The herald., 1895-12-09
CONGRESSIONAL FORECAST
The Week Slated for a Caucus
ing Campaign
THE SENATE CHAIRMANSHIPS
As Decided by Seniority or Reportorial
Guessing
Nothing Can Be Done in the House Until Gar
Reed Announces His Appointments
of Committeeman
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-The proba-
blities are that the week in the senate
next week will be given largely to eau
cusing by all parties, and ssnate daily
sessions will be brief, with little effort
at legislation. The introduction OF bills
will be continued though no work OF con-
sequence can be done until the commit
tees are fIlsd. Theirs is nothing on the
calendar except two speeches. one by
Senator Morgan on the Bering sea ques'
tion and the other by Senator Cullom on
his Monroe doctrine resolution. 1t is
understood that Senator Morgan will pay
his respects to Ambassador Pauncefote
and Lord Salisbury.
The Republican caucus committee will
hold its first formal meeting on Monday
after the adjourn nment of the senate, for
the purpose of considering the question
of filing the committee vacancies anc
selecting chairmen of the various COM
mittees. While notnlnr has been agreed
upon finally it looks Eow as ii the chair
manships Of the more important COM
mittees would be assigned as follows:
Agriculture, Proctor; appropriations,
Allison; coast defense, Squire; census,
Chandler; commerce, Frye; District OF,
Columbia, Mcmillan; finance, Morrill,;
fisheries, Perkins; foreign relations,
sherman; immigration, Lodge; Indian
affairs, Pettierew; Interstate commerce,
Cullom; judiciary, sHoar; military at
fairs, Hawley; naval affairs. Cameron;
postoffices and post roads, Wolcott; print
ing, Hale; privileges and elections,
Mitchell of Oregon; public buildings and
grounds. Quay, relations with Canada,
Carter: rules. Aldrich; territories. Davis
Amsiority OF these assignments 20 to
ths senators whose names are mentioned
nv virtue Of seniority. but there are some
executions made necessary by the proba-
bility OF senior mem bers receiving other
assignments. Senator Platt is' Tor IN
stance, senior Republican member on
Indian affairs and territories and the
only Republican member on patents nd
revision of the laws and could have bis
choice OF the chairmansnips OF these
committees, but for the probability OF
his being given place on the finance
committee, in which event he would sur
render his place It the head OF Indian
affairs to Senator Pettisrew and on ter
ritories to Senator Davis and probably
pecome chairman Of either patents or
revision of the laws. Senator Mitchell
will have his choice Uf the chairmanship
of either privileges and elections, post
Off ces and post roads, but Will choose
the first and will thus advance Wolcott
to the head Of postofices and post roads.
On the other hand Senator Teller Is at the
head of the Republican membership OF
no committee and one of the problems
with which the caucus committee has to
deal Is that OF furnishing him with an
acoeptabls committeee. Senator Chand-
Ier is now a member of the census COM
mittee, but as the existing members Of
the committee all get other chairman
ships he is enabled to take the placs at
the head of this committee. Senator
Hale secures printing because the Repuo.
lican mem berehip is entirely vacant.
Among the important chairmanships
concerning which there is no certainty
as vet are those of contingent expenses,
claims, education and labor, enrolled
bills, library, Pacific railroads. patents,
pensions, railroads ana revision or the
laws.
Senator Shoup is the senior Republican
on pensions, but II is believed he will
SURRENDER the chairmanship to Senator
GalIinger and accept another assignment:
Senator Jones of Nevada will, In all
PROBABILITY, be retureId to his old posi-
tion on contingent expenses, notwith-
standing his Independent proclivities.
Mitchell's is the only Republican OF the
COMMITTEES of claims, anuh he Y i'll prob.
ably resign his position IL it IS neces-
sary to reconstruct the com mittee. Sem
ator Hansprough could have the chair
manship of this com mittee, but 1t Is un-
dorstood he has virtually dec ined 1t.
There are some committees on which
mem berships are as much sought after
as are the obaiImanships of others.
These are appropriations, judiciary,
finance, foreign relations anu commerce.
There has been some talk OF increasing
the last committee from nine Depl bers
to eleven, but the probabilities are against
this. If it is not increased and if the
Republicans organize, Senator Brice will
retire from the mmittee, and his place
will be filled by Republican. The
aspirants ara Senators Quay, Pettlgrew
and Perkins. 1t appears probable that
the finance committee will be enlarged
from eleven to thirteen members. In
that event the Republicans have Senators
Cameron and Platt for the two places a
their disrosal, and the Democrats would
probably select Senator Daniel as their
additional representative.
Senators Woluott and Lodge are slated
for foreign relations. The m en- bership
of the judiciary committee mas been hut
slightly discussed. There are two va
caIoIes there. and if it is possible they
may be given to Senators Davis and
Tburston or to Thufston and some new
man. There are four places to be filed
on commerce, but nothing is certain
about the filing OF these except that one
place will 60 to Pacific coast mem Der,
probably Senator Squire. Senator Mitch
ell as chairman OF the caucus committee
has been devoting himself to procuring
data for the guidance of the committees S
deliberations. He finds there are 46
standing and ii select committees. At
present the Democrats control 46 OF the
committees. the Republicans and the
Populists 5. There are Is new Repub-
licaE senators who have no committee
assignment. In the event of the Rerub-
licans being allowed to organize they
will have a chairmanship for each Re-
publican senator with one to spare, even
after the Utah Senators shall have taken
boir