could, for want of time, be recognized.
The Speaker has to be invidious, relying on the future to even
matters up. The recognition of a member by the Speaker is final,
and from which there is no appeal. Members and often personal
friends not infrequently feel aggrieved at the Speaker, for a time
at least. All this regardless of political party lines. It is
the Speaker's duty to equally divide recognition on party sides,
and this duty, from the member's standpoint, is often a ground of
complaint.

The first duty of the Speaker, ordinarily, after the House is
organized and before it can proceed regularly to business, is to
appoint the standing committees.

Chairmanships of committees and appointments on leading ones are
much sought after, and members appeal to the Speaker on all kinds
of grounds to give them the coveted places. Personal and party
friendship is pressed upon him to induce favorable action. The
same place is often sought by a number of members. Experience in
congressional service, regardless of the member's prior duties,
pursuit, or occupation, is generally urged as a reason for making
a desired appointment. Some construct a geographical reason for
a particular selection. Out of all this and more, the Speaker,
with little or no acquaintance with a large number of the members,
does the best he can. A few always are disappointed, and, necessarily
under the circumstances, some mistakes are made, but generally
those who make the loudest complaint are the weak, vain, and
inefficient members who hope to be made great in the eyes of their
constituents by being named on one or more important committees by
the Speaker.

Some who seek and obtain committee appointments of their own choice
soon find they are not what they had expected, and they also join
the clamor against the Speaker. There are, however, only a small
number out of the whole who are unreasonable or dissatisfied. This
small number, by their wailing, give the appearance of a general
discontent. Complaint was made by the disappointed that I gave
preference on committees to personal and party friends who supported
me for Speaker. I always believed in rewarding my friends.

I, however, appointed Hon. Thomas B. Reed (since Speaker), Hon.
Frank Hiscock, Hon. J. C. Burrows (all competitors for Speaker),
Chairmen, respectively, of the Committees on the Judiciary,
Appropriations, and Territories. Hon. William D. Kelley was made
Chairman of