New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-09
SPEAKER CRISP'S PROBLEM.
BaARRANGING THE HOUSE COMMITTEES.
EMBARRASSING CLAIMS OF PROMINENT DEMO
CRATs-A LIVELY SCRAMBLE FOR
fsY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUXE.l


Washington. Dec. s.-of course all sorts OF rumors
aHoat about committee chairmanshlps and assign
ments and all sorts of wires being pulled by
aspiring and ambitious Representatives to obtain
certain desirable places. Among the rumors to-day
to the effect that Mr. Springer Is to be chair
man Of Ways and Means. but it found few beleVers.
1t is generally expected that the Craftsmanship VIII
be offered to Colonel Mills and that IL he shall decline
1t may 60 to Mr.. McMillin. of Tennessee, who hn-
doubtedly would have received it il Colonel Mills had
been chosen Speaker, although Mr. Bynum was under
stood to be candidate for it. with expectations Of
success. Some Of Colonel Mlss friends assert that
he will decline the Craftsmanship II it be offered to
him. but he will probably think at least twice before
doing So unless the report be true that he intends to
resign his seat in the House and become candidate
for the United States Senate. There is no doubt that
Colonel Mills is deeply vexed well as disappointed
on account of his defeat for the Speakershp and there
Is doubt either that he regards the members Of his
party In the House who refused to support him as
lacking in Judgment and wisdom. as well as being
blind ingrates. The doctrine of tariff REFORM is
very dear and precious to him. and he doubtless be-
leves that its future success has been impered il
not sacrificed by his defeat.
AS TO the Appropriations Committee, there is
doubt that Judge Holman expects to be Its chair
man; and the belief is rather general that his ex
pectatlon will be realized, although General Forney,
of Alabama who is the senior Democratic member OF
port,rs, while all the other Democratic members
espoused the cause OF Mills. Judge Holman
chaInan of the committee during the second session
of the XLIVth Congress- and the height Of his
ambition is to regain the place which he lost by his
failure to be reelected to the following Congress Mr.
Holman believes that, chairman Of the committee,
he could cut down the appropriations, If not the
necessary cost of the public SERVICE at least 100000
900 for the next fiscal year.
1t is believed that Colonel O'Ferra, Of Virginia.
be chairman Of the Committee on Elections, OF
which he is tho senior Democratic member, unless he
shall prefer place Way and Means or Appropria-
tons There is not much doubt that the latter COM
mittee will be thoroughly reoganzed, so far at least
the Democratic membership Is concerned The
only Republicans who members of that committee
in the last Congress and who reelected Messrs
Henderson, of Iowa; COgswell Of Massachusetts,, and
Belden OF New-Iork.
In making up his list OF chairmanships Of com
mittees Speaker Crisp will be considerably embarrassed
by the fact that nearly all his most active and in
nuential supporters of long experience, who
held places near the head OF the minority Of the
several committees TO which they belonged. OFerrall
and Cultivate were second and third On the Com
mittee on Elections; Oates Of Alabama was second on
Judiciary-Culbers0n, who had been chairman in the
Lth Congress- and who supported Mills for Speaker,
being at the head OF the minority FOrney, also Of
Alabama, at the head Of the minority on ApprO-
prations; Herbert of the same State, who had been
chairman OF Naval Affairs in the preceding Congress,
was at the head of the minority in the List; Turner.
of Georgia, second on Commerce: Blanchard. OF
Louisiana. first and Catchings. of Mississippi. was
third on Rivers and Harbors Cummings was first on
Merchant Marine, and Hatch OF Missouri On Agricul
ture, OF which committee he chairman In the
XLIXth and Ith Congresses Wheeler, OF Alabama, was
second Military Affairs; Blount of Georgia, was
first OF Postoffces and Postroads; Holman was first
on Public Lands; Peel, Of Arkansas, was first on
Indian Affairs; Springer first Territories, OF
which he chairman i'll the preceding Congress
fIemphill, of south Carolina, first District OF
Columbia, and Montgomery OF Kentucky, who managed
Judge Crsp's canvass with such ability, skill and
success, was fifth PostOices and PostrOads.
All these men, well as Others whose names have
been omitted, doubtless feel that they have claims upon
the Speaker which cannot fairly be disregarded or
ignored. The scramble Is TO be lively speaker
Crisp will find for all his powers of persuasion and
diplomacy, and when he had done his best, good
many Of the who supported him. and much
larger number of these who supported Mills. will be
disappointed. The difficulties OF the situation are
greatly increased, Of coursc ~ the unusually large
number of Democratic claimants for places, the num-
Der of which is greater than usual Perhaps some
of the committees may be enlarged to meet the
emergency.