The Washington times., 1907-09-13
Fourteen New Chair
men Must Be
Named.
Fight May Come to In
crease Committee
on Rules.

According to reports that have reached
Washington. Speaker Cannon Is already
engaged on the huge task OF framing
up the committees Of the House OF the
Sixteth Congress. It Is by no msar.s
slight work 20 select the membership
or these committees. since on the Speak
er's selections viii largely depend the
course OF legislation next winter. IN
usual Interest surrounds the compost
ton OF the committees FOR the coming
session.
There Is. OF course, no question that
Mr.. Cannon viii be reelected Speaker.
He viii encounter only the forms Of
opposition. and IL Is entirely fitting.
therefore. that he should nov be giving
thought TO the committees. There will
be no contest worth mentioning over
the speakership or any OF the other
leading places in the House machinery
from present Indications The prtncipal
ones OF the ole officers and employees
viii be retained, and this will avoid a
great deal OF wire-puuing.
Speaker Cannon is confronted with
the fact that the House has sixty-two
committees and that. by reason AZ
changes II the elections and from other
causes. many Of these committees vvfll
have to be overhauled- The Speaker
viii build Up the new committees On the
skeietons OF those that served in The
F4fty-ninth Congress. bur this fact win
not make his task either easy OF en-
tirely enYiabie
Fourteen New Chairmen Needed.
BY the last Congressional election.
the House lost thirteen chairmen. Those
defeated we're James w Wadsworth. OF
New York, chairman OF the Committee
on Agriculture; James II. Southland. OF
Ohio. Coinage, Weights. and Measures:
Frank c. Wachter. OF Maryland. En-
rolled Bills; Edward S. Minor. OF Wis
consin. Expenditures in the Interior De-
partnent: James T. MeCIeary. OF Min
hesota, Library; Joseph g. Slbley, OF
Pennsylvania, Manufacturers; Charles
II. GrOsvenoT. Of Chic, Merchant Marine
and Fisheries; Edward D Morrel, OF
Pennsylvania. Militia; webster E.
Brown. of Wisconsin, Mines and Min
ing; John F. Lacey, OF Iowa. Public
Lands; Roswell Z. Bishop, OF Michigan,
Ventilation and Acoustics; Thaddeus NJ.
Mahon, Of Pennsylvania, War Claims,
and Joseph ". Babcock, OF Wisconsin,
District OF Columbia. Besides these.
Representative Burton OF Ohio will not
longer accept the River and Harbors
chairmansnip.
OF these, the Committee on Agricul-
ture. on Merchant Marine and Fish
cries and on Public Lands are Of much
Importance. The District Of Columbis.
Committee, also is OF the greatest i'm
pOrIance 10 Washington.
z. Stevens Henry, OF Connecticut. will
probably be chosen chairman OF the
Committee on Agriculture TO succeed
Mr.. Wadsworth- Representative Haugea
OF Iowa ranks next 10 Mr Henry and
would probably be selected II Mr. Henry
were not.
Ship Subsidy Comes Up.
In the Fifty-ninth Congress. the
Speaker made I'D the Merchant Marine
Committee so that it was hostile TO shin
subsidy legislation. II was intended to
be. II Is uncertain what the Speaker,
will do this year, as there is great pres
sure for subsidy legislation. Minor, Of
Wisconsin, would be the ranking mem
Der. but he was defeated for reelection.
This leaves Greene. Of Massachusetts.
as the ranking member.
Representative Mondell. of Wyoming.
is the ranking member OF the Public
Lands Committee, but Mr.. MondeH is
bitterly hostile 70 the Administrations
public land policies. The President viii
not look on complacently and see Mon
dell get this Important chairnanship.
District Committee in Doubt.
AS to the District Committee. there
is a great deal OF uncertainty. Samuel
W. Smith. Of Michigan. stood next TO
the chairman IN rank as the committee
existed in the Fifty-ninth Congress. but
there is doubt whether he viii get the
chairmanship.
1t is likely there will be war in the
House over the makeup Of the Commit
tee on Rules. This committee really
controls the House. In the last Con-
gress. 1t was made up OF the Speaker,
Dalzell OF Pennsylvania, and Grosvenor
OF Ohio, Republicans and Williams and
DeArmond. Democrats. For a long time
there has been fnsistence this commit
tee should be increased. Some have
urged that II have eleven members. The
proposition viii be considered at The Re-
publican caucus that nominates the
House officers. II the committee e. not
enlarged, but one new maH viii be
added
Watson Of Indiana. House Republican
whip. has been suggested. He is thor
Oughiy aligned with Speaker Cannon
and would follow the Speakers wishes,
so that II the committee is not enlarged
and watson is put on. the Speaker will
largely dominate It. Some follxs without
Venerauon are saying that President