The Washington times., 1901-09-02
PROGRAMME IN THE HOUSE
No Changes to Be Made in the Or
ganizatiOn Next Winter.
Personnel of the Committees to Re-
main Substantially as During the
Last Session of COngress-The In
fuence of Hancock and Mccall.

Personnel of the COmmi tees to Re
main Substantially as During the
Lust Session of Congress-The In
fuen.e of BabcOck and Mccall.
Members and officials of the House
now in Washington say the organization
| OF the r Xt House will differ in no I'M
portant respect from that of the last.
Since General Henderson's reelection is
assured without opposition in his party,
it is not doubted that all the other cleo
tive officers of the House will be similarly
honored. This means that Clerk McDow-
ell, Sergeant-at-Arms Casson, Doorkeep-
er Glenn. and Postmaster McElroy will
retain their places in the Fifty-seventh
Congress- and that no changes of public
interest will be made in their STATS. Be
cause of this rather unusual condition of
affairs less interest is manifested in
Washington, as well as in other parts
of the country. in the approaching session
than generally precedes the meeting of 4
new Congress. When there Is to be a
change in the Speakership or political con-
troll of the House naturally there is
great deal of log rolling before the law
makers assemble in Washington. Appli-
cants for places under the new officers to
be elected by the party in control flock
to Washington by the score weeks in adj
vance of the meeting of Congress to work
in their own interest for the election of
those candidates who promise them
places. In view of the fact that there is
none of this rich picking in prospect at
present, ii is remarked by old Washing
tonians that seldom have they seen so
few new politicians of the minor class in
the National Capital at this time of the
year. In view of the further fact that
the hundreds of employees of the last
House are sure to retain their places for
two years more, nearly all of them have
been away from Washington two or
three months, and will not return until
just before Congress meets. OF course,
they draw their salaries regularly but
this money is spent in the country. Con-
sequently Washington feels their absence
in more ways than one.
Even if there were popular demand or
other reason for a radical revision of the
committees in the next House. it is not
likely that many changes of Importance
would be made, in view of the crcum-
stance that Speaker Henderson was pleas
ed with the work of the committees. as
he organized them at the beginning of
the last Congress. In point of fact, there
strength of every important House COM
mittee and subtracting from the Demo-
cratic strength without disturbing the rel
ative rank or position of any Republican
who is satisfied with his place. Precedent
for the proposed increase OF the Republi-
can membership On the committees was
established by the Democrats, when they
were last in control of the House. At that
time Speaker Crisp considerably increased
the number of Democrats and correspond
fngly decreased the number of RepubIi-
cans on the Ways and Means Committee.
The purpose, of course, was to give the
party in power such a preponderance of
strength on the most important House
committee that there could be no miscar-
rage OF party policies. a situation some
what analogous to the one that confronted
Speaker Crisp will confront Speaker Hen
derson in December.
Two of the majority members of the
Ways and Means Committee are suspect
ed of feeling OF lukewarmness to the
ancient Republican doctrine of protection.
They are Mr. Babcock of Wisconsin. and
Mr.. Mccall of Massachusetts. Mr. Bah
cock at the last session of Congress in
troduced bill to put the products of the
United States Steel Corporation on the
free list. He did this without consulting
any of his associates on the Ways and
Means Committee any other party
leaders, and has since done much talk
Ing of what he Intends to do with this
bill at the next session. As the commit
tee is at present constitnted-ten Repub-
licans to seven Democrats-Mr. Babcock.
with the assistance of Mr.. Mccall and the
solid Democratic support. might be able
10 secure a favorable report this bill
next winter. To obviate all danger of
this. as well as to assert his right to in
crease the representation of his party on
the committees, many Republican leaders
declare it to be General Hendeisons in
tention to Nave twelve Republicans to five
Democrats on the next Ways and Means
Committee
If the Speaker decides to increase the
Republican strength on the Ways and
Means Committee for the purpose indi-
Gated. it is considered as not improbable
that New York will get another represen-
tatiVe on this important committee. Sc
reno E Payne. of Auburn, will again be
chairman of the committee. and the New
Yorker most talked of as his likely asso-
ciate is James S. Sherman. of Utica. Mr..
Sherman is now chairman of Indian AZ
fairs, place not altogether TO his liking,
and it is said that If he prefers trans
fer to the Ways and Means COMMITTEES
the Speaker would cheerfuly grant his
request Should Mr.. Sherman surrender
this craftsmanship he would be succeeded
in the place by Charles Curtis. OF Kan
sas, who is almost fullblooded Choctaw
Indian, the sole representative in Con-
gress of his race. and, in fact. one of the
very few men of Indian blood who have
ever sat in the halls of national legisa-
tion. If Mr. Sherman should not desire
to make the change. then another New
w. Wadsworth. of Gene |
be selected. How this shake
up of the Ways and Means Committee
would affect its Democratic membership |
is not known. II is thought, however. !
that the Speaker would take the easiest |
way out OF the difficulty by looping off |
the last two names on the Democratic |
side. which are those of Mr.. Cooper of |
Texas and Mr.. Underwood of Alabama.