Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-07
A GREAT PARADE.
Washington's Daily Procession
of Statesmen and Others.
Speaker Reed in the van---Used
to Have a Comrade,
But Now Goes Alone Promenade Of Justices
Other Pedestrians.

Washington, April 6.-(Special) In
these bairy days OF spring Pennsylvania
avenue is becoming gay once more. Every
evening just before O'Clock we have now
the statesmen's parade. This procession
Of greatness has been to some extent inter.
fered with by the winter, but it is now in
full blast again. 1t is "A very intercs tin g
show. At that hour the statesmen of the
senate and house. tired of their long after
noon of doing nothing in the overhoateti
and not easily respirable air of the capitol,
love to stretch their legs in q stroll down
the broad avenue that leads from tho ma
tional statehouse to the executive mansion
Tom Reeds Change.
Conspicuous among the paraders every
day is Speaker Reed. Generally he is
alone. There was time when Mr.. Reed
rarely walked down the avenue without
one or more jolly companions. In tho old
days Dolliver Of Iowa or Payne of New
York or Lodge of Massachusetts generally
accompanied him, joking and laughing as
they ambled along. Now the big speaker
is usually accompanied only by his
thoughts. With his hands clasred behind
his back, his eyes on the pavement and his
big body rolling gently from side to side,
Mr.. Reed waddles along observed by all,
but rarely seeing any ono. II is IL subject
of much comment that the speaker has
changed since he became candidate for
president.
No one can deny that this is true, but It
would be unfair to say that the change
has been so marked rs to spoil or pervert
one of the most interesting characters we
have had in Washington in many years.
Mr.. Reed, with all his strength and ability
and courage, is an exceedingly sensitive
man, and l have reason to know is often
hurt to the quick by jokes concerning his
presidential aspirations. Like most great
men, he is extremely self conscious, and l
do not doubt it is true that since the am.
hilton to become president entered his
brain Mr.. Reed has not been able to forget
it for single instant. He doubtless finds
it an exceedingly uncomfortable thing to
live with.
Mr.. Reed is sometimes accompanied by
Congressman Aldrich of Illinois or Sen.
ator Aldrich of Rhode Island in his after
noon walks down the avenue but he is
not as lively and jocular as he once was.
The big speaker appears to have become
convinced the people of the country re-
garded him as something of a joke and
that the only way in which he could con-
vince them of his earnestness was by so.
bering down and standing all the time on
his dignity.
Stevenson's Popularity.
Vice President Stevenson is also fire..
quent participant in the statesman's pa
rade. There is no more popular man in
Washington than the vice president. Every
one knows him and every one loves him.
AS he walks down the avenue he is met
by friends at every turn, and it is easy to see
in their greeting of him and his of them
that the feeling is earnest and from the
heart. And yet, despite all this personal
popularity, there is scarcely any talk OF
General Stevenson for president. Not that
he is thought too small for tho otfice-far
from it-but the simple truth is the vice
presidency is sinking lower and lower in
tho estimation of the politicians. 1t is an
office absolutely without influence or pow
or, and somehow it is the fashion to look
upon its incumbent as beyond the POSSIBLE
ity of promotion. On every side one hear,
a sneer at tho Office but not at the man
who now fills it with so much dignity and
grace.
The justices Parade,
Chief Justice Fuller and some of the as
sociate justices Of tho supreme court walk
down the avenue nearly ever day They
are nearly always in Il group by them
selves, not mixing freely With senators
and representatives. This is duo in part
to the fact that the supreme court ad-
journs regularly at 4 o'clock in the after
noon, whilo mother house Of congress usl.
ally concludes its sitting till about B.
Therefore the justices are the leaders ri
the procession. But there i another rca
son for the clannishness OF the supreme
court justices. They have Il sort of tradl
tion that the dignity of the court requires
them to u certain extent to set upa cctcrl(
of their OWL, and not to mix freely will
other people. They do mix of course, but
only With some reserve. In their dinner.
and other social intercourse they form &
clique, or circle of their own. and & very
intellectual and charming circle it is.
Justice Field is never seen in thes,
walks down the avenue. His health :.
failing fast now and the famous old in
rist now so years of age, is trying hard t.
Keep up strength enough to enable him Il
stay on the bench l = years longer, which
will beat all records for length Of service
Justice Field came upon the bench in 1868
1T is about time the Macs were com
ing" said q statesman who has the Scotcl
prefix to his name during q discussion o
the presidential situation. ave hav,
waited IA long time and think we are now
fully due. Do you know that with all tn,
Macs there are in this country we hay,
never had one in the White Housos W,
have never had one as vice president no.
as speaker of the house of representatives
nor as chief justice of the supreme court
Two Macs-a Mclean and Mckinley
have been on the supreme bench as asso
ciate justices, half dozen have been il
the cabinet at various times in the past
ana OF course great many have been il
congress. But we aspire to higher things
we want the presidency of the Unite,
states, just for change
another peculiar fact in the politica
history OF the country is the absence of tn
name OF Smith from the roll of great men
Ihough perhaps the most common NAM
IN the country, we have never had a Smiti
lor president, or vice president or In TIN
bench 'o oo'A