Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-29

DC elected, for the Democrats at that time
had hope OF carrying the district and the
rivalry for the Republican nomination
had left bitterness that threatened to
reduce Mr.. Recd's vote When, however,
some OF his friends importuned him to
make overtures to the dsgruntlcd he re-
fused with the characteristic remark,
"Only one Republican can be elected from
this district and | am the one" He was.
but by vote so small that Reed himself
Believed at midnight that he had been de-
feated.
FROM that time to the present Mr. Reed
has relied upon his deeds to win for him
recognition and so far as known has
never been party to Il political deal >"
tie would have supported his rival had
the latter secured the nomination and he
expected the friends of the latter to sup
port him. No man who did not possess
those qualities which command respect
and admiration could retain success along
with an attitude so uncompromising.
But his constituents and the people of
the country have learned that Mr. Reed
is not unreasonable in this; that he
possesses IN marked degree what is
termed our national faculty Of thinking
''""'' 60 s'ANA 'StAbs ludU llc lOIIfiS
his judgments carefully, and once having
them formed is willing to stand or fall
with them. This courage of conviction,
especially when it is born of such sound
sense and is sustained by honest purpose
and high intellectual capacity cannot but
be power and compel admiration and
enlist support. Political opponents
realize how futile are ordinary political
attacks upon such IL man, especially when
the person attacked has eloqucnce, satire
that strips fallacy and keen wit with the
true aim to send the shaft to the most
vulnerable spot in his opponents armor.
Mr. Reeds unique personality attracted
attention on his fest appearance in the
House and before he had attempted to
take much part in the proceedings ii was
recognized that the first Maine district
had sent an intellectual as we'll as II
physical giant He was found to possess
Il thorough knowledge of parliamentary
law and his effectiveness as speaker was
illustrated in his first speech on the floor
four months after taking his seat, when
he turned tbs current of opinion setting
toward 4 measure for rcimhursIng
William and Mary College on account of
damages sustained during the Civil war
He pointed cut the danger of the precc-
dent about to be established and which
older and more experienced members had
overlooked, and his cool reasoning carried
the day. From that moment Mr.. Reeds
place in the House was assured. He
never spoke but that he was attentiyely
listened to In the sharp cross fire of de
bate be is matohless.
The member whose party Is in the
minority in the House cannot connect
himself with constructive legislation
The majority constructs and the best ser
vice the minority member can perform is
to criticise and improve if possible and if
not, to most effectively destroy. In such
service Mr. Reed has borne a conspicuous
part. And it should be remembered that
only for four of his eighteen years has his
party been i'll control Of the House and OF
those four years two were passed by him
in the speakers chair from which he
never descends to speak, although exerting
great influence in shaping legislation.
He has, however, had long service upon
important committees and since receiving
strong support for the speakcrship of the
18th Congress, when he was appointed
chairman Of the judiciary committee, has
been recognized As a party leader of re
.markable sagacity and power
He was long "a member of the WAYS and
means committee and acquired a thorough
familiarity with questions pertaining to
finance and to the tariff as his famous
speech against the Mills bill in 1883 and
that of Fet. /, 1894, when he laid bare
the patchwork of fallacies known as the
Wilson German measure. afford ample
,xit,,noa n that last tla cnaooh
he not only exposed in his clear, pun
gent style the Inconsistencies Of the free
trade propaganda but calculated the
practical feature of protection and held
up its ideal so that all could see and
understand that the progress of this
nation is dependent upon the progress Of
all and that this progress is stimulated
by whatever raises wages, lowers prices,
shortcns hours Of labor and thereby in
crcases consumption. 1t has been truly
said of him that in power of statement he
has been unrivnled. an opinion the large
number OF people who heard him that day
fully concur in.
Mir. Reed once described the Rcpubl-
can party as the party which did things.
He might have added that this occupation
was thoroughly congenial to him As in
debate SO in doing things he seems never
to he found unready. Today h. is
recognized rs one of the foremost if not
the foremost candidate for the presi-
lencyand yet Sin no sense does he
shrink from the responsibility of doing
things. Leading Democratic newspapers
have conceded that he made up the com
mittces of the House in as impartial way
as he could possibly have done had presi
Dental aspirations been farthest from his
dreams. Under his direction the House
has with remarkable promptncss come to
| the aid Of the treasury SO far as it is able.
| That Mr.. Reed Will be able to retain his
speakership aud his presidential ambition,
| especially at IA time ike the present, with
out criticism is too much for his
staunchest friends to hope. They do be
lieve, however, that he will retain his
dignity and integrity and the respect CT
the people throughout the ordeal.