The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-07-03
Combine of West
ern Congressman
MEETING TO BIZ HELD VERY SOON
70 Fermuists . Plan Tor Dividing
Up the Patronage Of
the House.

WASHINGTON. u. c.. July g.
A conferences Of influential Western
Republican representatives Is to be
held In Washington for the purpose
OF formulatlns a plan Tor the dlstri-
button Of the patronage Of the next
house, the formation Of new COM
mittees and ths enlargement u Some
Of the old enss. Tho conference viii
be attended By representatives from
the Western and Northwestern
states that materially assisted in the
promotion Of Col. Hendcrsen's caudl-
dacy Tor speakership. and Il i pro-
posed that they have his aeauics-
ccnce.
one of the most important features
mapped gut Is the selection Of 4 eam-
mist~e on insuiaf affairs. 10 which y
60 h~ referred al matters pertaining
To Puerto Rico. Hawaii and the PHIL
ippinss. Ordinarily the committee ON
territories weasd have jurisdiction.
but as the new possessions bring
with them psrplcxing questions that
viii be sufficient to occupy the entire
time OF a committee. anh as the com.
mittee on territories has other mat
tiers 60 dispose 81. the new committee
Is offered as a solution.
The suggestion - being made that
only the strongest men in the house
should be assigned 20 Il. 80 Tar as
can be learned the "combinea as u
is called. will not attempt 90 dictate
the members who shall be selected
for the new committee. IL wtil also
be decided 70 distribute the patron
age OF the house pro rata snong the
states according 10 the number u
Republican representatives. from
each.
bine are: Illinois. BY AIR. Cannon.
who controls the fourteen Republic
can votes of the state In the house
Michigan. BY Mr.. CorliSs. with is
votes. Minnesota. ~ Mr.. Tawncy.
with votes. Ohio. by GrosVenor.
with Is votes: Wisconsin. by BAh-
cock. with 10 votes. New York. by
Sherman. with - votes. and Nehras-
Ma. by Mercer. with ? votes. Penn
syivania, with It's - votes. II sx-
pected 10 participate. although IL Il
not known who viii represent the
delegation. The combination will
control 100 % the iss Tsrpubiieanvote=
In the next house. more than a ma
torlty and sufficient 20 dictate the
action Of the caucus. TIE combine
10 expected % meet tomorrow and
formally adopt plans which have al
ready been fr.ely discussed and al.
most agreed upon. The states IN
the scheme viii retin Inc patronage
they already enjoy. Wisconsin 20 Sc
cure the sergeant at arms instead %
Missouri. a. tn the Old organization.
More important than any struggle
for patronage In tho next house are
the suggestions that are transpirinE
concerning the policy 81 CD. Hen.
derson which Will guide him when he
shall have been elected speaker
Any discussion or Information con
c~rnlng HIS plan should b. accepted
with the reservation that he has not
spoken. His frieufs ard intlmafss
talk OF some things that he proposes
20 do. and their relations with the
Iowa man are such that their talk
may be taken seriously. II not con-
elussvely.
This unofficial information IL to
WV FfANtA htt&@A wv wv" Hbt-&N9f avs
intrust 70 the committee on rules the
power Of regulating the business 81
the HOUSE. Under Reed the commit
tee on rules performed this task. hut
Reed was the committee on ruisa
He was chairman and with the re-
rr.aindcr % the committee. composed
Of two Republicans and two Demo-
Gratis. he WAS the final authority As
speaker he recognized such members
as he saw NJ. and for the purposes
that suited him. by the authority
given him by the committee he de-
cided what measures were to be con-
sldered IN the house and the time TO
be given for debate. In brief. be was
the absolute ruler. The report now IL
that Col. Henderson IL disposed 20
favor a large committee on rules. and
he In seriously thinking Of not be-
ing a member himself. He would
simply follow the instructions Of the
committee. II should not be forgot
ten, however. that this II not con
elusive. Perhaps n 10 only put for
ward for discussion.
If this plan should be followed the
majority Of the committee would be
from the dominant party Of tho
house and In effect would be a steer
a..