The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-12-25
WASHINGTON LETTER

Speaker Crisp has been Ill with the
grip but he is SO busy making the com
mittee assignments that he says he
cannot enjoy tine luxury of taking to
his bed until the troublesome business
is settled, and he expects that it will
be settled on Wednesday, when Con-
gress will take recess until the sth
of January The selection Of North
ern men for the chairmanshps of both
the Ways and Means and Appropri.
alton committees, it being about set
tied that Mr.. Springer, Of Illinois, will
have the first, and Mr., Holman, of In
diana the last, has made some dissatis.
faction, the argument being made that
one section should not have both. But
Mr. Crisp's friends reply by citing the
fact that the South has all three of the
democratic members of the committee
on Rules-Crisp, McMilln, and Catch
ings which, they say about equally
divides the power, SO far as the control
oflegislation is concerned.
Representative Mills. who has been
quite i'll, is now convalcscent In re-
ply 10 a note from Speaker Crisp ten
dering him the second place on the
committee Of Ways and Means and
asking which committec-Commcrce
or Postoffices he preferred takingthe
Craftsmanship of, Mr.. Mills wrote ask
ing not TO be sssigned to the Ways and
Means committee and expressing a
Willingness to accept such other com
mittee assignments as may be made
for him. The committee on Com
merce has been changed to the COM
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce, and it is thought Mr.. Mills viii
be It's chairman.
The House Committee on Rules re
ported in favor OF increasing the mem
bership of the Ways and Means COM
mlttee from IS to IS and of the quad
70 = centennial from to II. After
accepting this report, the House, on
motion of Mr.. Springer, voted to change
the name Of the last committee to that
on the Columbia Exposition. The
new rules will not be reported until
after the recess, but it is not expected
that they will differ very materially
from those used in the Flftieth Con-
gress, when Mr.. Carlisle was Speaker
Of the House.
Representative Enloe, Of Tennessee.
offered a resolution, which was referred
to the Committee on Rules, providing
for the appointment of committee OF
five 10 investigate charges against the
Pension Bureau, including the notori-
GUS Grating and promotion cases, Of
ice-brokerage. which got a son of
Commissioner Raum in trouble; the
tavoritism by which claims of certain
attorneys are given preference over
those filed either by individual claim
ants or other attorneys, and 'all other
matters rel ,ting to the conduct of the
Commissioner in the matter or to the
administration Of his Office which in
the judgment of said committee, my
conduce to the honest clean, Just,
economical and efficient administration
oi said Bureau. TIE adoption of this
resolution by the House may be put
down as a certainty.
Many members have gone away for
the holidays as it was agreed that moth
ing would be done at the S. ssion of
the House to be held on Wednesday
except to announce the committee.
The nomination of Stephen b. Elk
ms to be Secretary of War and of Ma
than Golf to be one of the Circuit
Court Judges indicates that the admin.
Istratlon has hopes Of securing the
electoral vote Of West Virginia next
year; but if the Senators and Repre-
sentatives from that State know any
thing about it, Mr.. Harrison is indulg
Ing in bit Of rainbow chasing"
Representative Culbertson of Texas
changed his mind after having accept
ed and declined the democratic vacan
cy on the Interstate Commerce com
mission. 1t Is understood that he die
1t IN Difference to the wishes of ths
his Texas friends who want him tC
be candidate for the Senate.
The Supreme Court adjourned from
last Friday until January 4th.
Senators Vorhees, and Turpie, vii
do their utmost to defeat the confirm
alton Of the nomination OF the motor
Gus Judge Wood of Indiana, for tn
new Circuit Court, and they are nc
without hope of success.
Notwithstanding the posti' state
ment OF IS. Clarkson, Mr.. Elkln
the new nominated Secretary Of Wa
is regarded here as much belt,
Blaine man than he is Harrison maj
and time will prove that his going in,
the Cabinet at this time is part of
Blaine scheme of some sort, possib
but lot probably, in Mr., Harrison
favor.