The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-22

try. and his doings familiar TO all who
read newspapers and magazines in other
countries. Since then he has grown stead
iiy In the public estimation. and has Just
as steadily developed his intellectual re-
sources. until now he is recognized 1t
something hike his real value.
His strong speeches.
For the first ten years OF his congress
sional career Reed made few set speeches.
He was waschful and alert, however. and
there was little legislation during that
period which he did not follow closely and
Of which he did not have a comprehensive
grasp. He was gradually forging ahead
to the position Of mentor OF his party Ia
the house and on all the great questions
Of the hour he expressed himself clearly
and inselligsntly- His candidacy for the
speskership in the Forty-plnth congress
naturally marked him as the Republican
leader, and as party spokesman II then
became necessary for him to attack or de-
fend al greater length than had previous
~ been his wont. His speeches from this
time on In relation TO great public ques-
tens such ~ the tariff, the currency for
ei&n Affairs and other measures Of the day
were strong. brilliant and convincing. In
later years his public addresses both in
ana out OF congress have stamped him as
man OF tremendous intellectual force,
with comprehensive grasp OF our polifi-
cal ana economical problems such as ia
possessed by but few other men in the
country. He won q very early success.
owing. not only to his great natural abil-
fty. but 20 a power Of debate which an I.
mas been developed has surpassed that of
any public man OF the present genera ton
To capacity for lucid and condensed
Statement; which reminds one of Webster.
Mt. Reed unifss a ready wit an original
ify OF expression and q power of sarcasm
rarely found in such equal combination
and which together constitute the most
formidable weapons OF g great debater In
quick debate.
Mr.. Reed IL not given to making long
speeches fer the sake Of filing the Record.
or distributing pamphlets to his conS,it,,-
erts- But when the occasion has sls,na nd
cd lcng speech. as. for example when
he has been called upon TO present the
views and the arguments of his party on
srszas great question like the tariff Mr.
Reed has fully met the demand. In ais
GUESSING some great economic or r,oIlfIcaI
question at length AFR. Rees brings To the
task the originality of thought ana
breadth OF knowiesfge which are always
characteristic of everything he docs or
says He Is not a rhetoricisn. nor does he
ever indulge in oratsrtcaI fights which
hook ffne, bat mean little. HIS t~eatr,.n.
Of great subject is philosophical rather
than rhetorical ard although al, ana
fertility in striking and ingenious meta
phors are never hacking the tone "a al
ways serious and the leading quality /.
that cf close argument combined xtth
clear statement.
His speech Of 1sSS on the tariff auexrhon-
when the Mills Ssli vas before eonx-.ss
was one OF the most original ana master
ful expcsif tens Of the sssbsss-. In -e,a .,,..-
debate. pTher men knew as much If sAs
details. sEs Mr.. Reed grasped and silun,-
mated the ruling principles He had A@an-
~ studied ani reflected or the fstS-s,tnr
free trade fallactes 81 BAstias. ard pler.os
them with a StsArnsng and rne~ciiess te.vf,-
His speech on the Wilson bill pursued =,
entirely dsserens Ere. presenting the -s.-
ject from a wholly distinct standpoint ara
{. vas no less original an! brilliant stmr
his cartier discussion of the policy % pro-
ieSsson- he Is nas rhetorical. but rauo.