The daily critic., 1890-07-11
SPEAKER REEDS ERROR

The authorship Of the NorH ImcH
can ReJior article, entitled Speaker
Reeds Error, and signed X. NJ. @. i"
is The subject or a great deal Of con.
iroycrsy for The moment Not even the
identity Of the Arthur Richmond" 81
four years ago, led TO wider or more
eager comment than has been caused
by y. NJ. c."
One Of the earliest and at the same
time most general and confident con.
lectures selected Mr. Blaine. He Is an
sN-member Of Congress he Is a pun
gent and versatile writer; he undoubt
sdly possesses the same extraordinary
familiarity with Congressional prece-
dent and procedure as has been dis.
played by y. NJ. c. and, finally, he
Is believed 10 dlsapproye Mr.. Reed S
course as Speaker Of the House IT, in
deed, he does not object to Alr Reed
himself, Disciples OF this hypoth.
esis, which must be allowed
10 present many features Of
pg0bability. profess 10 discern In the
article various internal combinations Of
their theory The solid foundation OF
dislike and contempt so plainly visible
through the thin but elegant super
structure Of courtesy, appears TO them
20 indicate Mr. Blaine beyond doubt.
They loudly declare that there is no one
else who, possessing the information
and the literary ability, has also the
hostile animus necessary 10 the author
II the article.
A small, though vigorous minority
takes a different view. Notably, the
New York San Of today prints lead
ing editorial Of Characteristic grace
and force, in which, after discussing
The more salient abstract features Of the
article IL says. But Mr Blaine did
not write the article Those who think
they detect his methods Of argument
and literary peculiarities in the essay Of
n ii. C.. are curiously mistaken.
] hey pay a very poor compliment to Mr..
Hiaine's powers Of self restraint and po-
.iiieal magHanimity when they attrib
ufe he paper 10 him They also dis
play a singular lack Of literary percep-
lion when they discover in its periods
the distinguishing traits of Mr. Blaine
siJle The style Is not his The wit IS
not his; the Characteristic turns
# expression and habits Of phrase
oiogy are not his The won
deTiul familiarity with the business
ST Congress and the history Of the rules
might be his, bat Il isn't his. 1Ir
Blaine Is not y. N. C., ana We 90 not
ihiuk thai any competent judge Of style
Kho reads lie article carefully and
without a preconceived notion as b rs
authorship. viii md any good reason
for attriburing Il b him
The fact remains. however that AIr
Reed has been handled with a power
freedom. a duency and a wit that
have had The effect Of putting him
under q diminishing glass. He isn't
nearly as big as be seemed before X.
u @" undertook 70 trim him d08n.
Meanwhile the controversy 10 which
Ne refer has had the effect Of Whetlng
he public curiosity 70 such an extent
thaf perhaps lie simplest considera-
lion II humanity demands a repr0duc-
tion of tke silas guess AZ the identity
~ \. d. C."
Here il Is
Hho 3 tie apoug NOUS critic 81 Speaker
Eeeaz rules and rulings From internal
evidence only we should say that the
speakers replg should be addressed NOT to
ne state DEPARTMENT. aut % Q dis1in glishal
EsEaeaQan philosopher and journalist WHO
hals ham & eiIY about three Thousand
miles from Augusta. Maine. Hh0 aas never
za.a q re speaker chair. whose paFllaEaau-
taHg kHoWiedEe vas gained IS 4 dozen
EsaEs eEp6riaucs az the other eHd 81 tde
Capitol. and ano has always been about as
IzaaaaIY - Brother Blame a. Blame 5 sup
Hessd q bs tg the Hqn. Thomas Eraekett
Hsad
- IHa aEH TaaE HgalFs Washlug
"a correspondence Wa ara : FeFy inleE
sssiag aeaaaaE q saeakeE Reed 3 Esatlaas
q KaHHssaHt afIFe Ea1aaf1a laaa lsIQH sal