The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-16
STEVENS SUFFERS
BY CANNON'S ACT.
Transfer Of Minnesota Man from
House Military Committee
Sets Him Back.
BY w. w. Jermane,

0CS l1lm Back.
BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Dec. l6.-Chairman Hull
OF the house military affairs committee
is greatly disappointed over Speaker.
Caan4n,s refusal to reaappoint Repre-,
Esch Of Wisconsin to his committee.
Stevens had been one of the commits
tee 8 leading members for about ten
years, and Esch for eight years. Both
had become experts of high character,
and their intelligence, industry and
familiarity with the committees work
had made them men of the utmost
value to the chairman. The speaker
seems to have looked thru crooked
lenses when he got. around to inspect
ing the committee personnel. He
greatly weakened the committee by tho
arbitrary removal of Stevens and Esch.
stevens. place was given to Mr.. Fletch.
er OF Minnesota, and Mr.. Esch IS to
Mr.. Kahn Of California. On account
OF the increased size Of the republican
majority in the house. Mr.. Dawes Of
Ohio, one of the new members of con.
gress. was added to the committee.
When it became apparent that the
speaker was thinking OF removing
Stevens and Esch, Chairman Hull went
to him, and in a long conference
brought to bear all the arguments that
he could think of in opposition to such
move, but it was without avail. The
speaker had made up his mind that he
would give Mr.. Fletcher some good
committee, place. and that Mr.. Kahn,
congress after an absence of two years,
should be provided for. The speaker
agreed that the changes he had in
| mind would not strengthen the commits
tee, but expressed the opinion that Hull
still had enough strong men left, to
hold things down. What Hull had said
about the military committee, the
speaker suggested, would be said about
So Stevens and Esch would have to 90.
| Stevens Did Not Object.
Stevens, it may be said, while OBJ
viously preferring to remain on a
committee with whose work he had be.
come thoroly familiar, did not inter.
pose any objection to the removal, MOI
did Esch. Stevens went on the com
mlttee IN the first place to work for a
greater Fort Smelling. He had secured
this. as the speaker pointed out tc
Chairman Hull, and there was no spe
cial local reason why the transfer
should not be made. The speaker also
argued that Wisconsin would not lose
anything by the transfer Of Esch, who
had been working for a larger mill
tary reservation at Camp Douglas
Wis: Anything that Stevens may want
for Fort Smelling in the future he viii
be able to get by reason of his for
merr service on the committee, and F'sci
is in like position. The speaker die
not, therefore, feel that he was doine
| either an Injustice
From another point Of view. tin
4 transfers have done both Stevens and
Esch good deal Of harm. They hai
worked up under the operation Of tn,
rule Of seniority to high positions OF
the military committee. and these DO
slt1ons are now sacrificed. They vii
go to the foot in other committees
where they may remain for wears, an(
SINCE they. are seasoned members Of tn,
house, and of great Importance in tn,
Il consideration Of publie7business. thi
transfer gives them handicap, espe
c1ally as most Of the work of~congres
is perfected in committee. 2
Has Chance at Rate Bill.
y 1t was the desire of the speaker t
have Stevens retain his place on tn
committee on merchant marine an
: fisheries, but this he firmly declined t
: 40. The result is that he has but tw
: committee assignments in this congress
Interstate and foreign commerct
where he will have an opportunity t
help IN whipping q rate. bill into form
and immigration, where he may hav
, an opportunity to deal with the INN
grafton question, should the president
recommendations be crystallized int
law. -
What has happened to Stevens an
Esch has happened also to several other
OF the old members of the house, and til
whole difficulty arises from the fac
that the republican membership in thi
Places must be found for all the men
bers, and the older men must in som
cases give way in order to relieve til
speaker difficulties. There is no SUI
picion that the speaker does not plac
a very high value upon both Steven
and Esch. But they are being made t
suffer on account Of the Roosevelt lant
slide Of last year.
Smelling Bridge Bill.
d Mr.. Fletcher, on the military commi
tee, will be Immediately in charge {
any bills which may be introduced a
fecting Fort Smelling, and should /
need any help in putting these bill
thru, Mr.. Stevens will be on hand. TT
only important Fort Smelling measure /
come up this session is the bridge bill
e This has been drafted by Stevens an
e accepted by all the interested partie
: and it will probably be enacted into la
g without serious difficulty.
Mr.. Fletcher might have had a plat
on the committee on public building
and grounds, but apparently he fe
that military affairs would be bett,
: concerned. The outlook is not good f,
d public building bill this winter, and
it were, all that Minneapolis could DO
= sibly hope to get out of it would |
some sort of provision for site for
new building. This can be secured wit
out Mr.. Fletcher's help as a member
the public buildings committee; at lea
that is The way he ARGUED the nuastic