The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02
Copyright, 1896

,ras misinterpreted to his disadvantage.
For the same reason he declined to be
,r,arviewed last summer by any of the
,o,rsnaper correspondents who visited him
-. Portland or Grand Beach. He has not
Lost his prejudice against being interview
"a but he has consented to return to his
magazine work. Possibly the addition to
his income, which writing brings, is an
;,5ucement; perhaps he finds it neces-
cary to relieve his pent feelings by putting
non TO paper. The speaker of the House
sneazs less than any other member, and
- a man who has such positive views as
,rr Reed on most public questions, the
restraint Of sitting still and letting other
neople do all the talking must be a severe
strain.
Then there is another reason-it is a
positive pleasure for Mr. Reed to write
so great a pleasure that he has been
known to write great many things
which were never intended for publication.
like the Ancient Mariners victim, Mr..
Reed cannot choose butt write when
seized with an idea 1t is a pity that some
NJ his pen productions have been limited
10 private circulation, for, if those who
have read them are to be believed, they
QIlte as amusing DIS int WIN VI
professional humorist. one essay, which
he wrote not long ago, choosing Tor ms
subject his house cat, is said to have been
a literary gem. But the public VIII have
P Reeds oP Views Ss''' O on cats and on this
ear IN particular, for he intends never 10
permit his humorous writings to get INTO
print He believes the dignity OF a pubhc
man is impaired by the circulation OF any
thing humorous from his pen. Humor is
almost as frivolous as poetry OF GER
tain type; and no doubt the grave ana
reverend chief justice of the supreme
court Of the United States would have
hesitated about publishing verses OF ms
own composition in his earlier years II
he had then had an eye on judicial posi-
Mr. Reeds literary fancy sometimes
takes another flight. He very often re,
ceives odd letters from people who are
strangers, criticising or abusing him. Some
are even threatening in a mild way. These
letters afford the speaker a great deal OF
amusement. He Is not bit sensitive TO
criticism Of this kind, and shows these
letters to a few of his friends from time
10 time, with laughing comments. some
times he is received with an irresistlple
inclination to answer one of these cranks
and writes a rejoinder in his most bril-
liant style. The speakers letter is never
mailed. He pins it to the crank letter,
reads both of them over second time,
has a good chuckle at the cranks expense,
and sometimes shares his enjoyment with
a chance caller. Then he destroys both
the letter and the answer. 1t is a pity
they cannot be preserved, for a compila-
ton of unpublished" and unmailed letters
from Mr.. Reed to various unknown cor
respondents would make an amusing book
some day.
Mr. Reed has the happy faculty, shared
by so many men, of working best in the
night hours; and when he has on hand
any literary work he often remains in his
Office at the Shoreham as late as l or 2
o'clock in the morning. He writes with
pen, and his fingers fly very rapidly over
the paper. He sometimes writes 1900 or
5000 words in an evening. He revises
his manuscript, but the changes he makes
Of others and almost everything he writes
is submitted to Mrs. Reed for approval.
Sometimes when he is dissatisfied with
his work, Mrs. Reeds favorable criticism
will reassure him. In the case of one
Of his speeches in the last congress, he
was thoroughly dissatisfied until Mrs.
Reed had read what he had written.
After she had passed Judgment on the
speech favorably, he decided to deliver
it as it was written, and the result sur
prised him. He said afterward that he
was quite content with what he had done.
This speech was the only one he ever
dictated to a stenographer. Letters he
dictates, but his magazine work and
his public speeches he prefers to do with
pen. But the weather was warm when
he was preparing his speech on the re-
peal of the purchasing clause OF the
Sherman silver law, and he decided TO
use stenographer So, as ne expressed
It afterward, he talked out of the win
dow" for about an hour, while the ste
nographer took the typewriter manu-
script and went over 1t, but ne was not
at all satisfied. He determined TO re-
write the whole thing, and sat at his desk
Tor long time, perspir1ng coplously
while he wrote. But when he asked Mrs
Reeds Judgment and that of his secre>
tary, Mr. Allen, on what he had written,
they told him the typewriter manuscript
was better; so he gave up the task and
Mr. Reod Womb he called ga. good study
in theatrical circles. That is, he has good
memory, and finds it easy to study
speech for delivery. He always writes lne
speech out, reads over the manuscript two
or three times, and then is pretty well
prepared to reel off his thoughts just as
ne wrote them. Usually tellow-memper
sits behind him with the manuscript ready
70 prompt him if it should be necessary
lie needs very little prompting though. he
is satisfied if he adhereS to the thoughts
IN the manuscript without using us exact
language. His speeches as published in
the Congressional Record are not report
ed exactly as he delivered them on the
noor of the House. He gives his prepared
manuscript to the reporters for publlca-
uon. Usually he has the speeches put IN
type at the government printing Office pc
lore delivery, and slips are given 10 tne
ever, follow ME-. Reed closely, and II ne
departs radically from the prepared
speech, make corresponding changes. Inc
newspaper reports of public speeches are
me only accurate records.
Mr.. Reed is one of the few public men
Who could make a large income by pub
nc speaking He has received $,VOO Tor
one lecture delivered in Boston, and he
mas received $500 several times for re-
beating this lecture at other places
al Ann Arbor at Rochester, etc. he re-
yeVes offers very frequently from col
!eges, lyceums and so on, and he declines
!nem rather regretfully; for Mr. Reed
j. not a rich man, and an occasional 5000
5Qr a lecture would be an agreeable ad-
ggton to his income; but he has little
ume to go lecturing. He Will, however,
make $500 or 5000 with his pen, this
year, unless he should be nominated for
ne presidency. He receives never less
IAN 500 for magazine article, and ne
sometimes gets great deal more. HIS
Sa.ary as speaker is $1,000 year, and
WIN this income from his literary work
gables him to maintain his home in
vvoluand through the year, keep up a
Wy modest cottage at that very modest
a4nIner resort, Grand Beach, and occupy
good suite Of apartments at the Shore
s.9lr. Reed is a man of great patience
istl OF kindly, hospitable disposition; ne
IL people impose on him great deal.
NJ never denies himself to any one VINO
bo4lutts to pay his respects TO the speaker,
"eNer little claim the man has 10 coz