Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-28
Food for Reflection Found in
Mr.. Reeds Speech.
OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES.
Doings of the Day After the Ameri-
Gus Club Banquet.
THE GUESTS ALL RETURN HOME


among the local politicians yesterday.
Many of the guests who attended the feast
remained over during the day, and what
they had to say about it appears in what
follows. The Republicans In the main
| approved the extreme views taken by the
Speaker, while the Democrats in general
those at least who had read the effort-put
| it down as so much "bloody shirt talk"
| Even the Republicans, however, were
| guarded in their expressions. and
when it comes down to the question OF
controlling State or local elections they were
all emphatic in denying that the National
Government had any right to interfere.
Visits were paid to the Randall and
County Democracy club rooms in search of
leading Democrats, but the majority of
them are in the habit of spending Sunday at
home. Those who were discovered either
hadn't read the speech or were not quallted
to speak on its general bearing.
THINKS REED DEsPoTIC.
General P. NJ. Guthrie was met on the
street, and after he had been posted as to its
drift, he said: "Well. you know Reed is
despot, anyhow, OF the rankest kind. His
rulings this winter in the House prove tnat.
His ideas are certainly bitterly partisan and
extreme 1 do not believe the position he
has taken is correct. His plan could only
be carried out by calling into authority the
military branch of the Government, while
the aim should be to keep that as lar in the
background as possible. This is civil, not
a military government, and the people
should have full control"
Colonel Hudson, e1- "A sslstant Postmaster,
thought it was masterly effort from Re
publican standpoint. but he was more
pleased with the speech of First Assistant
Postmaster General Clarkson, and paid the
most attention to it. He thought that
Reed had indulged in considerable unnec-
essary 'bloody shirt" talk, and this is all
he had to say abont it.
Many expected that the Speaker would
talk about his course in Congress, and give
some further reasons for his rulings, but in
this they were disappointed. As the dinner
was intended to commemorate the birthday
of General Grant, the Republicans claimed
that the Speaker knew such speech would |
be out of place.
The Americus Club boys were highly |
pleased with the whole affair, and Mr.. |
Reeds oration IN particular met with their |
general approval. On the Republican side |
dorse it. |
THE CLUB MADE FAMOUS.
Said Robert w. TayIer, one of the orators,
before leaving for New York, at the Union |
depot last evening: "These annual dinners |
have made the Americus club famous all |
over the country, and they will continue to |
attract attention as long as they can get one |
or two prominent men in whom the people |
are interested to attend. The selection of |
the minor speakers to fill in is mat |
ter of Indifference. Now, the din i
ner of the Republican Society in |
New York in February was a big |
affair, and yet it did not attract half the |
notice that this banquet will, although |
there were any number of prominent ma
tional characters present.
Gas for the speech of Speaker Reed-he
is right in what he advocates. His position
plan should be put in operation as soon as
possible, if fair count is to be had and the
political outrages in the South prevented.
The idea is for the Government to take
charge of its own elections, and to see to it
that they are properly conducted. 1t is not
necessary to call into service the military
end of the Government to accomplish
this purpose. Speaker Reed had no such
thought in his mind. Senator Sherman, in
his bill, struck the idea when he suggested
the appointment of Federal officers 70 super
intend the elections. So far as the local
elections are concerned, the Government,
not being directly interested, could let the
people attend to it themselves"
ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT.
Captain Jesse M. Baker, of Media, said
the Speaker was right. He did not think
his views were at all extreme. He did not
understand that he intended to extend gov
control to State elections, but
only to the contests where Federal Offices
were the objective points.
The captains old law partner is now
o Democratic Representative from
Texas. Not long since Mr.. Baker was in
where he met his friend. The
latter said to him: "Come. I want to intro
duce you to Cesar Reed. am against him
politically, but don't mean anything dis
by that title He is the greatest
man in the House to-day. You can't upset
his equilibrium. Only yesterday Con-
gresham from Arkansas roasted him most
when some Republican rose
to the point of order that the gentleman's
language was unparliamentary. 'Oh, let
him alone replied the Speaker. He is
trying to make personal explanation.
Captain Baker then remarked that he had
a very wholesome respect for the ability and
utterances of Mr.. Reed.
Young State Senator Ed Robbins, of
was in tie city yesterday. He
had perused Mr.. Reeds speech in The DIS
PATCH, and had come to the conclusion
that the Speaker was radical in his IDEAS
In expressing his views, he said: 81 should
be inclined to go little slow. The people
are very tenacious of their rights, and are
not any too fond of national interference
WHEN 1T WOULDN'T WORK
"The general idea of true government is
TO confer the greatest liberty on the greatest
number, in the truest and highest sense of
the word. I am sure such plan would not
work if applied to State elections. 1t would
be bad policy. The people would feel that,
having no voice in the selection of officers to
conduct the ballot, their rights were
1surped, or else they would take no interest
IN the elections.
The Americus Club banquet, as whole,
,ame in for good share of praise and COM I
nent yesterday. The guests and the men,
Oers retired late, and few of them were seen
around early in the morning. Governor {
Beaver, Secretary OF the Commonwealth {
Stone and Secretary of Internal Affairs
Thomas j. Stewart left for Harrisburg on
The 3 o'clock train yesterday morning.
Some of the guests formed party
after the banquet, and spent the time ,
in eating late lunch at Newell's restaurant.
In the crowd were Mr.. Clarkson, General
Hastings, Senator Delamater, United States
District Attorney Walter Lyon, Colonel
Swords and some others. They got to tell
ng stories, and each one tried to get ahead
If the other in telling the biggest. Mr..
Stewart seemed 10 hold his own better than
he others, and finally the interest centered
n him. Walter Lyon was good second,
Ind when the conversation tagged. Senator
Oelamater insisted that Stewart should tell
mother story. Mr.. Clarkson related few,
)ut he preferred to be a listener.