Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-19
COMMITTEE CHIEFS
A Look Ahead to the Next Ma.
tionaI Congress.
MEN WHO MAY BE PUT IN FRONT,
Provided That Reed Occupies the Speak
ers Chair-Pressing Questions That VIII
Make Banking and Currency and Coin
age. Weights and Measures Take High
Rank in 1mpOrtance-Chances of Re-
publican Statesmen Discussed,

publican Statesmen Discussed.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19-Democratic SEN
ators who are at present in the city de-
cline almost without exception to discuss
the probable plans of the Democratic lead
ers in the senate with reference to the sup
Elemental tariff bills at the forthcoming
short session of congress. The most of
them content themselves with saying that
they have had no opportunity for party
conference, and they do not wish at this
time to express personal opinions. 1t
woald seem probable from this that gem
eral Democratic conference among the
party members in the senate is among the
strong probabilities soon after the conven-
ing OF the next session, for the purpose of
discrimination of this point. There is a
minority on the Democratic side of the
chamber which is opposed to anv further
efforts mt tariff legislation by the present
congress
voorhees, and Harris Not Talking.
1t is also thought possible that the re.
suit of the late elections may have influ-
lnced others to take this view Senator
Voorhees,, chairman of the senate commit.
tee on finance, declines to talk for publica-
ton on all subjects connected with con-
gress or politics. Senator Harris. also a
Democratic member of this committee,
contented himself with referring an Asso-
ciated Press reporter who accosted him on
this subject to his remarks upon the point
before the adjournment of the last session.
1t is recalled that he then announced his
purpose of trying to get the supplemental
bills up ut the earliest opportunity in the
short session.
Committees in Next Congress.
The house committees which are ex-
pected to be of greatest Importance in the
next congress are the ways and means,
appropriations, rules, banking and cur
rency, coinage, weights and measures,
rivers and harbOrs and public buildings
and grounds. The first three named al
ways head the list in order of Importance.
The Others are expected to assume i'm
portance in next congocss because of the
especial conditions which will prevail dur
ing that congress. The banking commit
tee will certainly be one of the most i'm
portant committees in the entire list. if
there should be an effort, as is limited
there may be, To revise the currency laws
legislation as this would lift the commit
tee dealing with it for the time alongside
the ways and means committee
Another That VIII Rank High.
The probability of an effort to secure
silver legislation and the probability that
the Republican party when it comes into
power in the house will want TO formu-
fate policy on this question will have the
effect also OF advancing the coinage COM
mittee to a position of first rank Only
three of the Old Republican members of
the committee on banking and currency
are reelected. They are Walker of Mas
sachusetts, Russell of Connecticut and
johnson of Indiana. Walker is the sem
ior Republican member. He has from the
beginning of his congressional career
taken an active interest in financial ques-
tions and his chances of securing the
chairmanship would he the best
Reed May Have Policy.
OF the six present Republican members
of the committee on coinage, weights and
measures five have been reelected to the
Fifty-fourth congress. They are in the
order named: Stone of PENNSYLVANIA,
Johnson of North Dakota, Dnglcy of
Maine, Hager of Iowa, and Aldrich of Hi
nois. Stone would naturally become
chairman of the committee, bu; it is sug-
gesJcd that i'll ease of Reed becoming
speaker he might have Il personal policy
with reference To silver which he would
want To pursue, and in that event might
want DTngley as the leader of that com
mittee.