The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-12-04
In Triumph Advancing,

Monday was Thomas B. Reeds day
of triumph. Six years ago he was
chosen speaker of the national house Of
representatives. The memorable con-
test in the first session of the fifty first
congress between the majority, spe'
cially commissioned by the people to
enact law for the protection of Amer
lean industry, and a truculent and
revolutionary minority, was led by Mr..
Reed. In the speaker, chair he refused
to recognize that ancient parliamentary
paradox that permitted minority, one
instant on its feet bowling defiance at
the presiding officer, the next, when a
vote was taken, skulking in silence, to
deprive the house of CO lslitutional
ajority and block the wheels of legisla-
tive business. With good nature and
mperturbability, skill and readiness in
the command and employment of all
the resources of parliamentary law and
procedure that we're absolutely without
flaw, he controlled the elemen that
were arrayed against him, aud COM
PEELED the house of representatives to
do the work it was sent there to per.
form. On the floor of the house and by
the democratic and mugwump press OF
the country, he was assailed with bit
terness and violence that were murder
Gus in their passionate intensity. He
never for an instant lost his self-control.
The fiercer the tempest of vituperation,
the clearer the play of his faculties.
Law, precedent and clever retort were
rained upon his assailants, whose exas-
peration grew to white heat under their
failure to confuse the speaker, to en-
tangle him in some error of ruling or
procedure, and drive him from his
position. Mr.. Reed, and his republican
friends and supporters, had the supreme
satisfaction OF seeing his rulings sus-
tanned by the supreme court, and, in
the subsequent congress, adopted by
for them in the fifty-frst congress.
Rarely is 80 complete and brilliant a
triumph vouchsafed to mortal man. His
election to the speakers chair, by the
reclamation of his party friends, was a
fitting honor and merited recognition
of his great service in the fifty-frst
congress.
At the caucus of the publicans on
Saturday, when Mr.. Reed, with per-
feet unanimity and great ent husiasm,
was nominated to the speakership, he
thanked his party associates for the
honor and added:
81 am, however, not in the least liable to
confound with my own personality this
tribute OF your kindness. L had only the
good fortune to be 80 placed, that l repre-
sented as we'll as l was able, the patriotic
sense of great party. and it is to that pa
triotic sense OF our party that you tender
the tribute of yonr matured as you did
your temporal approval. History will &C.
cord us praise for what we did in the Fifty
first Congress, and it may accord us its
praise in this for what we do not do. We
have, unfortunately, divided government,
which usually leads to small results. But
there are times when rest is as health. giving
as exercise. We must not forget our first
and greatest duty is to do all we can to re.
store confidence to business and that we
must avoid all business legislation except
in the direction Of improving business
Rather than run risks we can afford to wait
until well-matured plans give us assurance
OF permanent benefit Crude and hasty leg.
islation is above all things else to be
stunned. Gould we cause our immense
popular majority to overflow into other
branches Of the government and could we
have full control. we would create, not a
perfect world perhaps, but world rather
more fit 70 Ii We in than we have lately had
That we shall be ready at all times
to furnish adequate revenue for the govern
ment according to our sense of public duty
no man can doubt. This is the great nation
of this hemisphere. and while we have nc
desire to interfere with other nations, we
shall maintain our position here with firm.
ness and self-respect, and at the same time
with careful consid GRAFTON of facts and thai
conservatism OF action which shall leave no
bad question to trouble our future