The evening times., 1897-05-05
QUITE A ROW IN CAUCUS.
Senator's Displeased With Their
Committee Assignments.


The Senate Republican caucus this MORN
ing was not of the most harmonious char
acter There was considerable expressed
dissatisfaction, aud much more that was
not so outspoken. The assignment of Sen
ators shows what good thing ii is to be
a member of the committee on committees,
and the natural deduction from some of
the speeches made is that there was too
much favoritism towardthe men W no made
the committees.
Theargument w as made bythis committee
that some conc esSions had to he made to III en-
who had served in the Senate before, and
on this account extraordinarily good places
were given to Senator SpUoner and Sewell
BY the same lines of reasoning Mr.. Platt, OF
New York, should have been similarly pro-
vided for but he is left Oft the Im-
poItant committees altogether. This dis
elimination aroused much criticism am ON 4
Senators, who, while objecting to their
assignments, insisted that MI. Platt sh0 I'D
have been better provided for.
The caucus met at 1890. and the cut
and-dried program of the committee was
finally agreed to. The most pronounced
opposition to the report came from Sen
ator Wilson, of Washington, who wanted
the place on Commerce vacated 10y Mr..
Squire Mr. Wilson said that this va
cancy should be given TO the Pacific
coast. which was as much Interested In
river and harbor improvements as any
section in the country. 1t would now be
represented by but one man The West.
ne said, was entitled to 1t and had a
right TO demandit The failure of the con-
mittee to grant it was but another evil
dence Of the repeated efforts OF Eastern
men to ignore the needs of the West.
Mr.. Chandler replied that the committee
had probably done the best itcoud, an was
guided by a desire to act justly by the
whole country. Mr.. Chandler was not
member OF the committee, still he had
no doubt but that il was animated by the
best possible motives
Mr.. Wilson retorted, but goOd-naturctlly.
20 the effect that Mr. Chandler was not
charged with the duty of defending the
committee, but that it was notorious That
what was the Senate's business was always
the business of the Senator from New llanp-
shire.
Mr.. Platt made a short, but digniiied
speech. He said that the great state Of
New York was entitled TO better treatment
She was entitled to representation on
some one of the important committees. Mr.
Platt thought he should nave been given
place upon the Finance Committee, upon
which he served when in the senate re
fore. He had acquiesced in the judgment
of the committee, however, AMI then sub
mitted request to be assigned TO the
Commerce Committee. The Cmocra;S here
decided to transfer Mr.. Murphy, of New
York from that committee TO ApprDpria-
tions- As the committee had arranged the
thing, New York was shut out altogether
Mr. CLARK, of Wyoming, who was billed
for the important Committee on Foreign
Relations, registered a kick because he
was not placed on Public Lands. Mr.
Wilson, who was assigned there, offered
to give il to him, but Mr.. Clark declined
the offer.
Mr. Hansbrough, OF North Dakota, be-
neving that he was the senior Senator
entitled TO promotion, thought he ought
to have been put on Finance, instead Of
having a young Senator like Burrows, Of
Michigan. selected over his head.
These were the only objections brought
prominently before the caucus, but other
Senators sat around in groups and dis
cussed what they termed 'discrmina-
tons" OF the committee, and the favoritism
shown those who happened TO be OF their
number.
No other business was transacted. The
tariff was not mentioned. Tomorrow the
Democrats will caucus on the same subject
and the resolution filling the committees
will probably be agreed TO N the Senate
Friday