Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-23


gresham from Iowa, Hon. A. F. Daw.
son, who defeated Judge Wade in the,
second district q year ago, may land
upon the appropriations committee.
1t Is reasonably certain that Mr.. Daw-
son would have this desirable berth
pretty we'll nailed down but for the
fact that Judge Smith, also an Iowa
man, is on the committee. Instances
are numerous where two men from the
same state are appointed on commit
tees, but rarely on either the ways
and means or appropriations. Pressure
1or place on these. committees is SO
great that ordinarily q state does we'll
to. get a representative on either Of
the committees.
Mr. Dawson is well and personally
acquainted with Speaker Cannon. Dur
ing MS six years service as assistant
clerk to the senate committee on ap-,
preparations, of which Senator Allison
is chairman, his duties brought him
constantly in touch with Speaker Can
non, who, during most of that period
was chairman Of the same committee
in the house.
AS assistant clerk to the senate
committee Mr.. Dawson acquired almost
as much experience in the numerous
details of handling appropriations as
though he had been a member of the
committee and his experience particu-
larly fits him Cor position on the
committee. In view of the fact that
there are likely to be four and pos
sibly five new republicans on the COM.
mittee, none of whom will have any
knowledge of the requirements of the
work, the Importance OF having such
a man as Mr.. Dawson on the commit
tee will not be lost to the speaker.
If Mr.. Dawson should be appointed on
this committee at the Threshold Of
his career In congress--it would al
most establish precedent: the ap-
pointment would be extremely unusu-
al to say the least. It is quite GER
tain that in any event Mr. Dawson
will be given as desirable appoint
ments as Speaker Cannon can work
out of the material at hand.
The Father Of the House.
The man who is really in line for the
craftsmanship Of appropriations, is
General Bingham of Philadelphia.
However, General Bingham who Is
known as the father of the house" on
account Of his length Of continuous
service, does not care to take the chair
manship, realizing as did Colonel Hep
burn, the onerous and multitudinous
duties it imposes. He is quite we'll
along in years and Is willing to take
a less conspicuous part in the work of
framing the government expenditures.
Mccleary or Tawney.
The next man on the list is Nc
Cleary. Ordinarily under such circum-
stances there is no question as to the
successorship, the ranking member
being accorded the Craftsmanship by
common consent and precedent. But
the requirements. of the appropriations
Craftsmanship are peculiar; they de-
mand a man of extraordinary qualifi-
cations along several lines. Mr.. Nc
Cleary is very able man. He is a
student Of tariff and finance and is al
most an authority upon these subjects
In the campaign of 1896 one of his
speeches on the money question was
circulated as a campaign document by
the millions. But it is not certain that
he possesses the peculiar qualifications
that chairman of the appropriations
Su0u1u udVO.s I1C, ulluScll,
is not certain about this question, and
it is possible that he may prefer to be
transferred to the ways and means
committee, membership In which is
considered equivalent to a first-class
craftsmanship.
In the event of this transfer, Mr..
Tawney will become chairman of the
appropriations committee and will sur
render his place on the ways and
means committee where he now ranks
fourth, preceded by Chairman Payne,
and Messrs Dalzell and Grosvenor. If
Mr.. McCleary should be appointed to
the rank vacated by Tawney in the
event of the latter's appointment as
chairman of the appropriations, that
would be regarded as practically as
good an appointment as the one given
to Mr.. Tawney.