The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-09

Fessenden and Sherman accepted posi-
tiohs III the Cabinet though both returned
to the Senate after their executive expert
ence. Not so Allison. Long ago he re-
solved that when he left the Senate it
would be to exchange it for the White
House or the tomb-'Westminster Abbey
or a dukedOm." Hayes, Garfield Harrison
and Mckinley all wanted him as an adj
wiser in the Cabinet council. He was prop
TO all of them, but on the theater where
his robust, sturdy, stalwart common sense
makes him a stouter champion than Conk-
ling or Blaine, than Hoar or Edmunds
Allison is Dre-eminently the leader of the
Senate-chairman of appropriations and
second on finance. Teller is the only other
senator member of both of these council
boards. Alison is not a brilliant man like
Vest; he is not a learned man like Hoar;
ne is not an aggressive man like Lodge;
he is not eloquent man like Frye; he
is not great lawyer like Morgan; but he
knows the civil service of this government
more thoroughly than any other man liv-
ing-its strength and its weakness. its ex-
cellencies and its defects, and that is how
chamber where MacGregor sat at the table
He has done the State some service In
1873 he saved the country from the folly
of free silver, and in that he had the pow
erful, the indispensable assistance of James
e. Beck, himself a friend of silver. The
Bland-AllisOn law operated as a buffer
against universal bankruptcy and national
reputation. In 1890 John Sherman treated
symptoms" when the Agrarans said the
body polite was ill. and his law again
defeated free silver; but at how frightful
a cost let the bend sales of the last CIeve-
land administration testify.
The Senate committee on appropriations
was created in 1867. 1t was carved out of
the finance committee, just as the House
appropriations was carved out of the ways
and means. Lot NJ. Morrill,, of Maine,
was the first chairman and served during
the Fortieth Congress. William Pitt Fes-
sender, also of Maine, and doubtless the
greatest senator the Republican party ever
produced, and who had been chairman
of the finance committee during his for
mer senatorial career, succeeded Morrill,
chairman. but served only six months
when he died. Morrill, succeeded him as
senator and was for the second time put
at the head of appropriations and served
until March 4, 1871, when, his health fail
ing, he resigned the craftsmanship and
was succeeded by Cornelius Cole, of Cali
fornia. who continued in that position
during the term of the Forty-second Con-
GreSs, 1S11-73.
HEAD OF y GREAT COMMITTEE.
When the Forty-third Congress convened
restored and for the third time he was
chosen to preside over appropriations, and
continued to do until he resigned in July,
1876, to become secretary of the treasury
William Window, of Minnesota, succeeded
to the craftsmanship and served as such
during the Forty-fourth and Forthwith
Congresses. The Forty-sixth Congress was
Democratic in both houses and Henry G.
Davis of West Virginia was given appro-
priations, but two years later-March Is,
1SS1-he was succeeded by William B. ALI
son, the political complexion of the Senate
having again changed. He has been chair
man ever since, with hiatus of two years
the Fifty-third Congress, when the Sen
ate was again Democratic and Francis NJ
Cockrell, of Missouri. was chairman.
1t is a great committee. and probably it
has appropriated more millions during the
life of a single Congress than the entire
fifty years of the reign of Eliza beth cost
England. The list of its various member
ships embraces many transcendent names
on the roll of American statesmen of the
last half OF the last century In addition
to those already mentioned here are some
of the foremost of them: James w.
Grimes, Timothy o. Howe. Henry Wilson.
Roscoe COnkling, James Guthrie, John =.
Stockton. George f. Edmunds, John w
Stephenson, William A. Wallace, James CT.
Blaine, William w. Eaton, James B. Beck.
John A. Logan. Henry L. Dawes, Preston
B. Plumb, Eugene Hale, Matt w. Ransom,
Arthur p. German, Shelby NJ. Cullom,
Henry NJ. Teller. William NJ. Stewart.
Matthew S. Quay and Benjamin R. Till
man.
Morrill, and Window went from the COM
rnittee to administer the Treasury Depart
ment: Fessenden and Guthrie had admin
istered that department before they were
connected with the committee. Howe,
Blaine and Teller had served in Cabinets
Henry Wilson was Vice President when
he died
The committee has had but three clerks
during the thirty-five years of its existence
Amos Pickard of Maine 1912; w c
Tompkins. of California, six months of the
year 1873, and Thomas P. Cleaves since 1873.
PATRIOTIC COMMENTS.
Doubtless the vast experience of Mr..
Cleaves, exceeding that of Mr.. Courts of
the House committee on appropriations, by
ten years. would enable him to formulate
more perfect general appropriation bill.
whatever its title. even sundry civil. than
the full committee is liable to make. Doubt
less Allison and Cannon could save the gov
eminent millions if given carte blanche 10
make all the fourteen annual appropria-
tons: but then the representative feature
of our government would be destroyed. and
that is worth all. more than double all. IL
costs. Doubtless Aurelian was the fittest
man in the empire 10 govern the Rome OF
his epoch. but the government Of the worst