The herald., 1896-01-05
Reed a tiumbug ard Failure

Except as vigorous and despotic par.
liamentarian, Gear" Reed has proved
himself to be fraud and failure. With
a majority at his back he is tyrant and
bulldozer in the chair for the maintenance
! OF his own power as presiding officer. If
his majority is small, or if he has to as
sumo that he has a majority, whether he
has or not, his audacity and nerve come
out on strong lines.
There Mr.. Reeds sagacity and courage
end. He has met various emergencies
within the past year to which he has been
not only unequal, but in which he has be-
trayed signs of unaccountable stupidity
and weakness. Whether he has been
blinded by the glare of the presidency
which he had in view and lost his courage
III what he thought were the depths of
cunning or whether he is a natural shuf-
fier except when he holds the gavel of
power is immaterial. He has shown him
self unfit for great occasions. He has
proved himself to be a shuffler and dodger.
When the Democrats had majority in
the house, and Reed was the leader of the
minority near the close of the late session.
President Cleveland asked congressional
authority to issue gold bonds in exchange
for gold to retain the reserve. he had
authority under existing laws to issue coin
bonds. BY substituting the word 'sgold''
for coin in the bonds he could save
Sl6.OOO,0OO in interest during the term of
the bonds. and anyway they would have to
be paid in gold. But the reduced rate of
interest could not be secured unless it
WAS nominated in the bond.''
At first Reed offered apparently sincere
support to- the president. But the silver
ties, the soft money men of all classes, the
fJftH. see lawa e. Republican politicians, the
of all parties surrounded him. He cooled
off and weakened. In the debate on the
subjec of the gold bond bill he made a
speech which his admirers said ''left it
open for him 10 vote Ell her way on the
BILL" At length he notified Republicans to
vote as they pleased, while he cast for
himself weak vote in favor of The bill.
Previous TO This and afterward he placed
himself with some qualifications among
the honest money men, but managed to
keep on excellent terms with the silverites.
In fact, he is claimed by them as not un-
friendly % their side of the question. He
has equivocated when asked for the ex-
preston of a positive opinion. He is a
bidder for the support of the slverites in
the Republican national convention.
His most conspicuous exhibitionof weak
ness, however, was when President Cleve-
lands message on the subject of the Mon
roe doctrine was sent to the house last
fore he permitted it to be read. The in
stincts of the scurvy politician inspired his
action. He would not allow the house to
hear the message. He dreaded its politi-
cal effect. He lacked the courage to seize
the opportunity and present his claims as
a popular hero beside those of Cleveland.
He hesitated and shufiled.
For four hours after the message was re-
ceived Reed kept the house busy on trivial
subjects. If he could have adjourned the
house before presenting the message he
would have done so. but he lacked courage
even for that. Accordingly, he connived
with Republican member to spring an
adjournment as soon as the message
should be read. The hour was late in the
afternoon and as bulldozer he could de-
clare the adjournment carried whether 1t
was or not.
Yut after the message was read ex-
Speaker Crisp was too quick for Reeds
Republican tool and obtained the floor to
sion substantially the same as that which
subsequently passed both houses. By a
scandalous trick Mr.. Crisp was induced to
yield the floor for a moment, when, con-
trary to all decent usage, the motion to ad-
iourn was made. Against angry pro-
tests and an evident majority against it
Reed declared the motion carried. During
the night a scheme was formed by which a
Republican offered Mr.. Crisp's bill the
next morning and it passed. The shabby
partisan, with ruling traits of mingled
craft and weakness, represented the
"czar' in this proceeding.
Speaker Reeds committee appoint
ments, especially on coinage and other inn
portant subjects, show that he dallied with
ali factions, trimmed and shuffled, lodged
| and equivocated in regard to the highest
| interests of the country. He is tinfoil
| ''czar." Beside President Cleveland and
without his gavel he is a man of dough and
putty.-Chicago Chronicle.