Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-18
THE NEXT SPEAKER
Thos. B. Reed is the Subject Of Much
Speculation.
His DANGERS AND Ills OPPORTUNITIES
The Conditions in the Fifty-first
Congress and Now.
WILL MASTER THE SITUATION

Thomas B. Reed, for the second time in
the Speakers chair of the House of Rep
resentatives, is the subject of more specu-
lation just now than any other public man
in America. That he will occupy the chair
again nobody questions, but the past few
days are thought to have opened up most
interesting inquiry as to how he will de-
velop in the new circumstances and under
the great pressure that will surround him.
General expression in Washington goes
to show that Mr.. Reed has a great many
friends and ardent admirers in both politi-
cal parties. Repeated reference is made 10
his pluck and his wit. and nobody appears
to dispute the palm with him for debating
power. His reputation on those scores Is
thought to be secure. His record as a
parliamentarian is likewise conceded to be
secure But comparison is instituted
between the duty that confronted him and
the ambition that filled him when he took
the chair before and the duty that con-
fronts him and the ambition that fills him
row.
In the Fifty-First Congress.
Tie case is stated in this way: When Mr..
Reed took the House gavel in the Fifty
first Congress the one overshadowing ne
cessity was to institute prompt and an
orderly method of tranSacting public busi-
ness. The old method stood not only re-
pudiated. but despised by the country.
There was a sharp demand for change.
and to this task, with conSummate skill
and equal courage, Mr.. Reed addressed
himself. His success was extraordinary.
He showed the way from start to finish.
though not without some trouble now and
then in bringing his followers up to his
own advanced scratch. and he handed the
result over to the democracy with pre-
dction that the new method would stand
the test of experience. If the presidency
was in Mr.. Reeds eye at that time 1T did not
obscure, nor even confuse, matters fmme-
dately at hand. Gen. Harrison was in the
White House making pronounced impress
sion on the country and even then reason
ably we'll assured of denomination, and so q t
least six years must intervene between the
credit that Mr.. Reed was then to acquire
and any direct personal consideration of 1t
by a republican national convention. Mr..
Reed, therefore, proceeded with singleneSs
of purpose to a definite object, and achieved
a great triumph.
The Present Case.
But, the question Is asked. how stands
the present case? No parliamentary points
are now involved. The rules that Mr.. Reed
projected and applied in the Fifty-frst
Congress will be applied in the Fifty
fourth. Their author, it is pointed out will
find them adequate to every purpose, or
can easily amend them in any necessary
minor particular.
His recommendations on that subject are
not likely to be questioned by his party in
the House. The important proposition will
be business itself. and not the method of
transa citing it. and it will relate to the
tariff, the currency and to foreign affairs.
VIII Mr.. keed show definite a purpose
on those subjects as he did on the subject
of parliamentary law? 1t will be necessary
for him to show his hand, and SO far he
has never failed to do that. In the COM
position of the committees alone he will be
obliged to take very definite ground on
all of the leading propositions. His party
is not united on the currency question, ana
that alone will probably give him several
anxious half hours. And then there is the
presidency just ahead. 1t is not denied, OF
course, that he is an aVowed candidate for
his party's nomination for that office. He
is even thought to be decidedly in the lead
in the race. But his rival aSpirantS are
strong men, and he cannot afford to make
q break of any kind. His dangers and his
opportunities bearing on this race Will be
about equal in the Speakers chair. The
returns will be large for whatever of sue
cess he may achieve, and the penalties are
likely to be severe for whatever blunders
he may commit. The prediction is that he
will be pressed hard at times, not only by
the democrats, who naturally will try to
score at the expense of the opposition. but
by the friends of the other republican pres
| iG6ntlal aSplrantS. Inc argument IS tndt
as Mr.. Reed will be endeavoring to advance
his own presidential fortunes by impressing
his views of legislation on the House, the
friends of Mckinley. Harrison, Lincoln
and Allison will not be idle. but, while not
pushing differences to the verge of injur-
ing the party, will see to it that all of the
grist does not go to the Reed mill. Human
nature is human nature, it is asserted,
even on a hunt for the presidency.
VIII he Equal to the Task.
Some of the warmest friends of Mr.. Reed
concede the substantial accuracy of the diff
ference thus described between the condi-
tions that surrounded him when he first
came to the Speakers chair and the condi-
tions that will surround him when he
comes there again. But they do not doubt
that he will prove equal to the one, as he
did to the other. Their first confidence is
in the man himself, who, as they believe,
is easily one of the first of his generation in
capacity for legislative business. They can
not conceive of his making failure where
experience courage clearheadedneSS and
ambition will count for so much But they
go further than this, and point to the char
acter of the men likely to be called to re-
sponsble committee posts in the next
House, and therefore to be in position to
assist the Speaker with good counsel and
wise procedure of their own. The names
of Payne of New York, Dalzell of Pennsyl-
vania and particularly Dingley of Maine
are prominent on this list 1t Is suggested
that MIR. D1nSley would make an excellent
chairman of the banking and currency COM
mittee. This committee is certain to be
charged with business of much moment in
the next House. Mr.. Dingley has had the
fullest confidence of every House in which
he has served. He is good speaker and re-
garded as an entirely safe man. Mr.. Reed
it is said, values his colleagues judgment
most highly. Mr.. Dingley. on his side, is
devoted to Mr.. Reed, wants to hin,
elected President. and is expecting that re-
| suit. AS chairman of the committee on
banking and currency he would have po-
tent voice in shaping all currency measures
and the currency question is thought to
| be the most dangerous rock in Mr.. Reeds
presidential pathway, the removal of ii
would be the greatest service that Mr.
| DingIey could render his friend At the
same time it would be service to the party
and to the country, and for performing
which Mr.. Dingley would win substantial
recognition for himself.
So that. taken alone. or in company with
his lieutenants. Mr.. Reed possesses the full
| est confidence of his supporters. They be-
| lieve that he will master the approaching
situation, although none of them tries to
underrate it's dangers or the drafts it is sure
| to make on their favorite's resources.
An Additional Private.
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