The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-11-30
COMMITTEE GHAlRNRN.
Guesses Regarding Speaker Reeds
Chief Lieutenants.
FOR HOUSE OFFICES.

Alexander Mcdowell, Of Pennsylvan Will
Probably be Chosen Clerk and Bsnjs-
min r. Russell, OF Missouri. scrgeant-at-
Arms-Repubiican Caucus Tonight.
WASHINGTON, Nov. so.-The president
came into town yesterday, and the cabinet
gathered for the last time before the as
sembling of congress. Naturally the an
nusl message Of the president WINS the
leading topic Of discussion, the reports of
the cabinet having all been prepared with
the exception Of those Of the secretary
OF the treasury and the attorney gen
eral. The message itself Is nearing com
pletion rapidly, and ut the printing Office
all preparations have been made for its
handling 1t 10 understood that the docu-
ment will be Of about the same length of
last years communication, making per
haps IL, 900 words, although in the event
that It Is deemed necessary to reserve for
treatment in a special and later message
the discussion Of Cuban and Venezuelan
affairs the principal message may be short
ened correspondingly.
. Ex-Speaker aud Speaker-to-be Reed is
guarding the makeup Of the house COM .
mittee with the greatest caro-. As his Sc
lections as speaker was a foregone con-
clusion, ho has had ample opportunity
during the recess to block out the COM
mittees and decide upon tie various chair
manships. The members themselves gem
orally wrote TO him their views and as
pirations. 1t is believed that before he
arrived here almost all the important
places had been decided upon. Il Is under
stood, though, that a few Of the important
assignments are yet In controversy. 1t il
probable that Mr.. Reed will consult ex-
Speaker Crisp and other Democrat leaders
as to the minority representation on the
committees.
From the best information obtainable IL
seems likely Serene H. Payne IN. " will
lead the Ways and means committee; Mr.
Hill ellis )forelgnaffairs; Henderson (Ia.I
appropriations; Grosvenor 20. y rivers and
harbors, Walker (Mass.) banking and
currency; Hepburn tIa. }. Interstate com
merce. Mr.. Dingley, OF Maine, who was
talked Of In connection with the chair
manship Of ways and means, in order not
: TO embarrass Mr.. Reed, consented to hay
ing the craftsmanship go TO Mr.. Payne.
He will, however, be n member of the
ways and means committee, and will be
given second place on banking and cur
rency Mr.. Dalzell, OF Pennsylvania, an
other aspirant for the Craftsmanship of tho
ways and means committee, will remain
on that committee, and will also be given
place on foreign affairs
Ohio and Indiana having declared for
Mcdowell and Glenn for clerk and door
keeper, respectively, Of tho house, there is
now practically no doubt OF the election of
cx- Representative Mcdowell as clerk, al
though General Henderson, of Illinois,
says he is still In the race. Mr. Mellow
ellis friends are claiming today that he
has 1870 votes, and while General Hender-
sons supporters do not concede SO many,
the majority of them admit the strong
probability of the election of tho Pennsyl-
vania man by d considerable majority.
The present slate for the elective Offices
OF the house reads: Clerk, Alexander Nc
Dowe1l Of Pennsylvania; sergennt-at-
arms, Benjamin r. Russell of Missouri;
doorkeeper, w. J. Glenn of New York:
post master. j. 9. McElroy of Ohio; chap
lain, Rev. Mr.. Fisher Of Kansas. The Re-
publican house caucus will be held to-
night.
Ex-Speaker Crisp arrived here yesterday,
and after consultation with some of the
Democratic leaders 1t was decided to hold
the houss Democratic caucus this after
noon at Q O'Clock. The caucus probably
will be very brief, as no attempt will be
made to outline a policy for the coming
session. The line Of tactics to be pursued
by the Democrats will depend upon the de-
velopment Of the majority. The caucus
will select minority candidates for the
house offices, undoubtedly renominating
the officers of the Fifty-third house of rep
resentatives, caucus chairman and an
officer to represent the minority as q
whip on tho floor will be chosen. Judge
Holman, of Indiana. who has been chnir-
man of the Democratic caucus for several
congresses, Is not in the present house,
and It is generally believed that the eau
Gus will select Amos ]. Cummings, of
New York, for this honor.
There is growing probability that the
senate Republicans, mt their caucus on
Monday next, will decide to attempt to
reorganize the senate on Republican lines,
tenn will then be decided upon. There is a
difference of opinion as to the wisdom OF
attempting more than the election OF a
presiding officer in the beginning but the
preponderance of opinion Is that action ut
that time will be confined to this Office If
the Republican candidate succeeds in this
contest the Republicans then will place
candidates in the field for the other elective
offices.
So far Senator Frye's name is the only
one heard in connection with the office of
president pro tempore, but there are sew
eral aspirants for the other offices. Among
those who arc spoken Of for secretary of
the senate are Hon. George C. Gorham,
who formerly held this office; Mr.. Dur
fee who was for many years clerk of the
senate committee on finance, and George
Baber of kentucky. For sergeant-at-a arms
e. X. Valentine of Nebraska, ex sergeant
alarms; Captain G. A. Curtice Of New
Hampshire, Major Grant of North Caro-
lima and Mr.. Shaw Of the state Of Wash
ington are already In the field.