The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-11
THE ABLEsT REPUBLICANS.


the Ill ouse Mino ity.
washington Corresdence of the New York Times.)
WAsHINoroN, Feb S-The two ablest men
on the Republican side OF the House of Repre-
sentatives are Tom Reed of Maine, and Frank
Hscock. .of New York. They both entered pub
lie life at an early age, and they are still young
men. Reed is in his forty-fifth year and His
cock is not yet 30 years old. They are both
lawyers of more than ordinary ability and great
promise. They began their career in Congress
at the same time, both being elected to the
Forty-fifth Congress. They have steadily risen
in the estimation of their fellow-members.
Reed is the more brilliant of the two; in
deed, he is the brightest. man in the House.
He is thorough lawyer, good paIliamenta-
rian, and always comes we'll prepared upon
any subject he undertakes to discuss. He is a
close student and hard worker. There is no
man of his age in public life who is better ac-
quainted with the political history OF the coun-
try and who has investigated more carefully
The minut@ of past legislation. He is col
lector of books on political subjects. and when-
ever he bas few hours of leisure you can al
ways find him rummaging in secondhand
book-stall in search of rare book he wants,
In personal appearance Reed dissapoints at
ne impresses you as man of great intellect ial
force He is tall, large framed. and rotund.
d1s walk is not graceful, the gait being heavy
and rolling. as II be were try ing to catch the
roll and pitch OF a vessel. His face is round
and wears Jolly contented look. His FORE
head is high and bold, indicating fine imagina-
tion. Without knowing the fact would wa
ger Found sum that he is fond Of poetry
and occasionally makes verses. He has hu-
morous vein and is witty when he wants to he.
N tn IN hp0A ans / I
is pitched hioh and has nasal, rasping sound.
In ordinary conversation he has deliberate
expression, hch, with the nasal defect in ut
teraDce, instantly attracts attention aud creates
a disasreeable impression. His eyes ara fine,
and there is roguish twinkle in them that
pleases and attracts He is a conspicuous OBJ
jet on the Republican side as you view the
House from the gallery. There are lues of
thought in his face and the evidence of re-
served force which impresses the observer. II
he IS watching the ordinary proceedings of the
House, he has an indolent, listless look, which
makes you think he is lazy fellow. But the
instant something interesting occurs his whole
manner changes He no longer balances in his
chair, but either sits bolt upright or leans for
ward on his desk and is all sttention. He is
watching his opportunity either to let fly al
keen, biting sarcasm at an egotistical speaker
or TO make pertinent point in the debate.
You will hear his rasping and irritating voice
pierce the din of contentious wransle like
what he says that will please you notwith-
standing the Grating sound of ntttrance. He
does not talk for the mere purpose of appear
ing frequently in the Record. His speeches
always bristle with points. He is not ora
Tor, but there is an earnestness and vgor in
his style that sweeps you along, ank you lose
sight of the speakers defects. His poinss of
order are invariably we'll taken, because he is
a master of parliamentary law. He hates
shams and pretense, aud delights 10 sticking |
pins in wind-bags. He is undoubtedly the
coming man from Maine. He has a fine law
practice in Portland, aud will at no distant day
land at the head of the profession in his La |
i've State. he won distinction as Attorney |
General OF the State when he was onlJ 81 |
ears Of age.
Hiscock resembles Reed neither in appear
ance nor intellectual qualities de possesses q |
1ifferent order of mind. Hiscock is a square,
quilt, well-Droportioned man. His head is i
quare, angular, and is firmly set on column
Ike neck which rises gracefully from bis WELL
armed shoulders. His luxuriaut growth of |
black hair, well sprnkled with silver, is neatly
trimmed, and harmoniZes with his we'll kept |
ull beard. His face wears quiet, rather sad |
ook, but the eyes are bright and the whole ex-
preston is very pleasing and attractive. 1t is
! Kindly looking face and inspires conf 1eBce. |
There is not bit of vanity in Frank Hscock's |
composition, and, therefore, it will do him no |
larm to tell the truth-he is one of the hand |
'omest men in the House of Representatives.
He is always cool aud level-headed, and never
oses his equanimity. L never saw him display |
my temper in committee discussions or lose |
lis head in debate. He is careful, method |
;a lawyer, and if b ad occasion to need adj |
'ice In an important case / would go with inn |
,licit confidence in Hiscock, we'll knowing that |
would be safe in his hands. He is not a |
brilliant advocate or sharp, rafting cross-ex-
lmlner like Reed. but he handles a witness |
With great skill, and if there are weak poin |
in his amor he will find them out. He stud
es every polnt in case and makes his attack !
II defease scientifically. He is a most daH- |
,erous antagonist in court. There is jndic- |
al fairness and a mental eqnipoise that caunot |
all to impress both court and jury. As leg |
sator he IS conscientious, labofous, and FAIR |
minded. He has clean record. He is not |
,reat in debate, and Is rather q prosy speaker /
It all times; but he is logical reasoner, and |
makes a clean-cut, forcible statement.
As politician Hiscock is philosophical. He |
tudies politics as he does law case. His in
ormation is always exact. He never forms
pnions until he has canvassed the whole sit
lation. 1t will be- urged as against this view /
# Hiscock's Judgment in politics that he |
made an egregious mistake in supporting
Greeley in 1872. But that was a mistake of |
he heart and not of the head. He is not a
litter partisan. He belongs to a higher order
Il statesmen and is q man of sentiment and
ceiling. l have r rely found his judgment at
ault whan canvassing with him the political
ituation in his State. His judgment of men
> most admirable. As a committee man he is
Without a superior. He brings the cearest
alignment to the consideration OF every subject
u preliminary Investigations aud is not satis-
led with a superficial inquiry. In this respect
10 is model legislator.
nave had rare opportunities to observe the
rowth and development OF Reed and Hiscack, |
have seen them put TO their mattle on many
OCCASIONS, and watched them critically in con-
ests with some OF the a5iest men il Congress
iced was often pitted against Ben Butler and
ohp McMahon Oh the famous Potter commit
90. HesalwaYs held his own, and hot infre-
uently caue out ahead. McMahon was very
lever lawyer, and unusually quick and sharp
Z repartee.and he had many bout with Reed
Occasionally both of hem forgot their dignity
nd sometimes lost their temp-rs, but it was al
rays brilliant cut and thrust intellectual fenc-
ny. Reed, Butler and Mcmahon followed
1ucb the same methods in cross-examination
hey ba9ged and worried witness, rode him
nth whip and spur, and woe betide him if he
ndeavored to talk back tried to give as |
ood as he got. But both Mcmahon and But
r caught tartar when they tried couclu-
ions with Mrs. jerks Women and negroes
make the best witnesses when they are really
mart and want 10 avoid direcf answers.
Hiscock was alto ether different in dealing |
nth witness. He watched him closely dur
ng his direct examination and selected the
nints of attack. He moved on him in cross
like an engineer drawing the
ines of approach in siege. II he failed to
1ake an impression it was because the witness
as invulneraba.
Both Reed aud Hiscock hold prominent
laces on important Commuters. Reed is first
the minority ON the judiciary and Hiscock
Durth on ways aud means. Very import ant
sgal questions viii be- passed by the judo ary
ommitIee, and Reed is more than a match
Or auy of his Democratic colleagues. In deal
lg with the tariff ami other economic ques-
obs to be pasted upon b, the committee on
Qtl q aftd mill hat. |
ne most natianf. nerHprYinp indnstrv