The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-11
SPEAKER REEDS MISTAKE.
Walter Wellman's Washington l.ette
In the Pittsburg Daily News.

-
In the Pittsburg Daily News.
Speaker Reed is naturally much disap-
pointed at the outcome Of his campaign
for the presidency. A few months ago his
friends were very confident that he would
be the choice of his party this year for the
highest office in the government. When
congress assembled last December and
Mr. Reed was was triumphantly elected
speaker. few observers fOresaw that in
four of five months he would fall SO far
to the rear as a presidential quantity. The
great personality of the man, his admit
ted intellectual force. his past leadership,
the friendship Of some of the most power
ful politicians In the country and the vast
power lying in his hands as the chief spirit
of the house of representatives gave ev-
cry one right to think that II Mr.. Reed
did not actually become the nominee Of his
party he would be we'll VI, in the, ballot
ing. Now, it is not improbable that his
name will be withdrawn. While his
friends were not long since very confident
of the outcome. l happen to know that
Mr. Reed himself has never had anything
more than a hope. He has never felt any.
same same time aVae he feels i'de keen disappon,mens %s
at the sorry showing made by the canvass
in his behalf and Is particularly sad be-
cause OF the result in several OF the New
England states, where 1t Is admitted the
speaker has not fared as well as had been
expected. Mr.. Reed now admits In conver-
sation with his friends that he made one
great mistake Of policy when he first came
to Washington last winter. When he an
the management OF the house by saying
that the country would approve this con-
gress as much for what 1t did not do as
for what 1t did do, the first blunder was
Icy upon the advice of friends. He was
not originally In favor Of 1t, but yielded
to thea' arguments and representations.
Now he wishes he had not
Speaker Reed realizes that he had come
to occupy a certain place in the imagina-
tions and affections of the people. He was
looked up to almost universally as the man
of action, as the man Of courage, as the
man who taught the house of representa-
tives how to do business, as the man of
construction. The congress met with the
country in distress. Hard times We're still
upon the people. There was demand for
relief, for action of some sort, and even
though the conditions at this capital were
such as to make successful legislation well
nigh impOssible-on account of the pecu-
liar composition of the senate and with
a Democrat In the white hOuse-still an
effort to afford relief through the house Of
representatives would have relieved Mr..
Reed OF his share Of the responsibility.
Had he taken the initiative and pushed
through some measures designed to i'm
prove the condition Of affairs the people
would have applauded him, even though
failure marked the effort In another de-
partment Of the government. All this the
speaker now perceives when 1t is too late
Even more disastrous has been the effect
Of the policy which was accepted by the
popular mind concerning Mr.. Reed him
self. A man Is to the country not what he
may think he is or what his immediate
friends and advisers may think, and pos
sibly not that which he Is at all. but only
that which the country has made him in
it's imagination. Having once attained
certain ideal in the popular mind. public
man must live up to 1t, must be measureO
by that standard, or he is nothing. Reed
had been dealized as the man Of action
and courage, as the cavalier Of legislation
riding a great charger and armed and
helmeted for the fray. But he failed to
realize this ideal. He. was unable to per-
ceive that so far as the country was con-
cerned. he was this sort of creature or
he was nothing. When he announced his
policy of practical do nothingism, of pass
ing the appropriation bills and going home
he destroyed the ideal which the people
had formed of him. In saying this it does
not imply that he was wrong in his con-
clusion as TO what was the wisest thing for
the house of representatives to do. He
did what he thought was the best for the
country never appreciated 1t. The peo-
pie wanted action. They felt there was
something wrong in our system of govern
ment; something wrong in legislation, lest
they wanted an effort made to afford re-
lief. They have not been satisfied with ex-
plantations. They have not been enthusi-
astic about the policy of economy. They
have not thrown their hats in the air over
the prospect Of an early adjournment.
Other mistakes were made by the Reed
managers. For instance. they should
have called all the New England conven-
lions early in the year. They We're ad-
vsed to do this by the managers for other
presidential candidates who We're making
common cause against Mckinley. But
the Reed people thought there was no
doubt whatever about New England. They
had no fear of Mckinley making inroads
there. Now they perceive their mistake
The status of the campaigning might be
very different from what 1t Is today II Con-
necticut. New Hampshire and Vermont
Republicans had been called to meet very
early in the year and had declared plain
ly for Reed. as 1t Is admitted they would
have declared some time ago. The delay
paign has demonstrated Is that the speak,
ership Of the house Is a poor place from
which to seek the presidency. In organ
izing committees he is forced to offend
about as many men as he pleases. The
same thing Is true of legislation and appro-
priations. Everything that Is done has
two sides Is a two-edged sword. Again
II Is clearly demonstrated that congress-
men are failures as agents to secure the
election of delegates to n national conven-
ton. The average congressman exhausts
nomination and reelection, and any at
tempt on his part to dictate as to presi-
Dental choice or delegates Is likely to be
resented. For this reason many of Mr.