The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-29
He May Make Trouble for
PreSident-Elect.
At Least This is Story Told
BY One of His Friends.
It's An Interesting Tale, But May
Have no Basis In Pact.


ing this glad holiday time the gossip OF
the capital runs to some extent to unpleas-
ant subjects. For instance, there are the
relations between the president elect and
the present speaker Of the house OF repre-
sentatiyes, MIR. Reed. l am aware that
this is delicate topic, but do not pro-
pose to make any assertions preface the
gossip of the day with statement or my
own opinion--and know both men pretty
well--that the new president and the speak
or Of tho house will get along very we'll to-
gether. Their relations may not be cor
dial, but IL is improbable there will be any
open break. Still, the gossips will have 1t
differently Oily today met one of speak
er Reeds most intimate friends, and he
talked In an exceedingly interesting way.
A Prophecy.
"Reed doesn't like Mckinley at all, Z" he
said, "and Is in one OF his reckless and
bitter moods. You know that when no
feels that way there is no doing anything
with him. He likes nothing in tho world
SO much as wrcaking his rovenges, and
unless I miss my guess the speaker In
tends TO have great deal OF fun with the
incoming administration. he Is naturally
keeping rather quiet about tho matter at
the present time, as he does not care TO
have contest for the speakership on his
hands. But after the special session meets
and Mr.. Reed has been reelected speaker,
as he doubtless will be without opposition,
then the trouble will begin. do not sup
pose that Mr.. Reed will care openly to OPP
pose the policy of the administration, but
1t will not be long before President Nc
Kinley discovers that his wishes arc not
broadly and generously and promptly met
In the house Of representatives. There will
be haggling and delay and mysterious OPP
position and side remarks and general
air of discomfort. You wait and 500 IL !
am not right"
"But what will Mr.. Reed have to gain
by such a policys"
I'm the first place, he doesn't care wheth-
er he gains anything or not You should
know that Mr.. Reed Is not much In love
with public life. II IL were not for the
presidency and his old ambition to I'LL that
Office, he would retire and go TO New York
To practice law. Perhaps few people know
how near he came to doing that as 1t is. IL
he had consulted his personal wishes, he
would not have come back to congress after
the failure of tho St Louis convention TO
nominate him for the presidency. But his
friends interfercd and said his political
think of abandoning the field. They in
sisted that he should stay in the house and
In the speakership p and trust to the develop
ments of the future to bring him nearer to
the presidency. Their pleas carried the
day, somewhat against the big mans will.
Now that he is back in harness he does not
care much whether he has peace or war.
Ho wishes more than anything else to have
little fun and to make himself the center
of public interest He knows how to do 1t,
and, mark my word, he will do 1t before
many months have passed"
"supposing" the Case.
"But IL Mr. Reed Is still ambitious to
be president he will want to make friends
rather than enemies, will he nots"
Perhaps. You must remember that
there are two ways of looking at this thing.
II Mr.. Mckinley makes a popular presi-
don't, II his administration is a success, II
the country enjoys reasonable share OF
prosperity under tho new tariff law which
it Is the Mckinley programme pass next
spring, then suppose 1t goes without say
ing that he will be renominated by his
party. That Is as sure as fate. But let us
take the other view "a moment. Suppose
the country is not prosperous. Suppose
Of his party. Suppose factional troubles
start up and there is anything but united
party when the end of the four year term
draws nigh. These are only speculations,
1t is true, but there is precedent for the
supposition that such things might hap
pen. Then If Mr.. Reed had been active in
Opposition to the Mckinley policy, IL he
| had drawn about him all tho discontented
| clements, would he not most ltkely be their
candidate against tho president in the ma
| tional convention of 1900?"
| This Is looking long way ahead surely,
| but Is interesting as throwing light upon
| the possibilities Of tho next few months.
repeat in this connection my own oonvio-
tion that while IL may be true Mr.. Reed is
not fond OF Major Mckinley, and does not
| feel like going any great length TO contrib
| ute to tho success of the new administra-
| ton, there is small likelihood of any OF
these dreadful things which the gossips
talk about coming to pass.
A Democratic Contest.
While 1t Is generally conceded there will
be no opposition TO Mr.. Reed for tho speak
ership, we are likely To be treated to the
novelty Of bitter struggle among the
| Democrats for tho honor Of hopeless
| nomination for speaker against him. The
nub Of this Is that tho nomination for
speaker to be made In the Democratic
caucus carries with 10 the leadership of the
minority on tho floor. Already a number
of aspirants for this honor have appeared,
and from their activity and that of their
friends one would suppose tho victor was
81 win the speakcrship itself. Prominent
among these aspirants Is Mr.. Richardson
of Tennessee, who has been ~ years In
congress and who has won considerable
distinction as n debater. He Is a very tall,
dark man, generally content % sit silent.
but who has something TO say worth hear.
ing whom he does take tho floor. He j.
strongly pressed by "a large contingent OF
southern members. His chief rival up.
pears to be Mr.. Bailey Of Texas, who six
years ago was the "bnby of tho house, y
but who now looks upon himself as vet
Gran. Mr.. Bailey Is an apt debater. Par.
liamentary law and the constitution oi
the United States are his strong points.