were
nothing back of il. But with the Incl
dents OF the caucus fresh IN the minds Of
the people 1t is positively unfortunate, ex-
posing both the speaker and the chairman
70 Whatever the ill-disposed see fit to say
ABOUT them, and thus giving the cause Of
tariff reform black-eye on the threshold
OF presidential campaign.
TOT NJ. springer, personally, as we have
repeatedly observed, we entertain nothing
put friendly sentiments. He is n man of
exceeding earnestness and activity. lie is
Democrat without flaw. Two elements
of leadership he undoubtedly possesses-
intrepidity and self-conlidence. But Mr..
Springer has not, during his 10 years of
service IN Congress, shown the peculiar
capacity to lend the House. Energetic.
courageous, honest, he has been so, but he
mas lacked, or has seemed to lack, the
weight which commands following. He
has never been member of the ways and
means committee. 1t is not suspected that
he has any large and luminous view of the
issue which has become the absorbing aim
OF his party.
:, Ills selection spacks too much of the
discharge of an obligation, and a pretextto
turn down and degrade n man who has
zone eminent and efficient work in great
movement, and who has enjoyed the con-
ndence of Democrats everywhere. What
eyer Mr., Springer can do he has vet to do.
we snail not prophecy evil against him.
on the contrary, 1t is our purpose to rem
DER MIN all the aid we can in his difficult
undertaking; to support, if possible, his
plan of campaign. But we should not be
true to ourselves, to the occasion and TO
me party, II we left these things unwrit-
OF the possible bearing on national
affairs outside of Congress, Mr.. Watterson
says: We shall not believe until we know
more than we know now that this con
struction OF the ways and means com
inittee has been made with the purpose TO
belittlo and subordinate the cause of tariff
reform by entrusting il to inexperienced
and inferior hands. We have thus far re-
lied upon the assurance of Mr.. Crisp on
that point But If it should turn out that
!hese have been carefully framed to mis-
lead, and that the extraordinary dis |
closures of the current week point. MS has |
been SO often intimated, TO II deal of the |
regulation New York psttern between the |
new Speaker and his immediate hackers.
aud Governor Hill and his immediate |
packers, by which Democratic principles |
are TO be sacrificed to Congressional and |
Presidential bargain, then, indeed, will the |
husts OF Democracy rise in their might, |
ard in their wrath scatter these impious |
despollers OF truth and faith like a herd of |
cattle. The future alone can determine |
this. Much will depend on the course of |
the new ways and means committee. But |
the present is no time for mincng words |
II is time for plain talk. The new |
Speakers organization of the House Is a |
revolution, both theoretical: and actual 1t |
IL an experiment whose success and fall |
nre IS yet to be tested. 1t starts out with |
the clear and almost universal distrust Of |
democrats in every part of the Union. The |
overcoming of this and the establishment |
of its claim 10 public confidence can only |
be achieved by the display Of great earn |
estness, perfect fidelity and undeniable |
competency, The brain and heart Of the |
Democratic party, which still lead it. will |
submit to no equvoeation. They cannot |
be made to surrender their predictions 10 |
temporizing politics, no matter how
practical. MIR. Crisp should. from this |
tsine forward Keep ever before his eyes
ths swful spectre of Keller, and, ii he has
any hope Of prosperous or an honorable |
FUTURE should steer clear of New York /
breakers
In conclusion, the following may be con-
sidcred rs a tender Of compensation to the |
new Speaker:
1t is our duty, not our choice, to say
these things In the late struggle over the I
speakership we took no part. Regarding |
1t as contest among the Democrats |
wholly personal in its character. we care, |
fully abstained from the expression of any |
individual preference. We bring to the |
dice. ."
If the result shall prove disastrous 10
Mr.. Crisp, no one will be more chngrined
than ourselves; Let US hope that it may
not; that he has builded wiser than we |
know, and that, instead of mere adven-
turer upon the sea of public life, which he
now seems to be, he will prove success
full .reNolutionist, and thereby statesman
and patriot, battling all our i'll forebod-
lngs and bringing US out of the darkness
to light.
MARYLAND MEN PLEASED.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23--After the House
committees were announced to-day several
members of the Maryland delegation went
over to the Senate chamber where they
met Senators German and Gibson 10 COM
pare notes. 1t was found that the senators
and representatives from Maryland repre-
sent almost all of the same committees in
both branches of Congress, so that if this
Is to be working session the delegation is
III position to do its share of the labors.
MR.. MMILLrN NOT ENTHUSIASTIC.
MIR. McMillin, who is the second MEM
Der of the ways and means committee, is
not enthusiastic over the composition of
the committee, probably because he pre-
ferred to serve with Mr.. Mills and one of
the Brcckinridges instead Of some of the
new men assigned TO the committee. lie
takes Il philosophical view of the situation,
and says he is prepared to exert his intlu-
ence and energy to promote the best
interests OF inc party. tie does not antici-
pate any radical tariff legislation during
the present session.
Mr.. Springer is now the recognized
leader of the House by virtue of his posi-.
ton as chairman Of the committee on
ways and means. Heretofore he has had
none of the responsibilities of leadership,
and he was inclined to scatter as one
of his associates APPLY termed it. That is,
he does not concentrate his efforts in one
direction long enough to bring about
practical result, and he does not always