New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-22
CRISP MAKING HEADWAY.
THE MILLS FACTION AND pRECEDENTs.

HAS BEEN PLACED BY DEMOCRATIC
SPEAKERS PROBABLE MAKEUP
OF IMPORTANT COMMITTEES.
iBY rrLsenArH TO rAK rnBUSLI
Washington Dec. 2I.-Speaker Crisp has made
such headway with his difficult task OF committee
making that there now appears to he no doubt
that he will be able to finish 1t and announce
the result when the House meets on "wednesday,
Probably the result will be as satisfactory IN the
main as IL he should dawde over the task for six
weeks, as Speaker Carlisle did eight years ago.
There is an unusual amount of speculation as TO
the theory and plan adopted by Speaker Crisp in
framing the committees, and some OF the leaders
Of the Mills faction have already begun to say
II is apparent that the men who supported the
Sage Of Corsirana are ito be punished" for so
doing. There Is slim evidence of any such purpose
on the part Of the Speaker. unless 1t b. found in
the fears Of the men who in advance have chosen
TO impeach the fairness and integrity Of Judge
Crisp
The case Of Colonel Mills Of course is cited on
every occasion as evidence of the Speakers un-
fairness and narrow-mindedness, and vast deal
Of nonsense has been talked and written about it.
What are the pertinent facts? 1t is contended
that precedent requires that Colonel Mills shall be
chairman of Ways and Means. just as the logic
Of the situatio required his election Speaker.
Let las see In the XLIvth Congress Speaker Kerr
did not appoint his strongest competitor Mr.. Ran
dali, chairman Of Ways and Means. but gave the
place to William r. Morrison, of Illinois, who was
not q candidate for Speaker at all. In the ALVth
Congress Speaker Randall did not appoint
Mr.. Blackburn. who was his chief competitor.
chairman Of Ways and Means, but appointed
Fernando Wood, OF New-York, in the place, and
gave the craftsmanship of Appropriations to Mr.
Atkins, of Tennessee who had supported him M
the Speakership contest. When Mr.. Carlisle was
chosen Speaker in the XLVIllth Congress he did
not appoint Mr. Randall, who had been his chief
opponent, as chairman Of Ways and Means, but
gave the place to Colonel Morrison. younger and
much less able and conspicuous member In the
XLIVth Congress Mr. Randall was the leader, by
virtue not only Of his long experience but OF
his stubborn fight against the Election bill in
the preceding Congress, in which memorable
struggle he had covered himself with glory and
won the admiration and gratitude of his party,
especially Of the Southern wing Of it.
No Democrat will now say that Mr.. Randall
did not tower head and shoulders above Wood or
Morrison or Mills, both as statesman and par
liamcntary leader, whether in the minority or the
majority, and yet three Democratic Speakers in
succession refused to give him the chairmanship
Of Ways and Means and bestowed it upon the
men who have been named. Non only that but
the emlnently fair and just Speaker Carlisle aided
and abetted ir infcting even greater and more
severe punishment upon Mr.. Randall by curtailing
the authority and limiting the jurisdiction of the
Appropriations Committee. OF which he was chair
man. Nay, more some Of the very men who arc
now whining in advance about punishment
urged that still heavier and more severe punish
ment be inflicted upon Mr. Randall by depriving
him of the chairmanship of the Committee Of
Appropriations. And yet they never heard him
whine saw him sulk.
Again, it il asserted that it. would be contrary
to precedent and that Speaker Crisp cannot afford
to appoint the chairman of both Ways and Means
and Appropriations from the North or from ad-
joining States Speaker Kerr appointed the chair
men Of those committees from Illinois and Penn
sylvana. Speaker Carlisle appointed a chairman
Of Ways and Means from Illinois and chairman
of Appropriations from Pennsylv ania--both North
ern Stats; and both Speaker Kerr and Speaker
Carlisle did SO when a majority Of the Democratic
membership Of the House represented districts
south of Mason and Dixons line And now, wh,n
the membership number of Northern Democrats
exceeds that of Southern Democrats, it is solemnly
declared that precedent forbids the appointment
Of the chairmen of both these committees from
the North and that the Speaker cannot afford to
do it, although it was repeatedly asserted by
Colonel A1ills's friends during the Speakershp
fight that he would do so if elected
SO much for Democratic precedents, which it
will he seen are fatty opposed to the contention
of Colonel Mills and his partisans
Now, to the demand that Colonel Mills must
be appointed chairman of Ways and Means in
order to avert disaster to the Democratic party.
This seems to be a survival, at least an at
tempted revival in different FORM Of the logic of
the situation" which was supposed to have
perished in the Speakershp caucus. Indeed,
Colonel Breckenridge, of Kentucky, who was one
of the sincerest if not most demonstrative mourn
ers on that sad OCCASION and who yet refuses
to be comforted, declares. In conversation with
a correspondent Of The Baltimore SUM-, Mr.
Breckinridge said that he greatly deplored the
condition of things in the Democratic party in
the House growing out Of the Speakership con-
test. 1t is extremely unfortunate that the course
of events should have taken such factional
turn, and unless the party leaders interpose to
check the growing hostility between the two fac
tions in the House the result is apt TO he disas-
trous to the Democratic party. He insists that
the Democratic party stands pledged TO the policy
of tariff REFORM and should not relax its efforts TO
emphasize the principles upon which il made such
gratifying gains in the Northwest and the East
during the last Congressional elections. When
asked il he deemed 1t wise TO bring in a general
tariff bill although there is prospect of passing
il through a Republican Senate or securing its
approval by Republican President, he replied
1T Is the duty Of the Democratic party In the
House TO make the attempt and let the people of the
country know just where the party stands on that
ou.stion, He contends that the effort, even IL |
not productive of change in the existing tariff.
should be made There is no doubt that Colonel
correctly represents the views OF the
Sage of Corsicana, and that there can be only one
answer to the question "1 Colonel Mills had
been chosen Speaker, would he have appointed
Judge Crisp chairman Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee Pn or course not the "logc Of the stua- |