New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-22
MAKING HOUSE COMMITTEES
THE SPEAKERS DIFFICULT AND PER-
PLEXING TASK.
IT WILL RE UNUSUALLY ARDUoUs THIS YEAR
EVEN FOR A MAN OF MR.. REEDS EXPERT
ENCE. on ACCOUNT OF THE NUM-
REP NryV NFMRERS

ENCE. on ACCOUNT OF THE Nun
BIER OF NEW MEMBERS.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIruNEl
Washington. Nov. 2.-When the LINth Congress
assemblies IFS members OF the House OF Represen-
tatives-eXactly one-haf OF the total number-wiii
be men who served in the LID Congress. oi
these nnety-eight Republicans, seventy-siX are
Democrats. three are Popusts with Democratic
proclvtes and one-Mr. Newlands, Of Nevada-is
free-silver man. but strong Republican on other
questions. Among the l7S who were not mem
bers of the Lilo Congress are eleven men VINO
served terms IN previous Congresses
nine Of whom are Republicans and two are Demo-
Gratis. OF the l67 members who have had no legls-
lative experience whatever in Congress lS' are
Republicans, twenty-seven are Democrats ana three
Populists. 1t Will be seen by an inspection or
these figures and comparison Of them with Ike
figures for previous Congresses that the proportion
of untried Is exceptionally large, and that the
task of the Speaker I'm forming the committees VIII
be unusually difficult and perplexing one 1t
must be regarded ~ fortunate that the Speakeship
question virtually settled nearly a year ago
and that since that time Mr.. Reed has not only mad
opportunity to learn good deal about the char-
acerstics. tastes and abilities of the new members
but also to become personally acquainted with a
large proportion of them.
Even with these Advantages however, he VIII
find the task Of commirtee-makng an ariuous one.
In the LID Congress. when the number Of Re
publican members was less than one-third OF the
total. Speaker Crisp gave to them representation
somewhat less than one-third of the total member
ship Of the several committees In the Lila Con-
gress when the Republicans constituted cOnsllrra-
bly, more than one-thir1 Of the total membership.
the Republican representation in the committee
was slightly Increased. but the average sun re
NAMED at about one-tnird. The total membership
OF eight of the important standing committees
however. including Appropriations. BANKING ana
Currency Coinage. judiciary. Rivers and Harpors
and Ways and Means. had been Increase TO seven
teen. OF which six members in each case were Re
pubicans. When committee consisted or hiteen
members the RUE was TO assign sN OF inc PAGES 70
Republicans, but there exceptions. ana the
Republicans had only five members each on the
committees on Indian Affairs, Pacific Railroads and
Public Lands. on the other hand the Republicans
did have more than fve places on any commit
tee which consisted Of thirteen members, ana In
several cases they had only four places
AS the Democrats In the incoming House OF KEEP
resentatives VIII constitute less than 80 per cent
OF the total membership, they VIII naturally not
expect to nave a larger representation IN the com
mittees than the Republicans had In the LID
Congress. when they constituted 50 per cent OF the
total membership Neither will the Democrats
have reason 10 complain II their representation shall
be reduced 10 less than one-third in some of the
committees for the benefit OF Populist members, as
was done in regard to Republican representation
In certain committees of the last Congress by
Speaker Crisp.