The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-26
FEW CHANGES PROBABLE
GOSSIP ABOUT THE CHAIRMANsHIPs
OF HOUSE COMMITTEES.
Payne TO Remain mt Head Of Ways
and Means and Cannon to Safe
guard Appropriations.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

bling or Congress, RODS the dying nays Oh
November OF the interest that would other
wise attach to them. General Henderson
Is here and has taken up his abode at the
Normandie Hotel In one of the rooms
of his suite he has opened an Office, where
he receives congressman and listens 10
their suggestions as TO committee places
and other matters Of official business, as
we'll as TO considerations Of party policy and
public affairs. He will go into office I'M
tfammeled by pledges or promises. So far
as the leading committees are concerned,
there will probably be few changes IN their
makeup. either as 10 chairmen or mem
bcrship. where these have been reelected.
Serene Z Payne, OF New York, will remain
at the head OF ways and means, TO which
he succeeded upon the death CT Nelson
Dingley, of Maine, and Joseph q. Cannon.
OF Illinois, will continue as chairman Of
appropriations, OF which he has been the
head during the last three Congresses in
which the Republicans controlled the House.
the Fffty-hrst, the Fifty-fourth and the
Fifty-hfth.
The judiciary Is one of the most impor-
tant committees. and in recent Republican
Houses IL seems to be something like a
stepping stone TO the speakership. AT least
Thomas Bracket Reed, OF Maine. was
chairman of judiciary in the House of the
Forty-seventh Congress, of which General
Keller. Of Ohio, was speaker. The next
Congress in which the House had a Repub-
lican majority was the Fifty-frst, or which
Reed was speaker, and the next the Fifty
fourth. Of which Reed was again speaker,
and in which David b. Henderson. of Iowa,
was chairman OF judiciary, a position he
alo4 boI1 a., Tho EHfftv.- 1fth $780, NJ,
he Is to be speaker. In the Republican end
OF the committee at the last Congress
George W.. Ray stood next to Henderson,.
Ordinarily he would succeed to the chair
manship. but he is also chairman of the
committee on invalid pensions, which ham
dies all bills relating to private pensions
and to pension laws generally growing out
of the civil war. While II is not a commit
tee that appeals to the public like the ways
and means. IL is a committee of great i'm
portance to a politician with a large Grand
Army constituency. The chairman can do a
vast deal 10 further his political ambition
from the coign of vantage II affords. There
fore Mr.. Ray may prefer to remain where
he Is. in which case the craftsmanship of
the judiciary would naturally fall to Sam
uel w. Mccall, or Massachusetts. He is
now serving his fourth term in the House.
He is a man OF ability and is regarded as
an able lawyer. "
A committee that usually attracts little
attention to itself is that of merchant ma
rine n fisheries. Mr.. Payne has been It's
chairman In the last two Congresses, but
as he will; remain at the head of the ways
and means he will retire from the other
altogether. The shipping subsidy bill in
troduced in the Senate last winter by Mr..
Hanna and in the House by Mr.. Payne was
referred in the latter body TO the commit
tee on merchant marine and fisheries. Civ
ing 1t FOR the time an unwonted importance.
That oil will be introduced in both houses
again at the coming session. In the Senate
IL viii go 10 the committee on
OF which William p. Frye, Of Maine. presi-
dent pro tempoIe Of the Senate, Is chair
man. In the House IL will go 20 merchant
marine n fisheries. This will make
the chairman of that committee a very
conspicuous person this winter. Naturally
the chairman of this committee WI. be a
man friendly to this measure, by far the
most important and fa~r-reasaing Lat will
be before it for consideration and rel CRIT.
The ranking Republican member of mer.
chant marine and fisheries, next to Mr..
Payne. and who was reelected, is Albert ].
Hopkins, of Illinois, who was also chair
man of the select committee on census. He
would probably be made chairman Of mer-
chant marine and fisheries, provided he
wants ii. If 1t were not for the fact that he
declared himself opposed to the Hanna
Payne subsidy bill last winter. Under the
circumstances he will no doubt remain
chairman of census. a pretty good commit
tee itself at this juncture.
1t mas been suggested by AN Ohio nan
that the chairman of merchant marine and
nsher1es Will be Charles III. Grosvener. OF
Ohio. he Is the particular representative
and spokesman OF the administration on
the floor of the House, except as to civil
service reform. AS the subsidy bill is an
administration measure. Ii Is quite natural
that Grosvenor should be put forward as
Its champion He has been a member OF
ways and means for the past two con
crosses and chairman OF mines and mining
a committee that has little TO do. If made
chairman OF merchant marine and fisheries
he will leave mines and mining, but will
probably retain his place on ways an6
means. thus occupying the committee posi-
tons OF Payne In the past two congresses.
Banking and currency is another impor.
tant committee OF which there will be q
new chairman. our interesting old friend
Joseph Henry Walker, of Massachusetts,
having been retired by an unappreciativ
constituency. I-arriott Brosius, of Penn
StOOa hC&t " MI lin vi
banking and currency during the last con
gress. He Is a man of ability and voice
He was chairman OF the committee on re
form In the civil service last Congress-. i
he goes TO the head of banking and cur
rency he would give up civil service. Mex
TO him on that Is Tawney, o.
Minnesota, who Is not regarded as exactly
enamored OF civirservice reform. Brosius il
a strenuous and able advocate OF civil-serv
ice reform, as well as of the gold STANDARD
and financial reform generally.
Joseph W. Babcock. of Wisconsin. wht
has been chairman of the committee on tn,
District OF Columbia in the past two CO
crosses. also would Xix to go TO the heaC
OF banking and currency. He is a gold
standard man, and. although never a mem
Der OF that committee. was one OF tn,
House membership OF the joint caucu,
mmi on currency reform appointed
by the Republican caucuses of the Senat,
and House last winter. Mr.. Babcock ha.
been chairman OF the Republican congress
campaigns. and a very good chairman. too
He Is a lumber manufacturer by vocation
and Is a man of means. II Brosius ant
Babcock should kill each other off for tn,
craftsmanship OF banking and currency ant
be compelled TO remain at the head OF tn
same committees as heretofore, the priz'
they are after may go to James II. Nc
Cleary. of Minnesota. who Is very wei
equipped for the place. During the Fifty
fourth Congress he made a speech on mon
etary standards that was used In enormou
quantities as "A Republican campaign doc
ument in the presidential canvass OF $50
and again during that OF 1S9s ard also thi
year.
OF other important committees, Jane
w yUo1..-or4h - Nonr VnrL v-tl4 ror,,g