Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-12-21
FIRST OR NOTHING.
Mills Declines an Offer from
Speaker Crisp.
SECOND PLACE NOT TO HIS LIKING.

Comment and Alleged Fact as to the
Committee Situation-Voorhees De-
clares War on Judge woods-An Eco
nomical Move in the Direction of the
Government Print Shop-No More
Books for the Junk" Dealers-Secre.
retary Rusk to Try "Hoecake" on tn.
Russians.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2l.-Mi lis will not be
on the ways and means committee The
Texan thinks that if he is not the man to
head that important committee there is
no place on it for him. Friday Speaker
Crisp wrotesthe Texas statesman asking
if it would be agreeable and acceptable to
him TO be placed second on the ways and
means committee and made chairman ot
the commerce, postoffice, or some Other
committee where the work was less la
borIous. In reply Mills says: "HavinR
been member of the committee on ways
and means for ten years and chairman in
the Fiftieth congress the reasons which
have in your judgment rendered my ap
pointment as chairman unwise would dis
qualify me for service in any other place
on that committee, and it would not be sin.
cere to say that it would be agreeable to
accept your tender. leave to you, with
out any suggestion from me, to make such
other assignment as you in the discharge
of your official duty may determine"
Precedents in the Matter.
While Mills has been claiming this place
as the one due him above all others. the
precedents are not in his favor. When
Kerr of Indiana, was elected speaker of
the Forty-fourth congress over Samuel J.
Randall, the latter was given the chair
manship of the appropriations committee
although he desired the ways and means
kiefer was elected over Hiscock for speak
of the Forty-seventh congress and the
New Yorker had to be satisfied with the
Craftsmanship of the appropriations COM
mittee, the ways and means committee
being given to Kelley of Pennsylvania.
Reed Broke the Monotony.
When Carlisle was elected speaker of the
Forty-eight congress over Randall the
latter was given the appropriations com
mittee, and Morrison of Illinois was
placed at the head of the ways and means.
In the Forty-ninth congress, when Car
Isle was reelected speaker. he gave Mills
instead of Randall the chairmanship Of
the ways and means, Morrison having
been left at home. Reed is the only
speaker in recent years who has violated
the precedent by appointing his opponent
chairman of the leading committee.
Alleged Composition of the Committee.
1t is stated on alleged high authority"
that the ways and means committee will
be composed as follows: Springer is to I've
chairman, and as Mills will not accept the
second place it will be given to McNIillin
of Tennessee. Turner another one of the
old committee, Will remain. The other
Democrats, so far as determined, will be
Fitch of New York. Shively of Indiana,
Whiting of Michigan, Stevens of Massa-
chusetts, Bryan of Nebraska, and johnson
of Ohio. The last named appointment is
in the nature of concession to the Mills
men. as Johnson was the Texas candidates
principal lieutenant in the speakership
fight.
The Republican Contingent.
Six Republicans will make up the full
complement of the committee. OF the old
members Payne of New York McKenna
of California. Dingley of Maine, and Bur
rows of Michigan will be retained Penn
sylvania will have place on this commit
tee, as it did in the last congress. Bayne
of Pittsburg. the old member, was not re-
elected, and three of the Pennsylvania Re
puhlicans are striving for his place. They
are O'Neill. Harmer, and Dalzell. The
first two are older in point of service than
DalZell, but he wants to succeed Quay as
senator and thinks a place on the ways
and means committee would give him ad-
tional prestige. Crisp has not decided
which one of these he will appoint. Who
the sixth Republican member will be is
also unsettled, but Reed is probably the