The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-17
CONGRESS IN THREE. WEEKS.
TALK OF SUCCESSION TO THE DEM
OCRATIC LEADERSHIP.

Are of Interest.
Washington. Nov. 16.-(speclai)-The
F1fty-sixth Congress will assemble here
within less than three weeks, and strange
to relate, there is to be no preliminary
fight over the organization of the House
Of Representatives. The beginning Of a
new Congress is usually attended by BIT
ter struggle over the speakership, con-
Quoted by the political party having
majority of the members elected. In tho
event of the assured reelection of the
Speaker. as was the case two years ago,
when Thomas Bracket Reed had no OPP
position, the struggle for the minor offices
of the House goes forward with great
earnestness, and sometimes bitterness. The
rival candidates establish their respective
headquarters at the big hotels, and the
friends and expectant beneticiaries of the
contestants for the clerkship, doorkeeper-
ship, sergeant-at-arms, chaplain postmas-
ter and the smaller offices, manage to ush-
er in a new Congress with considerable
political excitement
Thus far there has not been a disturb
ing ripple on the political surface in con-
necdon With the organization of the House
The speal1ership being practically settled
by the assurance already in possession of
Gen. David B. Henderson, in addition TO
the general understanding that all of the
leading officials of the last Congress- per-
haps with one exception, are to be re-
elected, there does not appear to be the
slightest preteXt to work up any friction
in the Republican camp.
The Democrats may contribute a little
spice TO the otherwise listless situation by
getting into a family row over the empty
honor of posing as leader of the minority
in place of the picturesque Bailey of Tex
as, who has formally announced that the
Democratic party in the coming Congress
will have to struggle along without his
youthful and self-satisfied leadership on
the floor. The aspirants of Baileys dis
carded party compass are Representatives
j. II. Bankhead of Alabama, d. A, Dear
mond of Missouri and James d. Richard
son of Tennessee. From a parliamentary
standpoint, Mar. Richardson Is probably
better equipped for the position than any
of the men mentioned. Bankhead has a
large personal following among the South
ern Democrats, and DeArmond is an able
and a stubborn antagonist in the political
debate.
Only Chance for Fight.
There seems to be but one chance to
get ap a respectable fight over the organ
ization of the House. A proposition made
in the Republican caucus, to change the
practice of allowing the Speaker TO make
up the committees, would unquestionably
create a good-sized row. At present the
Speaker is vested with the tremendous
power and responsibility of naming all of
the committees. An INSCRIPTIONS man.
or one not educated up to the standard
of Gen. Henderson and predecessors, might
construct the committees so as to promote
or prevent legislation, with disastrous re-
suits 1t is generally conceded that IL Is
too much power 70 place in the hands of
one man, and a well organized movement
to change the practice would probably
command the support of majority of the
members of the coming Congress-
The Senate, much smaller body, nu-
merically, does not invest the Vice Presi-
dent with the power of naming the COM
mittees. The Republicans, If in control of
the Senate, in caucus assembled, select the
majority representation, and the Demo-
Gratis are accorded the privilege of desig-
mating the minority representation. The
party leaders then submit the reports TO
the senator for approval, thus relieving the
Vice President of all responsibility. in con-
nection with the construction of the COM
mittees.
Some Tempting Places.
There are some very tempting commit
tee places open in the Senate by reason
of recent retirements. In the COMMITTEES
on Appropria tons, the powerful and infiu-
entail committee in that body, three va
cancies exist, occasioned by the retire.
ment of former Senators Edward Muir
ply of New York, German of Maryland
and Faulkner of West Virginia. New
York also doses her representative on the
Commerce Committee, one of the most de-
sirable committees In the Senate. through
Mr. Murphys retirement. Three other
Democratic vacancies exist in the same
committee through the retirement or
White of California, Pasco of Florida and
Mills of Texas. There are also vacancies
in the Committee on Foreign Relations,
Finance judiciary, Military and Naval
Affairs and so on down the list, the re-
suit of the radical change in the politicai
complexion of the Senate.
Washington Notes.
Russell B. Harrison Is one OF the few
rich mems sons" who went into the army
at the outbreak of The war and achieved
honorable distinction He Is still in the
army, serving as assistant Inspector, with
the rank of major, and his field of labor
is with Gen. Wood at Santiago Mai
Harrison is in Washington, and looks quite
a veteran in his military hat, corps badge
and bronzed complexion. When his father
was President, a few persons endeavored
TO represent him as a would-be power in
national affairs. He was occasionally al
luded to as Prince Russ" As a matter
of fact, Maj. Harrison never exhibited the
slightest indications of "swelIed head"
from the day when he first appeared in
Washington as his fathers private secre-
tary, when the elder Harrison was Unit
ed States senator from Indiana, down to
the present moment. Modest unassum-
ing with fair education and an exceed
ingy level head, he has already demon
etrofa6 his ability s UrnVOgt marshal IN
Georgia, and afterward in Cuba called
forth the highest commentator from the
press of the South.
The President has curbed his desire to
smoke too excessively, and he finds in the
Secretary of the Navy a ready and encour-
aging advocate of moderate use of to-
baccO.
During the illness of Vice President Ho-
bart, Secretary Long has become the per-
sonal comrade of the President After
the business cares Of the day are over, the
Secretary Of the Navy frequently