The Portland daily press., 1894-02-05
The Magnificent Reception Given to the
Republican Leader-A Syeeeh That viii
Live Beyond This Congress.

announced that Ex-Speaker Reed would
occupy the floor to be followed by the
two Democrats who are supposed to rep
resent the talent of their party in the
House, Speaker Crisp and Mr.. Wilson,
chairman of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. Nobody had any anticipation,
however, of the jam that ensued.
The doors of the galleries were thrown
open at 10 O'Clock, and IN five minutes
there was not standing room in any but
the reserved sections. Those holding
cards of admission to the private CALLER
les only reached the seats after struggle
that caused delicate women to faint ana
every body to gasp for breath.
Reeds Great Greeting.
The cause of the greater part of this
outpouring OF the public was revealed
few minutes before II o'clock. when ex-
Speaker Reed, of Maine, entered the hall
of the House by the door to the left OF
the Speakers desk. His overcoat hung
on his arm, and he wore a stiff derby
hat He removed the latter after he had
advanced few steps in the Chamber;
AS the wellknown shining bald head ana
round, schoolboy face of the New Eng
land giant were caught sight OF the oc-
cupants of the galleries burst into cheers
and shouts that fairly shook the glass
in the decorated ceiling.
Handkerchiefs were waved, hats tossed
in the air and an ovation given 20 the
leader of the Repu blicans in the House
such as was never before witnessed.
Mr.. Reed is generally modest. The
greeting he received caused vlvld biush
to spread over his face, and instead OF
walking through the House to the cloak
room in the rear of the seats, as is his
custom, he called page, to whom he
gave his hat and coat, and then beat
a hasty retreat through the door by
which he had just entered. The most
preiudiced partisan among. the Demo
Gratis could not help admitting that the
majority of the people who filled the
galleries had been drawn there by
desire to see and hear Tom Reed"
Celebrities Watch the Fray.
The floor of the House presented live
Iy scene as the hour drew near for re-
porting the bill to the House. 1t soon
became apparent that the fullest atten-
dance was to be had. The interest in
the closing of the debate had drawn to
Washington many well known people,
ex-members of the House and other
celebrities. Representative Burrows
gave up his seat to Bishop Newman,
General Grants spiritual adviser. In the
Speakers pew in the gallery was noticed
Cardinal Gibbons, wearing. the red hat
of his Office. The we'll known figure
and long, fine-spun white wool of Hon.
Frederick Douglass were seen on the
Republican side. Ex-Congressman
Smedley Darlington, of Pennsylvania,
was among the visitors on the floor and
ex-Secretary of War Steven b. ElkIns was
an interested listener to Mr.. Reeds mag
nificent speech.
That the interest of the day conferred
in the House was manifested by the
States Senators, who came over from the
other end of the Capitol Before Mr..
Reed had proceeded five minutes he had
among his auditors Senators Hoar,
Lodge. Aldrich, Stock bridge, Morrill,,
Gray, Perkins, Martin, Mitchell and
Blackburn.
The reception Mr.. Reed met with when
even greater demonstrations when he
arose to make his speech. The occasion
was certainly one to try the nerves. of
the most selfpossessed public speaker,
hut the Maine orator showed no per-
turbation. He arose as calmly as he
would to make ive-minute speech on
Parliamentary question. The only per-
ceptible preparation he had made was TO
appear in a back frock coat closely but
toned about his portly frame instead of
his everyday cutaway OF steel gray cloth.
Reeds Great Effort.
His style was as simple and unaffected
as could be imagined. He stood for
much of the time with his hands be-
hind his back His gestures were not
MANY nor varied. His favorite manner
of nunctuating a statement is to advance
a step or two in the aisle with his right
arm extended above his head, and his
hand shaking in emphasis of each word.
This ge-ture he adopted today. He does
not resort to lung power to convey home
his most telling point, but the great
truths he uttered today were uttered in
almost conversational tone of voice, but
distinctly enough to reach the ear of the
listener In the farthest corner of the
hall He has none of the tricks of the
dramatic orator as has Bourke Cochran,
the only man in the House who can COM
mand as close attention as Mr.. Reed.
Mr.. Reeds speech will outlive this and
MANY OUHCI SLSooS'. oO5Ah-
nlng to end it was logical and practical.
Tt cannot be said of his speech as it can
be most truthfuly said of those Of Speak
err Crisp and Mr.. Wilson that one word
or sentence was uttered for the purpose
of creating applause He did not play to
the galleries, and more than once depre.
ciated the demonstrations his declara-
| tions evoked.
To those who expected that he would
| use the weapons of sarcasm and ridicule
which he possesses to such perfection,
and refrain from practical argument.
| his speech was disappointing. He did
| not indulge in invective, but his simple
recital of facts and his logical deductions
| from the experience of the country were
| sufficient to place the Democrats in the
ridiculous and inconsistent position
which has excited the contempt and dis
approval of some of it's leading mem bers
Unlike the two Democratic orators who
followed him, Mr.. Reed devoted no con-
siderable time to the question before the
House-the Wilson tariff bill. He in
troduced this speech with the truthful
statement hat it was odious to both
sides of the House, met favor nowhere
and commanded the respect of neither
party, and In the two speeches which
| followed there was no denial of these
assertions. Mr.. Reed spoke for exactly
| nna hour and a half Hja conclu1i N o