Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-12-12
Washington Letter.
lFrom oui Regular Correspondent
Washington, d. c. Dec. 2. 1888

From oui Regular Correspondent
Washington, d. c. Dec. 2, 1889.
"Mr Speaker" is now the proper
title to use in speaking to the big and
brainy Representative from Maine. MIR.
Reed was nominated for Speaker of the
House on the second ballot of the re-
publican caucus, iast as your CORES
pondent predicted, the vote being Reed,
So Mckinley. Sc, Cannon, 10; Burrows,
u; Henderson, 3. Ga motion of Repre-
sentative Mckinley the nomination was
at once made unanimous. Ii Is no dis
paragement Of the other candidates -
all excellent gentlemen and good repub-
lieans to say that the election of Mr..
Reed gives more general satisfaction in
the party than would that of any of the
other candidates. There are several
reasons why this is so, the principal OF
which is Mr.. Reeds stalwart combat
ivness in favor Of what he believes to be
right. This quality was considered to be
political necessity in the man who is
to preside over the present House whish
contains elements that make ii certain
to be turbulent and hard to control
| With Mr. Reed in the CHI lir the repu5
| licans hSve no fears that over-colsider-
alton for the feelings OF the democrats
will have any influence in deciding these
/ thousands OF knotty questions that are
certain to come up from tins to tins.
In short. the situation dem lnds fight.
er-one who knows how and does not
fear to hit out straight from the shout
der when the occasion calls for it, and
Tom Reed fills the bill. That Mr.. Reed
will make successful Speaker and
that lie will add to his already great
reputation rs a statesman, your cores
pendent does not doubt.
The other officers of the House are
satisfactory to republicans. Hon. Ed
ward Mcpherson, of Pennsylvania, the
new clerk, needs no introduction to the
republicans of the country; he has been
clerk of every republican House since
he was himself an honoied member of
that body, and his long and faithful
service as Secretary of the republican
Congressional committee made it en-
inently tit and proper that this or any
other position that he may have desired
should have been gladly given him.
Hon. A. j. Holmes, ex.RepreSentatiye
from Iowa, is now Sergeant-at-ArmS,
and a good one he will make. Charles
w. Adams, OF Maryland, doorkeeper;
j. A. Wheat, of Wisconsin. postmaster.
and Rev C. p. Ramsdell, of the District
Of Columbia, Chaplain, completes the
list of new House officials.
The Pres ident's first message to Con-
gress was carefully and attentively
listened to in the Senate and House
( today. 1t is a document that President
Harrison has every right to feel proud
of and it was enthusiastically received
bv The republicans ia and out of Con-
, gress. Even the democrats, that is, the
J more conservative among them, agree
that it will compare favorably rs state
: paper with those of the ablest .of his
predecessors No person familiar with
the record and public differences of the
I President expected that his message
, would be other than it is-a strong,
/ scholarly and statesmanlike presentation
Of the policy of the republican party
| No stronger argument in favor of re-
' publican control of this country has
/ ever been written than the first annua
message of Benjamin Harrison. and al
that remains necessary to make repub
lican victory in 1892 certainty, is tina
) Congress shall intelligently carry on
its recommendations
, The opening of new session of Con
g gress always makes big day in Wash
: ington, and this has been no exception
+ to the rule. Long before the hour o
opening every available inch of spac
/ IN the galleries of both House and Sen
) ate was filled by spectators. Even tn
: corridors were crowded with men an
t women, all anxious to see the Fifty -firs
2 Congress start on its voyage to-. AL
! that's the question, we saw the vesse
{ launched and started off under a full
} head of steam, but owing to the d IN
gerous rocks, whirl pools and breaker
: through which it will have to navigate
: no man can say with any certaint
f where the voyage will end. We onl
5 know that the good ship has full com
f plement of experienced pilots and navi
, gators aboard, and to them the publ
/ confidently look for the safety of tn
| vessel At high noon the Vice Presiden
a made his debut rs a presiding officer b.
5 rapping the Senate to order. A foreign
' err, Judging from MI Morton's action
and manner, would have supposed tina
be had been performing that duty TO
years, 50 perfectly self-possessed wa
J he Mr.. Clark, the democratic clerk Q
. the last House, went through the sam
j ceremony for the new House in yer
e crediiabe manner The members o
: both House and Senate from the ney
States had thousands of opera glasse
: focused upon them during the day
and the unusually large number of new
i faces IN the House nearly one third 0
r its membership was the subject o
s much comment, and their appearance
: was criticised as only a Washington
!, crowd can crticise.
j There are