The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
REED is FIRM.
Refuses to Allow Appropriations
for Public Buildings,
Therefore the Topeka POstOfice
win Not Be Enlarged.
BILL CANNOT PASS,
Members Are Intensely PiQued
at the Speaker
And His Policy Of Reform, as
Outlined Below.
BILL CANNOT PASS,

From Our Special Correspondent
Washington. April 29.-Thare viii be
no appropriation for enlarging the To-
peka postof1ce made at this session Of
congress. In fact there VIII be no pub
lie building bills passed at this session.
This has been almost positively known
for some time and has been before
predicted in the Journal. but it may
now. be stated with absolute certainty.
The committee on public buildings and
grounds Of the house has given UP
all hopes of getting the bills which it
has acted on favorably considered. and
win bring them up at the first OF the
next session as the best thing which can
possibly be done
Most of the members who have public
building bills favorably reported are
for he it is hWO has forbid
den the consideration Of these
measure. He has stood Arm as
q rock against all entreatles to have
these bills brought up and has turned
away relentlessly some members VINO
have gone to him with tears in their
eyes and told him that their re-eleetlOn
depended on their getting a building for
their locality. The bitter feeling
against the speaker for refusing to al
low bills carrying an appropriation 70
come uD. at one time threatened to
break into open revolt but before TINS
happened the wounds of the injured
congressman had healed sornewhat ana
the speakers firm policy was unsnak-
en-
The Topeka bill heads the list of bills
which have received a favorable re-
bort from the committee and will re-
ceive first consideration when the Dllls
are taken up at the short session next
December The campaign VIII be over
then and the motive which Influenced
Speaker Reed and his friends to pur-
sue such rigidly economical polcy
viii be absent. The committee inform
ed Mr. Curtis that he had the honor Of
presenting the most mer1torlous bill
which had ever been before the COM
mittee, and so liz may be certainly said
that the bill win be passed early next
Before the committee on public
buildings and grounds had given up
all hopes of getting their bills through
to see Speaker Reed about the Topeka
bill. He told him that the committee
had acted favOrably upon it and had
said further that it was the most meri-
torious bill which had been before
them That the additional room 1T ar
forded was needed at once and that the
government was losing money by haV-
ing TO rent other room He pointed out
that the Office would pay for the APP
preparation in two years, and mention
ed all the other worthy features. But
Mr.. Reed was solid as rock II can't
help it. Mr.. Curtis he said your bin
off than the others. They are all being
treated alike and it would not be right
to make any exceptions"
One cannot help but admire Speaker
Reeds backbone, but his display Of
ft has been exceedingly trying on
the members Of the house in this
congress Those who have heard him
say no" declare that it is something
never to forget. 1t has the sound of
everlasting Starting out at the be-
ginning OF the session with q well form
ed purpose to make this an economical
congress he has chung firmly to it in
spite Of the most powerful influences
and against the most urgent - d some
times pitiful entreates. I d has not
deviated one hairs breath from his re-
solve Congressman Curtis was in
the speakers room not long ago when
al member came in to ask the speaker
to recognize him to call up a bill. Mr..
Reed looked at it and saw that it car
ried an appropriation Of a cOnsidera BILE
amount He shook his head and said
no. The member pleaded but it was
no use The cold sweat stood out on
his face said Mr.. Curtis as he said.
Mr. Speaker, my reelection depends
on this bill. If I do not get il the peO-
pie VIII not return me promised
them I would get this for them and if
4 do not they Will think I am not able
to accomplish anything. I must get
III through"
But Mr.. Reed only stiu said no and
the member went away dfscOnsolate.
This was scene which Mr. Curtis wit
messed and is probably only one of
many other similar ones.