The Portland daily press., 1896-04-02
EED'S QUORUM-COUNTING MOVE.
Washington Post.)

1t is not known to five out of hundred
statesmen in Congress how Speaker Reed
came to count a Iquorum in the 5lst Con-
gress. 1t is known to still less that the
only man in the speakers confidence on
the subject was Joe Cannon, chairman
Of the committee on appropriations in
the present Congress Mr.. Reed con-
ceived his purpose to count quorum as
the only alternative of maintaining his
authority in the House and the position
of the Republicans at a very early stage
of the session. His only confldant was
Cannon. He and the Speaker were closet
ed Oh the proposition for several days.
Everything was considered and every
| chance was carefully weighed. Reed
knew that he was taken desperate re-
sDonsibility, and that nothing was sure
as to what the position of the Republi-
cans would be. The fact that, without
consulting his party associates, he deter
miNed upon his first conceived purpose,
is an illustration of his fearlessness. Can
non, after long session. approved the
programme, and promised to stand by
the Speaker. but kept his counsel. 1t
was to be surprise alike to the Repub-
licans and the Democrats There was to
be no council of war of the leaders, with
prospects of friction and division, but a
coup d'etat, pure. and simple. If it sue
ceeded, sit would prove great thing in
parliamentary history; if it failed, every
thing was lost. In short, the plan was
to risk everything on the hazard of a
die.
What occurred when the Speaker count
ed a quorum in the contested election
case then pending is known to every
reader The Republicans are panic o-strick-
en-. They thought Reed had gone daft.
In the supreme moment of the uproar
and confusion which ensued, Represen-
tative Anderson, of Kansas, a Ropubli-
can member, rushed up to the Speakers
desk, and, in greatest excitement, said,
Heed, what in heavens name are you
doing?" Reed smiled coldly, and told
him he was counting those rs present
who refused to yote. Anderson was too
dumbfouEded for moment to speak.
Then he saiJ, ats the riskiest piece of
business | ever saw, but if you have
made up your mind to do it, by the gods
I'll stand by you"
In discussing the matter with friend
afterward, the Speaker said that the
words of Anderson convinced him that
the Republicans would support him in
his position. He was right There was
quick rally among his party associates,
and in a short time the political lines
were faulty drawn on the question of
sustaining the Speaker, and he won.
NO SIDE TRACK FOR REED.
(New York Sum-
The idea that the Hon. Thomas Brack-
ett Reed would make an excellent cnndi-
date for vice-president, and, If elected,
an admirable presiding officer for The
Senate, originated somewhere out in
the Mississippi basin. It has had an
amazing vogue during the past week in
the Western or Mckinley States, and Is
no doubt respectfully regarded by the
Ohio statesman, who owes to the Speaker
his appointment as chairman of the
House committee on ways and means in
the Fifty first Congress, and, consequent
1y, his present national reputation and
his two hundred instructed delegates,
more or less.
We observe that the ice-president idea
has reached Washington, where it is
promptly disposed of BY the Hon. Joe