The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-11
CRISP'S Committeeman.
THE TIME OF THEIR ANNOUNCE
MENT STILL UNCERTAIN,

Committees on Ways and Means and
Rules-The Close Connection OF the
Two-Springers Views on the Tariff
Question.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The new and
unknown member who modestly prefers a
request for place on the ways and means
and appropriations committees was among
the callers to-day on the speaker, and so
was the new member attracted by the name
and not knowing that 1t never meets who
asked for place on mines and mining.
But places on the "pork" committees,
so called, rivers and harbors and public
buildings were most in demand At least
two score of the members want places on.
these committees. Speaker Crisp got good
deal Of advice, too, as to the makeup of his
committees, the purport of it being chiefly
to put northern men at the front.
For the rest of the week the
speaker will continue to listen
to advice, next week he will
begin his constructive work. Meanwhile
members are anxious to draw their mile
age which they cannot do until the COM
mittee on that subject is appointed, so that
committee may be announced with that on
accounts. also Indispensable, on Saturday.
THE COMMITTEE ON RULES.
The next committee to be appointed will
probably be that on rules, as to which the
speaker is considering reform which
would tend TO difPuse authority over legis-
lation. The committee on rules hitherto In
recent years containing the chairman of the
committee on Why's and means,
the chairman of the committee on
appropriations, as well as the speaker
has controlled legislation by saying what
should be considered and when the commit
tee on rules triumvirate has been unpopular
its members have been termed "The Man
darins," "The Oligarchy," "The High
Binders" and other aud more offensive
nameS Mr.. Crisp himself never having
been a member of the committee on rules
feels the force of the objection to its monop-
olizing the power of the House,
out of the committee this time
the chairman Of the committee on ways
and means and the chairman of the com
mittee on appropriations, substituting for
them two old parliamentarians, provided
he can find just the material needed.
Neither Of the two great committees would
suffer by the change, for all business from
the committee on ways and means or the
committee on appropriations is privileged
any way.
TO INCREASE THE MEMBERSHIP.
Another change contemplated by the
speaker is to increase the membership of
the two committees so as to make the COM
mittee on ways and means fifteen members,
of whom five could be northern democrats
five southern democrats and five northern
republicans. making it northern commit
tee two to one, and so as to make the COM
m1ttee on appropriations equal
10 the task of preparing all
the appropriation bills If that
should lie put upon 1t in the interest of
seems likely Mr.. Mills will be offered the
craftsmanship of the committee on ways aud
means, it being understood that he will ac-
cep;; M :. Holman the Craftsmanship of
the committee on appropriations, and MIR.
Springer of coinage, II he does not get the
ways and means cnairmanship.
NOT APT TO DECIDE BEFORE To- MORROW.
Bvthe associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The speaker this
afternoon had not yet decided upon his
cole CUES on the committee on rules, and
the probabilities are that no conclusion will
be reached until the House reconvenes on
Saturday, and perhaps not until next
week. The speaker has given some con-
sidera!ion TO the suggestions which
members have offered him in favor of a re-
currence to the former policy of choosing
Of whom should be in close personal aud
political relations with the speaker. The
matter has not yet gone beyond the stage OF
informal discussion.
CARLISLE'S COURSE.
Mr.. Carlisle, when he became speaker,
departed from the prior custom of selecting
tae members Of the Committee on rules re-
gardlesS OF their committee assignments,
ana made its membership go as a matter
Of course to the chairman of the two most
important committees, namely; the ways
and means and appropriations.
Speaker Reed followed the same course.
The previous speakers, Messrs. Randall and
keifer, had selected the rules committee
8 with regard to other considerations Mr..
Blackburn and Alexander a. Stephens be-
Ing the formers associates and having
otherwise more special committee promi-
nence.
URGED TO RETURN TO THIS POLICY.
A number of democratic congressman
urge the return to this policy and represent
that Its effect would be to strengthen the
# speaker. The ways and means and appro-
prlatlons committees now have prior rights
under the rules over other committees, and
with their respective chairmen on the
# rules committee, which Is the guiding
or steering" body of the House,
tne result is represented to be disastrous to
.ne other committees, whose business may
W HpOi lduV. Inc CDeuDeTSulp Ou buo
rules committee, it is urged, should be
Al nigh enough honor without other commit
Zee assignment. except Of very ordinary
o9aracter, such as Craftsmanship, perhaps,
ol some minor committee
NooLD KEEP IN TOUCH WITH HIS PARTY.
moreover, as the chairmen Of the two
prlnclpaI committees would be the man-
users OF the work originating with their
committees, the speaker would have these
men as his active lieutenants in fiscal aud
revenue affairs aud the rules committee
members as lieutenants In other proposed
aeRisiatlon, and altogether would have an
ceilent opportunity TO keep thoroughly in
1uen with his party. 1t has been presumed
tuat ex-Speaker Reed would be one of the
minority representatives on the rules COM
,Llttee, , but under this policy such perhaps
mould not be the case, as Mr.. Reed might
prefer TO lead the minority of the committee
On ways and means.
TWO SIDES TO THE QUESTION.
IN mere are two sides, however, to the pro-
posed method of constituting the rules COM
ihttee. and the speaker also heard the OBJ
9eceions that were urged against the plan.
~ was represented that the appropriations
.Inu ways and means committees were the
most important OF all the committees, and
@ suae tneir work would be the feature of the
SESSION. 1t was urged that the chairmen of
I1<# tueS6 TWO COmflNitfaau