The times., 1898-03-07
REEDS BIG JOB.
The Speaker VIII Need His Nerve
This Week

ne speaker. VIII Need His Nerve
This Week.
This week will contain a number of
busy days for Speaker Reed. The hand
of the Speaker has lain heavily on the
members of his own party. no less than
upon the wriggling minority, and this
week will show whether there is spirit
enough among the Republican mem
bers to throw off the weight of their
dread of the Speakers anger. On Tues
day the Committee on Rivers and Har-
bors will finally vote whether to report
a bill or not at this session. Everyone
knows what river and harbor bill
means to every member of Congress
who is a candidate for denomination
and reelection. Time was when Pres
idents regarded the river and harbor
bill as unconstitutional and a reckless
steal, which received an apparent
veneering of decency only because
every portion of the country profited
equally in the plunder. During this
entire session there has been an awful
fear on the part of many members that
Mr.. Reed might carry out his threat
but there has been at the same time
the confident feeling that strong pres
sure would be brought TO bear on the
Speaker from the White House to re-
lent this year. because of the over
whelming Importance of the fall cleo
tions and the grave danger that unless
every advantage was given TO the Re-
publican members for reelection the
next House would be Democratic.
Members of the national as well as
members of the congressional commit
tee have implored the Speaker to con-
slider political expediency. Mr.. Reed
has remained inflexible. He has given
his orders to the Republican members
of the River and Harbor Committee,
and he demands obedience. Those
members who depend for their life on
this bill have combined, and they claim
that they will be strong enough to in
fiuence certain of the Republican men,
bers of the committee to defy the
Speaker and, by combining with the
Democratic members, defeat the Speak
er in the committee room. Meanwhile
Mr. Reed has not been idle. The House
was in Committee of the Whole nearly
all last week, so that the Speaker has
spent but little time in the chair. Con-
trary to his usual custom of remaining
out of the House when not in the chair,
Mr.. Reed was in the House almost con-
tinuously. He has been going around
among the members, Strengthening the
weaker ones and bulldozing the Drawer
rebels. Tomorrow will tell how far he
has succeeded in conquering the brew
ing revolt.
Friday morning will again find him
facing a threatened rebellion-a revolt
which, like the river and harbor bill,
is dangerous, because it affects the
members who want appropriations for
constituents in order to assist in re-
nominations On previous Fridays Mr..
Reed has succeeded in preventing the
bill to pay some million and half war
claims from being considered. Last
week Representative Mudd stirred up
the twenty-seven Republicans from the
South to the degree of combining into
one solid body, courageous enough to
combine with the Democrats, and de-
mand the consideration of the bill.
Their nerve did not fail them. even
though Mr.. Dingley himself led the op-
position. A hurried conference be-
tween Messrs, Dingley and Reed show
ed them that too many Republican
members on whom they could rely were
sible to fight the combine. a compro-
mise resulted, and the bill was made
the special order for next Friday. If
the Southern combine keeps up its
courage 1t may win Meanwhile Speak
er Reeds whip will not be idle.
Between Tuesday and Friday Mr.
Reed will have his hands full in keep
ing Cuba out of the House. The bill TO
recruit two additional regiments of
artillery, and the resolution to pay
generous sums to the relatives of the
sailors and soldiers of the Maine, will
come up in the House. Here, too, pol
itics-the hope of denomination and re-
election-is urging the Republicans to
defy the Speaker. Every mail from
their district brings them letters from
indignant constituents and ward lead
ers demanding that something be done |
for Cuba. Many of them see defeat
staring them in the face unless the |
House speaks out for Cuba. But the |
Speaker has decreed that the House
shall remain dumb. though Cuba bleed |
and the dead of the Maine lie buried |
unavenged.