The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-27
Mr.. CRISp'S COMMITTEES.
PEN-AHD.TwK sKETCHEs OF FEE
LEADING CBAxRarEN.

TIE Keccrd OF Col. O'Ferrnn or yrrss~s~-
Springer OF Illinois ana the wsyp N.
Observation-Disclosures or sAe wsteh-6e.
and OF s,iverssoiiar Biane-Lers nseo.,,
Descendant at the Head or RsnhsHx a~t
turrency-noRer q. Mills and ce..erss
WASHINGTON. Dec. 26-Tt 10 not much OF ,
job to analyze Crisp's committees. They ar,
no better and no worse than those appointed
by former Speakers. Mr.. Crisp. like his pfede
cessors. mpy have rewarded some OF tn,
friends who stood by him in the struggle for
the nomination, but not unduly at the expense
OF those who were opposed to him. There
are ffty-four committees Twenty-three OF
the Chairmanships went to members who had
voted against him. and only thirty-one &c
those who were with him from the beginning
to the end. Crisp has done fully as well as did
Speaker Carlisle after Mr.. Hand alrs defeat
and certainly better than did Speaker Reed BY
the friends Of his four opponents. Nine Chair
manships were given to men who voted for
Roger @. Mills on the final ballot Pen-and-
ink sketches Of the Chairmen Of leading com.
mittees may be read with interest
THE LEADING coMMrrTER
The leading committee on the roll OF the
House is the Committee on Elections. Its
Chairman is Col. Charles T. O'Ferrall Of Hsrri-
sonburgh. Va. Tho Colonel was 81 years old
last October. He Is tall. and has . command
ing figure. BE has blue eyes. Roger A. Pryor
features. and thick gray hair standing out
from his head like brush heap The Colonel
dresses with extreme neatness. He has q good
voice and Is an effective speaker. Col O'Fer-
rail- was prominent candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for Governor before the last
State election. In May. 1881. he entered the
Confederate service rs a private and at the close
Of the war was In command OF the Confederate
cavalry In the Shenandoah Valley. In a flRht
in the valley he was shot through the ,unrs
After the war he studied law at Washington
College. Va. and afterward located In Harri.
sonburgh. He has been a member Of Assem-.
bly,. a County Judge, and Democratic State
Canvassser. Col O'Ferrall served second to
Crisp on the COMMITTEES of Elections in the
Fiftieth and Fifty-first Conpressea He was
Crisp's lieutenant in the flpht which resulted
In the seating of Iaugston. Tom Reed at one
time ruled that he had no right to read from
the record OF the evidence in the case while ON
the floor, but was forced to withdraw the ar
bitrary ruling under the protest of Major
Mckinley and others, Col. OFerrall was an
Titled to his Chairmansbin from his rant IN
the Committee. aside from his warm interest
in Mr. Cri.p's canvass. He ia eneroetic AHA
and industrious, and will make modal CHAIR.
man. -
THE WAYS AND MEANS.
William NJ Springer. the new Chairman Of
the Ways and Means. became member Of the
House in 1875. two years after Roger @. Mills
first to- K the oath. He was born In Indiana
ffty-fve years ago last May. He studied law.
ed't"d Democratic newspaper. and served
cne term in the Illinois Legislature before en-
tering Congress- For sixteen years ne
been IN untirtng worker in committee 1
upon the floor of the House. He opposed to
the last the stealing Of the Presidency from
Samuel j. Tiden. and has been prominent In
many Investigations Of Republican robberies
ard peculations. He was Chairman Of the
Committee on Territories in the Fiftieth Con-
gress. The great Northwest owes him debt
Of gratitude. 1t was owing to his efforts
that the two Dakotas. Montana. and WASH
ipgton were admitted into the Union.
Springer was confident that Montana and
Washington would prove Democratic States.
and he had strong hopes that North Dakota
would go the same way No man was more
chagrined when the Republicans panned eight
United States Senators and five representa-
tfvrs out OF the transaction. springer's ac-
ton. although sustained by SUNSET Cox and
other prominent Democrats. was taken In the
face OF resolution passed by Democratic
.S>'NNN' 80 "'ASas sAASS tsSAsASAkssS' AAOAOc
luton insisted upon the passage of an
omnibus bill providing for the admis-
sion OF the Democratic Territories OF New
Mexico and Arizona on the same terms as
the other Territories II the Republican Sem
ate refused to accept this. the Democrats In
the House were to vote down the bill and adj
nit no new Estates. leaving the responsibility
where 1t belonged. Mr. Cox was Chairman OF
the caucus. but he followed Mr.. Springer In
breaking away.
Mr.. Springer Is six feet tall. broad shoulder
ed and rather nervous In manner. He has
gray ham. grizzled beard. close cropped. and
regular features. He has never before been
member OF the Ways and Means. He wears
statesman's frock coat and dark clothes. A
rose always rests in the lapel Of his coat.
the gift of his wife. In the Fifty-frst
Congress Mr.. Springer was ever .
thorn In the side OF Tom Reed. He was
persistently on his feet with the rules OF the
House In his hand. protesting against the
Speakers tyranny His persistence at one
mad declared the Honse ad;ourn;ed and forcad