Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-22
The Opportunity That viii Come to
the Man From Maine.
CLAIMS OF THE EI-SPEAKER'O FRIENDS
Based on the Butteworth Inter
view in The Star.
THE LOGICAL PARTY LEADER

The observat tion of Mr. BENJAMIN Butter
worth to The Star on Saturday. pointing
out that if the republicans carried the next
House Thomas b. Reed. as Speaker Of that
body. would have a great opportunity. has
delighted the admirers Of the Maine states
man here. They agree with Mr.. Butter
worth to a man. and they are fluent with
assurances that their favoritc may be relied
upon 10 fully improve any Oppoi tunity that
presents itself Mr.. ButterwCrth, there is
every reason to believe. had probably more
In mind opportunity by which Alr. Reed
could serve his party and the country than
advance his own individual fortunes. Mr..
EutterwOrth was not nominating candi-
date for the presidency. But the out-and-
out Reed men can associate no other name
with the next republican n"rniration for
that Office. and hence the suggestion of any
opportunity FOR Mr.. Reed has no other
meaning to them than that bearing on his
presidential fortunes.
What the Reed Men Say.
As the Reed men forecast matters, the
neNt House is certain to be republican by a
safe majority, aTI Mr.. Reed IS certain to
be Speaker not only by the unanimous vote.
OF ms party, but by such enthusiastic choice
as viii make him the central figure of the
DAY Ills iuty will be plain before him, and
he will be equal T. IT. The county will
lave demanded a conservative revision of
the tariff. always in the direction Of prOteC-
tiCn- and he. Speaker. with full! power in
the akiEG up Of the ways and means COM
mittee, VIII select the agents to execute his
commission and assist them in their work.
Mr.. Reed. his admirers claim. is an excel
lent judge Of men. and has the clearest idea
of all the republican leaders as to just what
is necessary to make the tariff satisfactory
to the business world. They are unable TO
zee therefore how anything but success can
come out of such an opportunity falling to
the lot OF such man.
No Rival in the House.
The Reed men make another point. The
Maine statesman. they declare. will be
without the semblance of a rival in the
next House. He will tower over all his
fellows. ami would make measures to suit
himself. The situation different in
the Fifty-first Congress. Although he de-
feated his rivals for the speakership easily
ne was not so great man then as he is
now. He had not then made the reputation
for resolution and firm parliamentary grasp
that he now enjoys. He was then merely
q strong debater, with wit and unequaled
powers Of sarcasm. He is now regarded as
one of the foremost parliamentary authori-
ties in the world. Besides. there was Nc
kinley, who, though beaten for Speaker
became a striking figure the floor as
Chairman OF the ways and means, and
divided the hCnors Of the Congress won
with the Speaker himself. But there will
DE- no Mckinley In the next House, nor any
man there measuring up TO his stature as a
leader on the floor The aBlest raltIIli,an
member after Mt. Reed Will be Mr. Bur
rows. who may soon be translated TO the
Senate. leaving the floor leadership to be
finally div-igt letv-cH PayTe Of New York
and Cannon Of Illinois. Dingley would fill
the place admirably. but Maine could hard
ly expect. or safely receive both the speak
ership and the chairmanship Of ways and
means. But whether burrows or Payne or
Cannon beCam" leader no division Of the
hU2urs Of the session, the Reed men as
sert, would result. The Speaker would he
easily the first and oyeTshadUwing figure
and would hll the stage from the iirst day
to the last.
Was Never An Extremist.
Mr.. Eutte-w orth warns his party against
returning 10 extreme tariff legislation Mr.
Reeds friends declare that he needs no
such warning in any tariff steps he may
take as the party's leader in the lower
house OF Congress They deny that he
ever was an extremist on that or any public
question. and they pcumise that a ways and
means committee made up by him now in
The IGht Of his experience IN the Fifty-first
Congress viii meet at once the best aspira-
tons OF the party and the best interests of
the county Protection viii be the guide
the road.
This whole calculation gives Mr. Reed this
great TrouaiUeLce and the exercise OF this
great power at the very time that delegates
to the Aes- republican rational c0nV-u:tD;,
are being chosen. His friends see him. in
thelr mlHd eye. capturing numerous state
delt-aJipns- The country vii. again be en-
tOyiHE pIc@I Gritty, and tLa demand Will be-
not for return 10 Mckinley schedules but
FOR = ciualiZa:i rs and notifications that will
keeI things EUmunins.
Mr- NJ ghiHIey viii H0t be the logical leader
tn such g 1-.Epdlsn- lie Stands only for th,
hlEACSi q riE rates. No. Will the c0nuarI-
BOZ now - much In Use n the stump. be-
tween the flush times under republican rule
anf The siaTd times under dcnocr.i tic rule.
longer have IGttHCy. Comparatively ggO,i
times VIII have come again, and tn ra,,;,l,.
will haSt forgotten the aEonies Of the Trns-
ent pinch This Is expected 10 rob Gen
Harrison or the tallest feather in his cap
So, IL is asserted. Mr. Reed VIII step 10 tb..
frOnt and take the party STANDARD: first I,y
reason Of his rt presenting what the plrtv
stands Tor Ia It's latest I. siiion, second as
the mpiter OF the New tariff bin uDon which
the party is about 10 EO into action: auI
third. by reason OF being. by general con-
kent. very able anu upright man. The
Reed men, at present are happy