The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-17
M'MILLIN IS THE LEADER.
SPEAKER CRISP SPRINGS A SUR
PRISE ON TIE HOUSE.


The Tennesseean Made the Second
Member OF the Committee on Rules.
A Belief That Springer VIII Be the
Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee.
WASHINGTON, Dec 16.-speaker Crisp
announced to-day as the committee on
rules: The speaker, chairman; and Messrs.
McMillin of Tennessee, CatchiDgs of Missis-
sippi, Reed of Maine, and Burrows Of
Michigan. In doing so the speaker virtually
announced the name Of the leader Of the
democratic majority Of the House. 1t is
not Roger Q. Mills. nor William Springer,
but Benton McMillin. AS Mr.. Montgomery
Of Kentucky, one Of Speaker Crisp's closest
friends said to-day: 1.-THE speaker will have
to announce the committees next Wednes-
day before the holiday recess begins, be-
cause they will be so full of surprises that
1t will take the two weeks recess for the
House to get used to them" Mr.. Crisp's
first surprise announced to-day is a revolu-
tion In the administration of the House, the
chairman of the ways and means committee
for years the leader of the House,
is to be its leader no longer. The fact that
neither he nor the chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations would be members Of
the committee on rules was recognized as
sooD as Speaker Crisp began to seriously
consider the committee problem, but that
was but return to the practice in vogue
before Mr.. Carlisle was speaker.
THE sPEAKER's REFORM.
No one realized outside the speakers room
NNr1fN Nr dax . Nh,N ta o..
garded 1t, went SO far as to transfer the
leadership of the House from the chairman
OF the ways and means committee to the
second member of the committee on rules
But 1t goes just that far. Hereafter Mr..
McMillin will make all the motions
peculiar to the leader, as he will
present all important reports from the
committee on rules, includiug the new rules
themselves, which will be without impor-
tantichange from the old rules of the House
which Speaker Reed laid aside, and all or
ders for business, 80 far as the leadership is
concerned. 1t no more matters now who is
appointed chairman Of the ways and means
committee than Ii does who will be APP
pointed chairman of the committee on APP
preparations. Each chairman will lead
when business from his committee Is up,
but it Wills always be as
secondary leader. Speaker Crisp has finally
chairman Of the committee on ways and
means. His friends, who believe that he
will make q grave mistaKe In not offering
this Craftsmanship to Mr.. Mills, may induce
him TO change this determination, but they
have less hope Of it than they ever had since
Mr.. McMillin has been announced as leader
and the argument based on Mr.. Springer's
incapacity to lead has failed.
SPRINGER DISAPPOINTED.
Mr.. Springer, who confidently expected
the leadership and supposed he would be a
member at least of the committee on rules,
is almost as much disappointed as IL he had
been told by Mr.. Crisp that he could not
have the Craftsmanship of the committee on
ways and means. If he could not have the
place Mr.. McMillin has, he thinks he
ought to have had the place MIR. Crisp
gave his personal lieutenant, Mr.. Catchings
of Mississippi. If Mr.. Crisp makes Mr..
Springer chairman of the ways and means
committee, he will not, it is believed, add
to the humiliation of Mr. Mills by putting
him second on that committee, but will give
him an independent Craftsmanship. The
ways and means committee would stand,
probably: Messrs Springer, chairman;
McMillin of Tennessee. Breckinridge of
Arkansas, Breckenridge Of Kentucky, Will
son of West Virginia, Turner of Georgia,
Outhwaite of Ohio, Stevens of Massachu-
setts, Fitch Of New York, Bryan of Nebraska,
democrats, and Reed of Maine, Burrows of
Michigan, McKenna of California, Payne
of New York and Harmer of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Mills will take, it is believed, whatever
committee place is rendered him, unless it is
too unimportant. But he will feel free to
take part in the consideration Of measures
from all the committees, including the ways
and means, even If he should not be MEM
ber of it.
NOTHING CERTAIN.
Late this evening when asked wheUher it
was settled that Mr.. Springer was to be
chairman of the ways and means commit
tee, Speaker Crisp said: Nothing is SET
tied about the committees until 1t is an
nounced. hope to announce all the cons
mittees by next Wednesday, and to take
the next train for home, stopping nowhere
until reach Americus.n