The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-01
To New York Newspaper Man
and Is KOdaked
FIVE DISTINCT TIMES
Five Cabinet Pictures Of Him
on One Page
Says Tom Reed Should Be
Pitched
Out of a Window and Would
Like to See 1t.

New York, June 1.-The Journal de-
votes an entire page to Jerry Simpson
of Kansas and publishes a group of five
cabinet sized photographers on the
page.
Simpson is interviewed at length on
various topics. The Journals article in
part is as follows:
When correspondent of the Journal
called upon Simpson he found the Kan
san afraid of neither man nor camera,
and talk on the subject of Reed flowed
from him like a torrent.
The arrogance of this man Reed, said
he, should call for a blow from Dem
ocrat every time the Reed Mob presents
itself Reed IS car, dictator and king
in the house of representatives, and he
conserves his power by refusing to ap-
point the committees that are needed by
the house in order that the house busi-
ness shall be transacted. The Democrats
have been demOralized by the affection
of our young leader for the fat WeyIsr
of the Republicans, and his Democratic
Vlrility has Oozed from him.
The Republicans are but SO many
puppets in the hands of Reed, and so
long as he withhOlds the committee lists
he will pull the wires and dangle the
puppets as he pleaSes. For such con-
duct as his there is no punishment Z
would not be willing to mete out. He is
as much a criminal as the thief who
steals the property Of another, for he
has stolen from the legally elected rep
to legiSlate. All power among repre-
SentatiVeS should be equal, yet this man
takes to himself more power than is
vested in the entire house of represen-
tatiVes.
The distribution of the lawmak1ng
power equally among the people in tne
apportiOnment of representa- ti<-es is the
main safeguard of self-gOvernment-
Every member should have equal DOW
er with every other member, and if one
man in that body, through chicanery
and a skilful manipulation of the ma
chinery of legislation, can make him
self master of his colleagues, he should
be dragged from the speakers chair
and the rules of procedure should be 50
amended as to render impossible a rep
etition of such usurpton of fmenarchial
attributes.
'Any rule that enables the speaker to
deny to any member his rights as a rep
resentatfve is a violation of the -consti-
tuition and tends toward the destruc-
ton OF our system of government.
For this reason would even counsel
violent methods in dealing with this
creature Reed, this great white flfbus-
ter, who seems really proud of his til
tie"
Up to this point Mr. Simpson had been
holding himself well under control but
II was evident that a discussion of Reed
acted upon him in a fashion to strange
" excite him and deep rage was ga tn
erlng IN the ordinarily placid breast of
the member from Kansas He walked
about the floor of the house lobby with
an agile panther-like stride with dis
tended nOstrfls and a Berserlxer swing
OIL MS arms that suggested a period Of
1ll-health for Speaker Reed could any
possible mfs-chance have brought these
two together outside the orderly con-
fines of the legislative chamber
When [ talk of violent methods T
mean all that is implied by the word, .
said Mr.. Simpson. Il would like to
see delegation of the men of this
body rise from their seats and drag
Reed from his chair and then with ali
due haste fling him out Of one of the
lobby windows
The prospect was so pleasing to Mr..
Simpson that he looked tholgbtf1lIIv
from one of the windows, which evil
IDENTIFY in his mind, was a good one
from which to do the flinging.
"A drop like that he continued
would probably teach him some respect
for the rights of his fellows
Mr. Simpson then recalled the ffasco
of two weeks ago by which Speaker
Reed, through the assistance of a weak
minded member from Washington, was
enabled to place upon the house itself
the responsibility for not appointing
the committees
That trick showed Reeds fool ItlcIc -
said Simpson I'll wager he had no
idea when he suggested that the ques-
ton of appointing the committees be
put to the house that there was on the
Democratic side a member with so lit
tie sense as to fall into his trap, or so
little Democratic spirit as to volunteer
to make the house responsible for the
guilty act of Reed.
1T was almost purely accident. I am
ashamed to say there were Demo-
Gratis who voted with the Republicans
on that resolution, and I trust they have
some reasonable excuse to offer their
constituents. Reed now hides behind
that action and says he is the organ
of the house. This is not true, for un-
der present conditions the house has
become the organ Of the speaker, who
is himself the organ of the trusts.
His power to reward his followers
by giving them places on the desirable
committees gives him a complete mas
terry of the house. This is shown by
the blind obedience of the house to his
wishes. The house of representatives
is such only in name. The men there
are not representatives, they are the
creatures of Reeds will and he plays
with the house as Russell Sage does
with the stock market, and no more OF
honesty in his intentions.
See how Reed has Captured Bailey"
continued Simpson Bailey seems to
be completely under Reeds influence
and there is evidently a complete un-
derstanding between them. Bailey has
repeatedly voted with the Republicans
and in many ways has smoothed the
road for the speaker to carry out his
despotic rule. It has been strongly
hinted that this assistance has been
secured by advancing him on the ways
and means committee, which shows
Reeds power to coerce his enemies as
well as his friends.
This is perhaps the saddest sight OF
all to see men of the party OF jack