The Washington times., 1895-03-01
CLOAK ROOM GOSSIP.

Congressman Reed. of Maine, viii not be
governed by the standing OF members on the
present committees in making his assign
ments in the next House. He has hitherto
refused to say what his position regarding
these matters VIII be, feeling that it is in
delicate on his part TO discuss such ques-
tions until he shall have been formally in
Quoted into office.
But the opportunities of his friends have
forced him to break his silence. He argues
that a Republican Speaker need not neces-
sarily follow the precedent established by
his Democratic predecesso or in deciding
how Republican members OF the new COM
mittees shall be placed. His decision has
given great comfort TO a number of ambi-
tious Repu bicans, who are now hopeful of
succeeding to chairmsnships from which
they would ne debarred if MI Reed should
follow the usual course of selecting the
ranking members.
One Of the gentlemen 10 whom thisdeciSion
is particularly gratifying is Mr.. Hopkins,
Of Illinois. Although still young in years,
Mr.. Hopkins is one of the veteran members
of the House. and is now serving his fifth
term. He was assigned by Speaker Crisp
four years ago to place on the Ways and
Z
Payne, of New York. and Mr.. Dalzell, of
Pennsylvania, each Of whom is desirous of
! securing the chairmanship of this prominent
committee, which carries with il also the
leadership OF the House. Mr.. Hopkins
friends say that his term of service is equal
to that of Mr.. DslZell and is longer than
that of Mr.. Payne, who was not member
Of the Fiftieth Congress. IL will be an inter
esting fight between the three gentlemen,
each Of whom has strong backing Mr. Hop
kins' friends assert. however, that his selec-
tion VIII help Mr.. Reeds Presidential boom
/ in the West, where il is now in particular
need of strengthening.
Congressman Lafe Pence, of Colorado. says
/ that a woman may yet represent the State
in the National House of Representatives
! The State year ago granted the full right
! of suffrage to women, and several members
! of that sex have been elected to the legisla
! ture. Mr. Pence says they are discharging
| their duties in a manner wholly satisfactory
| to their constituents Thus far none have
! indicated a desire for an election TO a higher
office, but there is nothing to prevent
/ their nomination and election TO the Gov
eTnorship or 10 Congress if sufficient
number ofvotes can be secured.
In addition to the expense of burying
members of Congress who die during theiI
/ to pay for the printing OF the eulogies de
! liyered upon them in the two Houses.
! The law now prov .deS that the eulogies
! to the number of 5000 shall be printed
| in each case Two thousand copies are
distributed to the State, 1000 TO the Sen
ators, and the remainder are apportioned
among the Representatives In the Fifty
| first Congress, when no limit was placed
upon the number TO be printed, tie gov
ernment expended more than 500, ,000
! for eulogies Thirty-one thousand copies
| of the Logan eulogies were printed, and
those on Senator Beck, of Kentucky, were
only a few thousand less The total eX
| pense for eulbgies in this Congress viii
aggregate $4,000.
Fourteen Jerseymen sat down to dinnel
at the Hotel Raleigh at s O'Clock on Wed
nesday night. All of the number were
members of the present House or men wht
| had been elected to the new Congress
/ Last Monday night the six newly elected
| Repu blican members from New jersey
! entertained the present delegation, anC
the entertainment Wednesday night was
return dinner given by the delegation to tn,
| new men. 1t is said to have been par
| ticularly happy occasion, and several of tht
| speeches were especially noticeable fo
their Wit and humor.
tohsTessIlan Nui2g, OF Ne" 1oIk, EN-
! phatically denies that ex-senator Ton
| Platt VIII "sulk in his tent in the Presi
Dental campaign next year as q resul
! Of his differences with Mayor Strong
He says that Mr Platt is not that kind of {
! politician, but that he will work earnestly
for party success, no matter who may b'
| nominated or what treatment may be ac
| corded to him personally.
Mr.. Quigg is a strong partisan of ex
! Speaker Reed, and he believes that ma
| jority of the New York delegates vii
| heartily support the candidacy of the maj
from Maine. He regards the outlook al
particularly bright for Republican success
and believes that any good man can b,
elected, although Reed, in his opinion, com
! bines greater elements of strength than any
of the gentlemen who may be pitted against
| him.