The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-12-27
Is There a Hog COmbinel

of Representatives in the Republican
caucus which proceeded the opening
of the session. A majority of the
caucus was composed of the friends
of the candidates for the elective
offices and members whom these Of
ficers could furnish with small
slice of the pork after the killing.
1t was practical politics. Just how
many slices were passed around and
Just what portion of the hog they
came from will not be known, be-
cause some members fought for the
candidates without consideration
other than the qualification of put
ing them in places. AS there was
but one candidate for rspeaker, it was
not supposed that he had been re-
quired to make any promises as to
Chairmanships of committees or
their membership. 1t was under
stood that nobody could beat Mr..
Reed, if he tried. This appeared to
leave him in perfect freedom to dis
tribute the committees among men,
bers in accordance with their capaci-
| ty, and with reference to the reason
able expectations of different states
and sections. AS congressman were
all elected thirteen months before
Congress met, many supposed that
Mr.. Reed had thoroughly informed
| 1. r. a, fn ntn
character and capacities, and that
he had gently exercised his massive
brain, while enjoying the cool
breezes of Orchard Beach during the
summer months, by arranging the
House Committees. But to the sur"
prise of such people, the Speaker
took three weeks of the session of
Congress to decide npon his COM
mittees, and submitted himself, dur
that time, to the rough wear and
tear of the general scramble of Re-
publican members for his ear and
for his favor. The press dispatches
informed the country from day to
dav of the wrestling between differ
ent aspirants for the same Chairman
ship, and of the varying fortunes of
these contests. "Joe" Cannon and
"Dave" Henderson, as their loving
friends designate them, fought a
battle royal for the Craftsmanship of
the Appropriations Committee, while
Dingley and Dalzell made as fierce Il
fight for the Craftsmanship of the
Ways and Means Committee, which,
by the rule of succession, belonged
to Serene Payne, of New York. But
everything comes to an end some
time, and on Saturday the Speaker
announced his committees. The
total number of these Chairmanships
is fifty-siX. Thirty of them went to
the four states of New York, Penn
sylvania, Iowa and Massachusetts.
which are represented by eighty-siX
members only. The states represent
ed by the remaining one hundredand
fifty-eight members received the re-
naming twenty-siX Chairmanships.
Upon the principle that 1.-The man
than provideth not for his own house
hold is worse than an infidel," Mr..
Reed made every member of Con-
gress from his own state Chairman
of the Committee, he himself being
the Chairman of the Committee on
Rnles. To the state of Platt he gave
ten Chairmanships TO the state of
Quay he gave nine Chairmanships.
To the state of Clarkson he gave
six Chairmanships, and to the land
of the pilgrims five Chairmanships.
The two Congressman from Vermont
each received Craftsmanship, and
the two Representatives from Oregon
were honOred in like manner. Platt,
Quay and Clarkson having been
thus literally served, the remaining
plums had to be distributed on a
more niggardly scale. The great
state of Ohio received but one Chair
manship, and the great state of
Indiana received just the same con-
sideration. The lone Chairmanship
which was received by each was of
no consequence, except that it was a
Craftsmanship. For the first time in
the history of the state the mem bers
of Congress from Indiana are all
Republicans, and only one was given
u Craftsmanship. Some people jump
ed to the conclusion that Mr.. Reed
had thus sighted Ohio and Indiana
for the purpose of snubbing and in
sulting Governor Mckinley and Cen
eral Harrison. They argued that
the committeeships had been traded
off for prospective national delegates
and that to Ohio and Indiana, whose
national delegates are already pledg-
ed against Mr.. Reed, and for their
own favorite sons, he had applied
the rule of ''no song, no supper"
They said the '.hog combine" in the
election of the House officers had
been eolipsed by the hog combine in
the selection of the committees. OF
course, the appearances are at pres
ent against Mr.. Reed. 1t does look
as though Mr.. Quay was expected to
do something for him at the National
Convention in exchange for all these
committee plums for his Pennsyl-