Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-08-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Comm ittee Appointments Cause
Great Surprises-Speeches on
the Money Question.


We have been treated to few sur
prises within the last week. Speaker
Crisp, who we supposed was going tt
wait until September before he an
nounced the committees, turned the
wheel, and gave us the whole grist with
out any ceremony. The Speaker has re-
sisted all pressure brought to bear upon
him in favor of Springer and Holman
and has given the N orthern wing of the
Democracy setback by placing two
practically Southern men, in their places
No one doubts the ability of either-es
pecially is this true in the case of Mr.
Wilson, the new chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee. The Presidents
hand is clearly seen in this appointment,
although the Speaker did not go the
whole length, and change Mr.. Bland. No
doubt one reason of Mr.. BANDS reten-
tion is, that the Speakers district
American, Ca, districts free silver in
sentiment. Mr.. Springer is the man that
is receiving the most sympathy. He is
placed at the head of the Banking and
Currency Committee committe upon
which he has placed little attention in
the past, and he keenly feels his removal.
His great ambition to lead in the tariff
fight to come, has been utterly annihila-
ted. Ohio comes out of the fight with
two chairmanships- on Mill
tary Affairs, and Pearson on Enrolled
Bills; and Mr.. Holman will have to be
content with Indian Affairs for the next
two years. The South has taken the
plums. One of the most ridiculous ap-
pOintments is Moses, of Ga, as chairman
of the Committee ON Pensions. He is
expected to be the Moses that will lead
Hoke Smith out of the wilderness, that
he has wandered into on the pension busi-
ness. McCreary takes Foreign Affairs,
for which he is well fitted, and the same
can be said of Cummings, of N. Y, who
gets the Naval Committee.
| Another surprise was Senator Dan
Voorhees, speech in favor of the repeal
of the Sherman act. Dan can make pref
ty fair speech when ingalls, is not around,
and the crowded Senate floor and CALLER
les. showed the interest taken in his last
flop on the money question. VOORHEES,
was bound to be with the administration
any way, and also tried to show he was
consistent with his past record, and be-
tween the two he had rough sailing in
spite of his eloquence. 1t is not possible,
is it, that the President is with Dan on
the five points he submitted for RENE
dy for the existing evils? And yet Voor-
hees spoke as though he represented
somebody, and his eulogy on the Presi-
dent was cheered in the galleries. He
planted himself squarely ON the plank in
the Democratic platform repeating the
tax on State Banks.
Voorhees, was followed on the same
afternoon by Senator Palmer, of ILL.,, on
the same side of the repeal question. The
repeal side of the question is gaining
ground in the Senate, we think, as some
who were counted as sure by the silver
men, are going the other way. Senator
Morrill,, the father of the Senate, made
an able speech the other day. The old
gentleman holds his own well, and Yer
mont may well be pleased with him, as he
is her pride.
The Senate of this Fifty-third Con-
gress is fine looking body of men,
Among the new members we notice
Lodge, of Mass, who has taken the place
of Henry d. Damer, who for IS years
Represented Massachusetts in the up
per house. Lodge made fine record in
the House, and we predict he will make
worthy successor of Mr.. Damer. By
the-way. Damer took Charles Summers
place in the Senate. although Ex-Governor
Washburne served for a few months di-
rectly after Summers death. Senator
Murphy, Dave Hills "Me too"-presents
very fine appearance, and seems man
of some force. Senator Hill gave us
something of sensation by opposing
any delay into an investigation of Comp
troIler Eckels' action allowing certain
privileges to National Banks in New
York. Voorhees, was anxious the ques-
tion should not be pressed now, and
Senator Hoar had made motion to refer
it to the Finance Committee, which
would leave it in Voorhees, hands, Hill
expressed himself as against delay, and
when Mr.. German, in his delicate way,
limited it would be well to let it be so re-
ferred, Mr.. Hill pretty sharply informed
the Senator that he was not bound by any
rules or regulations concerning his line
of action, excepting his own judgment.
Senator Hill has not been able to forget
his old feelings toward President Cleve,
land, and he seems liable to break out
at any time unless he is handled with
gloves.
Secretaries Gresham and Carlisle al e
said to be working night and day, among
the prominent southern Senators, to
bring them into line on definite policy.
Whether Senator Voorhees, speech is an
outline of that policy remains to be seen.
The President will be here soon, it is said,
and some have hope that the financial
question will be disposed of by September
18th. 1t surely will not, unless the silver
Senators give up the fight. and they are
not of that kind of disposition at pres-
ent. The new chairman of the Ways
and Means, and of the Appropriations
Committees are both quoted as SAVING
that the tariff question will not be enter
ed into at the present session, and that
Congress will adjourn as soon as the sill
yer question is disposed of If the silver
question can be disposed of, there is no
doubt it would be good politics, as well a;
the best thing for the business interests
of the country, to adjourn at once after
ward.