Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14
TOM REEDS HOBBY.
His Heart Set on the Passage of Il
Lodge Force Bill.

His Heart Set the Passage of the
Lodge Force Bill.
That Speaker Reed is in many re-
spects an able man no one will deny.
When on the floor of the House he was
ready and effective debater. His Ian
guage was simple and vigorous, and he
never made the mistake of talking too
long. As presiding officer he has added
TO his reputation in a certain way. He
is remarkably quick in his decisions
and never loses his head. Whenever he
has gone wrong it has been with malice
atorethOught. In other words. though
he has mental attributes that qualify
him for the place in the highest degree,
he is lacking in the moral attributes
that are indispensable to make man a
good Speaker. He is as conspicuous for
unfair treatment of his political oppo-
nents as his predecessor was for abso-
lutte impartiality. He is as tyrannical
as Bismarck, and would limit the func-
ton of the House to the simple duty Of
asser ting to his DEGREES.
1t is now reported that Mr.. Reed has
determined that the Senate shall pass
the force bill before adjournment. He
is credited with saying that he will
keep Congress sitting the year around
in order to accomplish his object. He
has set his heart upon having law en-
acted that may be used to cripple the
Southern Democrats. Though he ap-
proves of an outrageously high tariff,
and therefore gives his sanction to the
Mckinley bill, that measure is to him
OF secondary Importance. Possibly he
may have doubts of its advisability He
must certainly know that there is con-
siderable uncertainty as to the wisdom
of passing it in its present shape. But
the force bill he regards as the saliva
ton of the Republican party. He knows,
as we all know, that it will result in
rioting and bloodshed. His Judgment
is that this will arouse the feeling of
sectional hatred to which his party has
long owed its existence. and which he
thinks is still strong enough, under prop
er management, to prevent a return of
the Democrats to power.
1t is true beyond a question that the
aGimosities that were famed to fever
heat by the war have not yet died out.
The bloody shirt elected Harrison. But
it must not be forgotten that every year
is adding to the list of voters hundreds
of young men both in the South and in
the North who are not divided in sem
timent as their fathers were. They
were Satiated with war talk long ago.
The Southerners admit that they were
beaten and that they ought to have
been beaten. The Northerners in their
intercourse with them do not irritate
them by referring to the subject in an
offensive manner South and North
would join hands as they never have
done since the foundation of the Gov
eminent if these young men could have
their way. Does the Speaker take this
into account? Apparently not. He has
seen the policy he advocates successful
in the past and he does not recognize
the fact that the conditions that made
it successful are gradually disappearing.
Though he is disregarding precedent in
the House he is following very bad
precedent in politics. His course is
more likely to lead to defeat than vic
tory.-Chicago Globe.