Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-17
Mr.. DlNGLEYS SUCCESSOR
The Speaker May Not Appoint Any One to the
Ways and Means Committee.
If He Should Mr.. Mccall of Massa-
chusetts VIII Most Likely
BE Selected.

1t is regarded as very doubtful whether
the Speaker will appoint successor to Mr..
Dingley on the ways and means COM
mittee 1t is expected that Mr.. Payne of
New York will be designated as chairman
of the committee, being next in order after
Mr.. Dingley, but there remains such a
short time before the close of the session
that 1t is said that the Speaker is rather
disposed to permit the vacancy to remain
untitled until the new committees of the
next House are organized.
If member were now appointed to that
committee, he would probably expect to re-
tain the position in the organization of the
next House. This might prove embarrass-
ing, especially in view of the probability
that in making up the committees for the
Fifty-sixth Congress the democrats will be
given a larger representation, the proper
ton Of their membership in the House be-
ing greater in that than in this.
The proportion on the ways and means
committee in this Congress is IL to 6. 1t
is regarded as likely that in the next Con-
gress the minority will be given seven
members, and If the vacancy is not filled
at this time it will not be necessary to dis
place a republican to increase the minority
membership.
the vacancy now it is probable that Mr..
Mccall of Massachusetts will be selected
for the appointment. 1t is felt that the ap-
pointment should go to New England, and
Massachusetts, having no representative
either on that committee or the finance
committee of the Senate the appointment
is claimed for that state.
Mr. Mccall is member of experience and
recognized ability, and when 1t was thought
that Mr.. Dingley might go into President
Mckinleys cabinet the Massachusetts del
egation were prepared to recommend Mr..
Mccall for a place on the committee. By
I{no of he ooh m
by Mr. Dingley the plans of the Massachu-
sets delegation were disarranged, and Mr.
Mccall took a less important committee
assignment than was his due, rather than
interfere with any of his. colleagues.
The elevation of Mr.. Payne to the chair
manship will cause promotion along the
entire line of the majority membership,
and the vacancy will fall at the foot of the
list. 1t is understood that Mr.. Lowering OIL
Massachusetts also desires the designation
to this committee, but it is thought that
Mr. Mccall Is entitled to it and Will be
selected if the vacancy is filled at all
1t is regarded settled that Mr.. Rich
ardson of Tennessee will be appointed to
the minority vacancies on the ways ana
means and rules and Mr.. Degraffenried OF
Texas to succeed Gov. Savers on approprla-
lions.
The question arises whether or not the
Speaker in filling the minority vacancy on
the ways and means will regard the place
assigned to General Wheeler as vacant.
1t is understood to be the opinion OF the
Speaker that General Wheeler has forfeited
his membership in the House, and If the
House should sustain this position, which Is
being maintained by Mr.. Bailey, the va
cancy on the committee would certainly
exist. In view of this 1t Is regarded as
possible that the Speaker, if he makes the
committee assignments before the Wheeler
case is disposed of, may hold that the va
cancy on the committee exists.