Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-20

C. poor man himself Money stays by Reed
like water by sieve; he was born with his
hands open. He has a sister, married; she
lives at Portland. His family is his wife
and daughter, the latter a girl of. say, sew
cnteen years. His business is the law, and
his home is Portland
One who is remorseless democrat of a
free-trade feather, and who wouldn't,
given chance. vote for Thomas Bracket
Reed, may admire him without suspicion.
Ones politics should not be worn as the
Apache wears his blanket: to be his
tune by day and cover his couch by night.
And aside from politics Reed is as nearly
great as any the rolls of Congress will
furnish 1t is difficult to be very great be-
fore one is very dead. Reed himself said
cnce in speech in the House, What is a
statesman? A statesman is a dead politi-
clan" Ore must go through the tomb to
reach ones apotheosis. Among men who
yet live to be republicans and democrats
end other things, Reed is great.
An Attractive PersoDaIity.
He is es: entially partisan. But parti-
sarship done away with, he has a vast deal
of humanity in his big body, and men who
meet him much think much of him. There
is about Reed that attribute observable
sometimes in those of his big physical
build which charms like a serpent men
who come in personal contact with him.
Call 1t an atmosphere or magnetism it
binds others to the one possessing it like
spell. Reed is popular, even with his hot
opponents in House war. When enc re-
fleets on his bitter partisanship. his trick
for sarcasm, this truth sounds strangely.
There Is one Tremendous thing about
Reed. He is in public way absolutely
honest. No odor of corruption clngs to
any act of Reed. No one has ever thought;
10 mouth was ever wanton or careless
enough to harbor the word of any dubious
Involvement on the part of Reed His name
is stainless, and his fame is clean. These
are great words for public man to earn
in day of muddy by-roads in politics. But
when he has earned them, give him them.
1t were impossible within the narrow
frontiers of a sketch to furnish any elabo-
ration of Reed. But in haphaZard way
much may be told to aid one to understand
the man. In the rough-and-tumble lists of
the House, where controversy runs all the
way from duel to general riot, no one in
recent time has been a match for Reed
f1ounce and fril of rhetoric, Reed is a
talker rather than an orator. He launches
his ideas with a drawl which tells of his
Maine origin. His instinct is entirely
Saxon, and his words are of the one-syila-
BILE Sort few indeed of them showing the
slightest trace of Norman blood.
On the Floor Of the House.
He talks all in one tone, like a gale in
the pine trees. After the seventh or eighth
word comes a pause, as if debating to a
slow stenograrher.. The characteristics of
Reeds speaking are lucidity and kind of
hattering ramism. There goes with all he
utters a sinister. butt-end force cruelty adj
plirable. He likes contest of the hand-to-
hand ,foot-to-foot variety. He sheds shafts
of sarcasm like porcupine his quilts.
Soaked in the vat of party, nothing so
draws Reed as political discussion.
On such occasions he reminds one of some
fat gatling gun of debate. He will rise in
his place, about midway of the second aisle
to the right of the center. For ten minutes
he will, as it were, rain verbal lead. When
Il fIeif do hot
proposition in opposition politics which
drew his fire will have a bullet hole in every
part of it's surface. 1t is this trick for trench
ant epigram, this sleight for sarcasm.
which makes Reed a bit feared in the
House. And yet no one may dodge it; it is
due at any moment.
Once while Springer was celebrating some
question Reed sat listening quizzically.
Some one interrupted Springer, Boutelle
perhaps with taunt based on the orators
record. Springer turned it with that re-
mark oft quoted, battered by much use: Il
would rather be right than be President"
Reed looked indolently up: THE gentleman
need take no ALARM" he drawled THE
gentleman will never be ether
Reeds bent to be sarcastic has now and
then tempted him to hunt small game in
the House. But for year or more he has
much guarded against and refrained from
these meadow-moe crusades. And his dig
nifty has had high Improvement thereby.
Even his opponents note this
1T is due to his candidacy for the presi-
QeQcy, SAID Gen S&lcHlnS5. feeO is IKE
every other American. He'll rise to any
occasion; grow to any need. Now he's after
the presidency, and the very pursuit of it
has broadened him, deepened him, added
dignity to him. and made him a stronger,
better man."
A Ready Talker.
Reed thinks and talks as he shoots
rihe-offhand. (And, by the way, he's de-
scribed as a tack-head shot with a ride)
He seldom, If ever. writes a speech. Nor