Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10
How Mr.. Reed Will Organize the
Next House.
ON NATIONAL, NOT SECTIONAL, LINES
CIsvelands Veto VIII Prevent Any
Radical Legislation.
BUSINESS WILL BE PROMPT

1t does not seem to ADMIT OF douDt
that Thomas b. Reed will be next Speaker
of the House of Representatives. Assum-
ing that this is true he win go into the
office under most advantageous conditions
He will be under pledges to no man in the
organization Of the House. He will not
even be hampered by the question Of pre-
cedence involving the selection of the
member of his party senior on each COM
mittee to be it's chairman. There will be
In the Fifty fourth Congress hardly any
republicans who were chairmen under Mr..
Reed during the Fifty-first Congress. He
will have the whcle wide range of the
country within which &c make his selec-
tions. He will have 257 and possibly more
republicans to select his leaders from and
will not even be embarrassed to find good
republicans from the south whom he may
honor with chairmanships. Heretofore
Speakers have found themselves unable to
properly apportion the committee chairman
ships among the several states for the rea-
son that long time OF service entitled GER
tain men, sometimes several in the same
state, to leading chairmanships, and the
absence OF party representation from GER
tain sections barred them from representa-
ton.
Reed Will be relieved from all this and be
at Hbeiiy TO put in practice different
theories he may have as to the proper man.
ner of oIganizilg the House of Representa-
tiyes. He mas some very pronounced views
on this subject, more 50 than when he was
Speaker Of the Fifty-iirst Congress. He
then tried to avoid sectionalism and to dis
tribute his favors as widely as consistent
with the situation, but now his views are
expanded and his opportunity freer. 1t is
believed that If chosen Speaker he will en-
other House and make up the committees
IL he were dealing with the first Con-
gress of the nation. There are a few men,
such as Hit, ID. +. Henderson, DiDgley,
Cannon, Bingham, Dalzell and Burrows
should Burrows not be elected to the Sem
ate, whose prominence in the House during
term of years will insure trst rccogni-
tion, but ther are so few of these that
there will be an abundant opportunity to
recognize new men oe character and to
distribute the committee honorS equitably
between the several sections of the coun-
try.
Reed is broad minded and not given to
sectionalism. He believes that every state
in the Union is interested in the legislation
of the nation, and that, as far as the char
acter of the men elected permits it, each
state should be given fair representation in
the organization. There will De 80 many
quire very careful study of the personnel
to determine what men should be selected
for the high honors; but the Speaker will
be assisted in this by the state delegations,
who will themselves give recognition to
their leaders and SO indicate to the Speaker
the master minds of the assemblage. A big
responsibility, without full power 10 ac-
complish legislation, falls upon the repub-
licans on their taking possession of the
Senate and House of Representatives. at the
beginning of the next Congress. 1t will be
easy for them to make hurtful mistakes,
and, in the enthusiasm of success and nu-
merical strength, to forget that in the abb
sence of two-third majority in the Senate
they will. during the whole Congress, be
subject to the veto of Mr.. Cleveland. What
ever they do in direct antagonism to Mr..
Cleveiands views can amount 10 no more
than declaration of their purposes, and
all aggressive republican legislat ton must
necessarily fail. 1t will be important for
the republicans, therefore, to lie. the public
understand at the start, and to Keep con-
stantly before them the fact, that the Fifty
fourth Congress, though overwhelmingly re-
publican In the House and IN republican
control in the Senate, must be "do-noth-
ing" Congress. This has already occurred
to many republicans who, from their prom
inence, will have a directing hand in the
party policy.
No Repeal of the German Tariff.
Mr.. Reed is said to be fully impressed
with the gravity of the situation and the
necessity for calmness and caution and of
promptness in whatever action that is to lie
taken. Many republicans throughout the
country-business men without legislative
experience-may expect 1T to follow prompt
ly upon the republican success that the
German tariff bill be repealed and a bus-
nesslike protection measure put in its place.
1t is said hat Mr.. Reed holds to the
opinion that it would be unwise to have any
general agitation of the question 50 long
as no actual legislation can be accom-
phshed. The republican position does not
need 10 be defined. No general tariff bill is
necessary merely an evidence that the
republican party is the party of protection.
1t Is believed, therefore, that the Fifty
fourth Congress will do no more on the
tariff than to pick out of the present law
features which are obviously bad from
every point OF view not involving the ques-
tion of protection and free trade but of
common sense and good business principles
without reference to any theories and at
tempt the correction and adjustment of
these items so as to make the law under
which the country must operate until the
power lies somewhere to repeal il as good
IL can be made.
Agitation Will Accomplish Nothing
The argument is presented that agitation
OF the tariff question beyond this point will
accomplish nothing, would keep up the feel
ing OF unrest, and possibly bring criticism
be helpless In the matter. The same situa-
ton involves radical legislation of any
other sort well as the tariff. No inan-
cial measure nor propositions relating to
federal elections, and indeed nothing else
but appropriation bills can be enacted into
laws. 1t is regarded probable, therefore.
and believed to consist with the ideas of
Mr.. Reed and other republican leaders, that
the t1fty-fourth Congress will have but
brief sessions. An opportunity will be
given TO show the country what business
Congress can do In short time Mr. Reed
likes to give the country object lessons, and
here Will be furnished his opportunity All
the records necessary to be made as an
evidence OF good faith to the. public can be
spread where all may read without con-
suming much time. Mr.. Reeds parliament
tary hand book viii furnish the rules for
the House to operate under, and, being
thus freed from the annoyance of flibuster-
ing and the consumption of time in talking,
II will be easy to speedily dispose of the
appropriation bills. and to pass any other
measures which the threats of the presi-
Dental veto will not render 1t desirable to
refrain from. 1t is believed that probably
the most venturesome thing to be expected
from the Fifty-fourth Congress is some
financial proposition which will serve to
clearly define the attitude of the party and
to exemplify their capacity for dealing with
Ak.t