The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-11
WIVES OF CANDIDATES.
Something About the Better Halves OF
Would-be Speakers.


From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
WASHINGTON, Nov. For the first
time since the adjournment of the Forty
third congress on March 4, 1876, save for
the brief interim of the two years Of
the Forty congress, the con-
stituent assembly of the people
in the national legislature has fallen
| under the domination of q republican ma.
jority. The control of the organization
will, therefore. pass into the hands of new
| set Of leaders. The biennial race for the
| speakership, which has been q matter of
preparation and speculation ever since the
verdict Of the people settled the political
complexion of the House, is about to begin
in earnest. The individual preferences
of members have already singled out
the men who will receive support in the
| republican caucus, where the nominee will
be chosen.
The public services of the gentlemen who
stand within the range of probability in the
selection Of speaker are we'll known. In
their family and social surroundings they
interest the world of fashionable life at the
capital, as the presiding lady of the house
hold OF the speaker Is regarded as the leader
| in the social circle Of the representatives.
The distant state of Maine had occupied
the speakers chair in the person of James
q. Blaine for three congresses, and for six
seasons Mrs. Harriet Stanwood Blaine had
done the honors of the speakers home,
when the gavel passed into the possession of
the democrats and Michael G.. Kerr of In.
diana received it from their hands as
speaker. It is the wish of large share of
the republicans of the House that the gavel
shall go back to Maine in the person of
Thomas B. Reed, who has had the repeated
complimentary vote of the republican
minority.
The name of Mrs. Reed is not new to the
fashionable life of the capital Her distin-
guished husband entered the arena of ma
tioIal legislation in the Forty-fifth congress,
after various services in his native state up
| to the post of encouragement During
| the twelve years since her husband entered
| congress Mrs. Reed has passed the winters
| in Washington, and while not very aggres-
sive in her social methods, she has enjoyed
wide popularity among her lady
| maiden name was Susan Merrill was born
in Centre sHarbor, Maine. Her father
! Rev. s. Il. Merrill, was one of the ost
| eloquent pulpit orators of the Congrega-
| tlonal church IN that section of New Eng
land The brilliant mental gifts of his
| daughter gave her father great pride, and
! it was one of his most pleasant tasks to give
his personal attention to her education. In
| 1870 the talented Miss Susan Merrill became
the wife of Thomas b. Reed, who, from
| distinguished career at the bar, had Just
entered the Office of attorney general of his
state. Their marriage took place at Port
land, and that beautiful city on the shores
of Casco bay became their home.
Mrs Reed is exceedingly well read and
with her cultivated aud refined nature,
happy flow of conversation and ready
adaptability to social situations and emer-
gencies, would adorn the social side of the
chief office Of the Horse of Representa-
tlves with great success.
AT the drawing rooms. of the ladies of
the hotel in which she has long resided,
Mrs. Reed has always been prominent and
particularly on account Of the wide fund of
information which enlivens her converse
ton and for her kindness of manner. Mrs.
Reed is woman OF medium hight. with
dark hair and eyes. Her beautiful daugh-
ter, Catherine, or Kitty, as she is affection
ately known, Is sweet girl Just entering
her teens. The family and surroundings of
the representative of the Portland district
Of Maine are reflex of the very best phases
of American home feeling and rational
social enjoyment.
When the war for the union began WILL
lam Mckinley entered the Twenty-third
Ohio volunteers. When he left the service
at Its close he wore the straps of captain
and carried the honors Of a brevet major.
de was then Just 81 years of age, He be-
gan civil pursuits by the study of law, and
| at Canton he started forth in his career as a
man. which in the space of twenty-three
years has made his name worthy Of oon-
| spicuous consideration for the first place in
the gift OF The representatives Of the people
In the popular branch of congress.
ssin the very beginning Of his career Law
| yer Mckinley made Ida Saxton, one of the
brightest young ladies of Canton, his wife.
Her grandfather, John Saxton, for sixty
years filled the editorial chair of the Ohio
| Repository, which he founded is 1916 It was
mentioned with considerable pride Of long
| eYity by the venerable editor thatin Sep