Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-03-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Speaker Reeds Appointment Of
Committees,
The Dingiey TariT Bnl-It May BE Made
Less Protective-Mr. Cannon's Re
tort who wni Name
the Postnasters"
(From our Regular Correspondent.l }


(From Our Regular Correspondent)
Washington, March 22-Speaker
Reed has not authorized the state
ment that he will not appoint the
other House Committee until the
meeting of the regular session Of
Congress, next December. To all
inquiries on the subject the Speaker
has replied in substance that he has
not decided the matter definitely
The impression left upon the mind
of those who have talked with him
on the subject is that Mr. Reed will
be governed by circumstances.
There is reason to believe that the
committee assignments have practi-
cally been completed and could be
announced at short notice. A gen
tleman whose position is as good as
anybodys for getting advance know
ledge of Mr.. Reeds intentions. said
when asked about the committee
81 don't know, but my guess is that
the committees will be announced
at the present session, but not un.
til the joint resolution naming the
day of adjournment has been adopt
ed and signed by the President. "
1t having been made very plain
by the business-like beginning of
the debate on the Dingley tariff bill
in the House that the Republicans
intend to put that measure through
just as it is on the afternoon of
March 31st, in accordance with the
rule which has been adopted, the
men who are trying to get the bill
amended in all sorts of ways have
transferred their attention to the
members of the Senate Finance Com
mittee, which has already taken the
bill up for consideration. These
men are now predicting that the bill
will be amended out of all resem-
blance to itself in the Senate, but
Republicans are 10th to believe that
the Republicans on the Finance
Committee-Senators Morrill,, ALI
son, Aldrich, Platt and Wolcott-will
sanction any amendments calcula-
ted to make the bill any less pro
tective to American interests. Sena-
tor Jones, of Nevada, holds the bal :
ance of power between Republicans
and Democrats in the Committee,
and he has only recently said that
he believed in protection as much as
he ever did. Injurious amendments
may be added on the floor of the
Senate, but Republicans do not ex-
pect such from the Finance Commit
tee
Representative Cannon, of Illinois
has a habit of getting off re-
torts in such droll and dry man
ner that he seldom fails to make his
victim join in the laughter which
usually follows. Speaking of the
Indian Appropriation bill, one of
those that failed at the last session,
Representative Sayres, of Texas,
expressed the opinion that Presi-
dent Mckinley would not sign the
bill if it were passed. Looking
straight at Mr.. Sayres, Mr.. Cannon
said very slowly and distinctly: 81
have great confidence in my friend,
but l would never shoot him for a
prophet" Mr. Sayres Joined in the
shout of laughter. The House acted |
promptly upon the advice of Mr..
Cannon, who was Chairman of the
Committee on Appropriations in the
last House and who will occupy the
same position in the present House, |
and passed the Appropriation bills
that failed at the last Congress, just
as they had been passed before, with |
the exception of one paragraph in
the Indian bill. There was no oc-
casion to do over again what had
been well done at first.
Senator Allen, OF Nebraska, un-
dertook to give the Republicans and
Democrats of the Senate, a scolding
because the vacancies in the Senate
Committees had not been filed. but
he had no reply to make when Sena
tor Chandler said; Doesn't the
Senator know that neither party has
a majority here, unless it gets the
co-operation of the Populists. Now
] would suggest that if the senator
viii only cast his vote with us, we
will have the necessary working
majority"
The speech of Senator Davis, of
Minnesota now Chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, in
favor of the Arbitration Treaty, has
made new friends for the treaty.
Mr.. Davis stated in his speech, which
was made in executive session, that
he had opposed the treaty as it was
sent to the Senate, but that the
amendments, now added, had re-
moved the objectionable features
and that be was heartily in favor Of
its ratification.
Postmaster General Gary has de-
cided that except in cases which
present some extraordinary reason
for a deviation the old rules viii be
adhered to III the appointment of
Postmasters. These rules in brief
are about as follows Republican
Senators will be allowed to name
the Postmaster Of the largest city in
their Congressional district; Re
publican Representative will name
all other Postmasters in their dis
tricts, and in districts represented
in Congress by Democrats or Popu-
lists and in states having no Repub-
lican Senator's. the choice viii be
made by the Republican Chairman
OF some other designated referee.
The Congressional delegations must
also keep track of the expiration of
the terms Of Postmasters, as the de-
partment viii not notify them.