Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-05
FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
The SmarteSt and Most interruptions
Member of That Body.
Names Falstaff Secures the Nominal
ton on Second Ballot.
How the Wisconsin Delegation Was
Secured For Reed.

of Maine, was nominated for speaker OF
the house of representatives In the repub-
ican caucus today on the second ballot,
receiving 81 votes, bare majority of the
members present.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-The very all
seemed impregnated with the Reed influ-
ence this morning, and reports were freely
circulated that the states of Pennsylvania
and Wisconsin having been whipped In by
giving the clerkship to Mcpherson, Of the
former, and making Wheat, of the lat
ter, doorkeeper, had made practical
walkover for the Falstaff of Maine. Ev-
erywhere Reed on the second ballot :
was heard and the partisans of the other
candidates were clearly disheartened
though they kept up the fight so as tc
gather chairmanships for their favorites
When the hour for the caucus to as
semble came the hall was we'll filled, 165
of the 1863 republican members-elect being
present. Three Reed men and one Nc,
Kinley man were the absentees. Gen
Henderson, of Illinois, was chosen
chairman and an open ballot was at once
agreed upon.
The first ballot was quickly taken and il
gave Reed rs, Mckinley 80, Cannon %
Henderson Is, Burrows 10.
Before the second ballot was ordered,
Mr.. Herman, of Oregon, one Of the absent
Reed men, arrived in haste and out Of
breath, but just In time to deliver the vote
he had promised. The vote on the second
ballot stood Reed "a, Mckinley 81, Can
non 10, Henderson Is, Burrows 10. Oh
the 166 votes cast Reed had received a
majority and was declared nominated amid
the great enthusiasm of the slim majority,
the minority feebly joining In and trying
to make believe that they liked the Dose
Mcpherson, of Pennsylvania had an
easy victory for clerk, and ex-Congressman
A. J. Holmes, of Iowa, was almost unani-
mously chosen for sergeant-at arms.
Adams, of Maryland, was elected door
keeper over Wheat, Of Wisconsin, by a
vote 81 to so.
J. L. Wheat, of Wisconsin, has been
nominated for postmaster
Capt ] L. Wheat, the postmaster OF
the house, is a resident of Racine, Wis,
and was a candidate for doOr-keeper. He
is fifty years old, and settled in Racine
only eight years ago, coming from Illinois
Reed has won considerable prominence
In congress, and during the last year has
been generally regarded as the republican
leader In the house. He is recognized as
an able man, but is an intense and unscru-
pulous partisan Mr.. Reed has bril-
liant war record, having been an assis-
tant paymasteriin thenayy. He is a bigman
physically, being over six feet in height
and very cOrpulent. His head is large, the
neck big and fat, and he has the re ular
double chin of the genuine fat man. He
sits down big, as Joe Cannon, one of his
rivals for the speakership, once said OF
him.
But the most remarkable thing about
Reed is his voice. 1t is a weapon pecu-
iiarly his own. His words are like the
sharp flat clangor of cymbals He is not
a man of great efforts. He speaks ire
quently, and his remarks are just
about as good to read afterward in the
Record as to hear from the galleries.
His style is admirably adapted to the
forensic rough-and-tumbe He has the
full mind of well-read man; he writes
well and is therefore precise in his utter
:anceS, and In the matter of readiness has
but few equals In public life. His best
speeches come like a fight, at the drop of
hat. He will be sitting at his desk
writing to some bothersome old sawback
constituent from the upper waters of the
Passamaquaddy, when his ear catches the
sound of bad logic over at the other side
of the chamber. The big moon face
rises, the blue eyes look quizzically at the
unlucky speakers. He then tips his head
to one side like game cock who senses
an approaching rival Then he puts his
hand to his ear, and drawls out the ques-
tion, what is that?' The next moment
he is on his feet and rolling down the
isle, looking much like big Newfound-
land dog playing in parlor among a
dozen babies, Listening, rolling and pro-
crossing, with both hands now in his
capacious trousers pockets, ne gets down
to the brass-fenced semi-circle In front of
the speaker, and stands waiting for the
proyocation to sit down. Then he begins.
1t Is like the snort off a buz-saw as it
tears through a knot. A more deadly
drawl and nasal twang never endowed the
voice of man. In two minutes usually it
is all over, and you see the broad hulk-like
back of the leader as he ambleS back to his
seat. 1t is hard to tell what sort of speak
er Reed will make The strain of five
hours daily in the chair will decide the
doubt. His composition of the committee
will be shrewdly reciprocal and thorough
ly true to the canons of party organiza-
ton. His temper may now and then show
his eye and the political aims of the ma
jority will never be impaired by any soft
desire to give the other side a show.
Thomas b. Reed is native of Maine
and so years of age; he graduated at Bow
dom college in 1860; studied law and was
admitted to the bar In 1865. His political
career begun In 1868, when he was elected
to the legislature where he served in both
houses and was afterward attorney general
of the state. He has been in co ngresS con
tinuously since 1878.
Edward Mcpherson is the veteran repub-
hcan politician who has been clerk
of every republican house for a great many
years He has paid for the farms by Civ
ing his literary talents to the party In cam
paign time and his political hand book
has become the first authority In the land
IN its line. His knowledge of politics and
politicians Is simply marvellous, and he
never guesseS wrong as to which comblna-
ton to enter
A. j. Holmes of Iowa, is Ohio born and
Wisconsin bred, and emigrated to the
Hawkeye state since the war. He was born
In 1912, came to Wisconsin in 1858 enter
ed the army in 1862, and went to Iowa In
1868. His Wisconsin home is at PALMYRA.
Jefferson county. In 1864 he was COM
missioned as second lieutenant and as
signed to the Thirty-seventh Wisconsin.
He was taken prisoner at the Petersburg
crater. July 30, 1864, but escaped in Oeto-
Der and reached the union lines in East
Tennessee just in time to vote at the
November election. Returning to his
regiment he was promoted to first ieuten-
ant and afterwards to captain, serving to
the end of the war He has served three
tnr,,,S In cn,,orroSS aud ,ntiraH ut the end