The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-11
TIE SPEAKER BUSY.

TIE SPEAKER BUSY.
The house not being in session, it was
comparatively IN idle day Tor the mem
bcrs, but Tor the now speaker it was
one OF arduous and unrcmittinc toll.
His private room, just outside the house
lobby, was never deserted, and consul
tations with party leaders on the policy
to be pursued during the Congress and
the !ittest men to carry out the work to
be done were almost continuous, and
such time as remained was devoted to
an accumulation OF correspondence or to
persons who desire tho speakers assis-
tance in one way or another to attain
some object they have in view.
Senator Mandcrson to-day rcintro-
duccd bill similar in purpose to the
one introduced by him last session to
increase the efficiency of the infantry
OF the army The bill provides for the
increase OF infantry regiments to twelve
companies, oiliccrcd as at present, with
tho addition OF junior officers for the
two proposed additional companies.
The bill also proposes to increase the
enlisted mcu>in thcarmv to 10000 men.
The senate to-day broke the record in
the way OF measures introduced in
single day, there having been Gl2 bills
and eight joint resolutions presented.
This is about lO0 more than ever before
introduced in one day.
NOT YET DECIDED.
Tho speaker this afternoon had not
yet decided upon his colleagues on tho
rules committee, and the probabilities
are that no conclusion will be reached
until tho house rcconvones Saturday
and perhaps not until next week. The
speaker has given some consideration
10 suggestions which members have
offered him in favor OF q recurrence to
the iormcr policy OF choosing the men,
bcrs of the committee, the majority OF
which should be in close personal and
political relations with the speaker.
The matter has not yet gone beyond the
stage OF informal discussion.
Mr.. Carlisle, when he became speaker
departed from the custom oil selecting
members OF the committee OH rules re-
gardlcss OF their committee assign
ments, and made its membership 30 rs
IL matter OF course to the chairmen OF
the two most important committees,
namely ways and means and appropri-
ations.
Speakers Randall and Keller had Sc
lectcA the rules committee with regard
TO other considerations, MeSsrs. Black
burn and Alexander II. Stephens being
the formers associates and having 9TH
crwise special committee prominence
WANT A RETURN.
A number OF Democratic congress
men urge 4 return to that policy, and
represent that its effect would be to
strengthen the speaker. The ways and
means and appropriation committees
now have prior rights under the rules
over their respective chairmcn on the
rules committee, which is the guiding
or Steering" body ot,tho house. The
result is represented to be disastrous to
other committees, whose business may
be important. Membership this rules
committee, it is urged. should be OF
high honor without other committee as
signmcnt except OF n very ordinary
character, such as the chairmanship,
perhaps, OF some minor committee.
Moreover. rs the fchairmen oi the two
principal committees would DO theman-.
ayers oi work originating with the COM
mittecs, the speaker would have these
men rs his active lioutonants in fiscal
and revenue affairs, and the rules COM
mittecmembers as lieutenants i'll other
proposed legislation, and togetherwoula
nave an excellent opportunity to keep
thoronshlyin touch with his party.
REED NOT IN IT. 4
1t has been presumed that cx-Spcaker
Reedwould be ono Of the minority rep,
resenta,ives in tho rules committee,