The morning call., 1891-12-24
THE COMMITTEES OF ooxGREss.

1t is just four years since Democratic
Speaker had the appointing OF the commit
tees of Congress. In 1887 that duty de-
volved upon John G. Carlisle and it is now
being discharged by Charles F. Crisp Mr..
Carlisle followed precedent and named his
chief rival in the House, Mr.. Mills OF Texas,
to he Chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means. 1t was the chief business of
Mr.. Mills to frame tariff, and he did so.
but he could not frame one which COM
mended itself to Congress. With full
knowledge of the temper of the body he
drew tariff which he knew could not be-
come a law. That did not strike the coun-
try as practical politics. and accordingly
Mr.. Crisp, not, as some papers imagine,
from secret enmity to Mr.. Mills, but simply
from common-sense view of the RESPONSE
biites of the leader of the House, has now
named as Chairman of the Committee of
Ways and Means William d. Springer Of
Illinois. who is expected to introduce fiscal
bills which may possibly become laws A
Congressman may profess any opinions he
pleases, but If he does not embody his Opin-
ions in measures which can secure the
assent of Congress lie is not of much use to
his party. Mr.. Mills takes. the chairman
post was filled in the Fiftieth Congress by
Clardy of Missouri, who is 10 longer in
Congress.
In the Fiftieth Congress the Craftsmanship
of the Committee on Appropriations, which
is only second TO the Committee on Ways
and Means, went to Randall of Pennsyl-
vania, " no is dead. 1t has now been allot-
ted to William S. Holman Of Indiana. the
cra OiiaRtnr uhO hos tho titln Of
watchdog of the Treasury. Under his ad-
ministration it is gravely to be feared that
national enterprises which require liberal
fostering by Government will fail to secure
the necessary appropriation. In the Fiftieth
Congress Holman had the Committee of
Public Lands, where his mania for economy
had little scope for display.
Richard p. Bland of Missouri resumes his
old place as Chairman of the Committee on
Coinage. and it will he fair to expect from
that BODY a silver bill which will satisfy
the most extreme advocate of tree silver
coinage. But the prospect of the passage
of any such bill is remote. The Committee
on Banking Currency was presided over in
the Fiftieth Congress by wilkins of Ohio,
who is no longer in Congress; his place is
taken by William L. Haynes, also of Ohio.
In several Congresses previous to the
Fiitieh-as at the beginning of that Con-
gress-the Chairman OF the Committee on
Foreign Affairs was Perry Belmont of New
York, the bankers son. After he vacated
his seat, McCreary of Kentucky took his
place Professionally. 1t is now filled by
Cultivate of Ohio, who was Chairman Of
the Committee on Pacific Railroads in the
FiItieth Congress, and likewise prominent
member of the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr.. Cultivate is well equipped Tor the trans
action of the business that will come before
his committee, being a man Of large reading
and observation.
The Committee on Elections, which is i'm
portant, as all contested elections must be
referred to it. was, in the Fiftieth Congress,
presided over by the present speaker, Mr..
Crisp; it now goes to Charles T. OFar-
rell of Virginia, who was second on the
committee under Crisp. lie has served
in several Congresses. William Ii. Hatch
of Missouri gets his old place as Chairman
of the Committee on Agriculture, and Hilary
A. Herbert OF Alabama, who is probably
the best-poSted man in the House on naval
matters, resumes his place as Chairman
on the Committee on Naval Affairs. The
Craftsmanship of the Committee on Pacific
Railroads goes to James B. Reilly, who
represents the Pottsville District of Penn
sylvania; lie was not a member of the
Filtieth Congress; this is his second term
His selection seems singular. Another
curious appointment is that Of John S.
Henderson of North Carolina to the chair
manshp of the Committee on Postoffices
and Postroads, to which all bills provid-
ing for q Government telegraph and tele-
phone system will be referred. In the
Fiitieth Congress, the Chairman of that
committee was Blount of Georgia, who is
still serving in the body; Henderson was a
member at that time. but Speaker Carlisle
did not think him worthy of COM
mittee.
Speaker Crisp has distributed his chair
manships euriously, from sectional point
Of view. OF the nineteen Chairmeu whose
names have been announced, eight are
from the South. three from the East, five
from the Central States and none from the
West. unless we count three Missourians
as Nesterumen.