The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-24
COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE.
MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES ARE
TO BB MADE.

senator Clay of Georgia seeks As
signment to the Committee ON
Commerce So That He May he in
n Bettcr Position to Look Out for
the Interests of His Constituents.
Vacancies to he suppIied-BncOn's
Aspirations Not known.
Washington, Sept %, Especially )-wheu
Senator Clay was in WASH
ington recently he Informed
some of his friends that he pro-
poses to seek an assignment to the Sonata
committee on commerce. Senator Clay
realizes that the South Atlantic coast IL
now without a representative on that inn
portant committee aud in view of thu
fact that several important projects of in-
terest to Georgia are likely to be consid-
cred during the next Congress- he claims
his state should be represented on that
committee.
1t viii be remembered that four Demo-
cratic members of that committee retired
from the Senate on March last Senators
Pasco OF Florida, Mills of Texas, White of
California and Murphy of New York are
no longer members OF the minority. Sem
ator Pasco was placed upon the commerce.
committee as the representative of the
South Atlantic coast states, and It IL not
probable that his successor will receive
such a desirable committee assignment at
such an early stage In his senatorial career
1t will be remembered that the commits
tees of the Senate are organized on an en-
tlrely different system than that which
prevails in the House of Representatives.
Committee assignments In the Senate are
regulated in caucus and afterwards rat-
fled by a vote of the Senate, the Vlce
President having no authority in the dis
trbution OF the committee plums. In the
House the speaker has absolute control OF
the makeup of the committees.
VIII Make His wish known.
Under the circumstances Senator Clay
will make his wishes known 10 his party
friends and he Is confident that his APP
peal win not be made In vain.
Az present he has five committee as
sgnments-posto and post roads, ag-
rlculture and forestry, Gains, immigra-
ton and a special committee to establish
the University OF the United States
Senator Clay says new projects for tho
Improvement Of Savannah harbor, Cum
berland sound Brunswick and other wat
, erways In Georgia and contiguous states
are APT TO ne Drought ioIWdtu neat WIN
! ter, hence he desires TO be IN a position 10
safeguard those local interests when they
come before the commerce committee. In
the Senate she commerce committee has
( Jurisdiction over the river and harbor Dill
| and the assignments to that committee are
9 regarded as of almost equal Importance "a
/, positions on the committee OF appfopria-
tons or the committee on finance. De-
. sirable committee assignments are usual
ly regulated according to length OF SER
vice. rather than personal prominence or
popularity In the Senate.
Many Tempting Assignments.
4 There are many tempting committee as
slRnments open 20 Democrats. because OF
the radical change In the political com
plexion of the Senate German, Faulkner
a and Murphy leave three vacancies to be
filed In the appropriations committee
= White of California and Turpie OF Indiana
leave vacancies on the finance COMMITTEES
; Gray Of Delaware, Mills of Texas and
g Turpie Also leave holes to be filled on the
committee on foreign relations The places
of Gray and Faulkner in the judiciary
committee are also to be filled. Smith ol
e New Jersey leaves vacancy in the nava
I | committee. Vacancies are also created n
e the committee on the District of Colum
bia by the retirement OF German and
. Faulkner. With so many rich prizes II
: sight, Senator Clay expects TO pull off ons
: Of the vacant chairs in the commerc'
y committee room.
: whatever aspirations Senator Bacof
may have with regard to committee, hs
has not confided to his party friends A
present he Is very well located on th'
Judiciary committee, District OF Columbia
railroads. revolution, claims and Indiar
depredations. 1t Is possible that he maj
n seek transfer TO some other importan
committee in exchange for his place OF
the judiciary, which Is one of the ranking
| II fc nh
: and ready debator and a frequent partlci
pant in the proceedings of the Senate, an'
. Is generally regarded as one of the mos
:, conspicuous members of the minority.