The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-15
OPPOSED TO EXPANSION.
Attitude of Speaker Reed Towards the
Issues of the Hour.
Washington Letter in Philadelphia Tele-

graph.
There is some interest in speculation as to
the attitude that will be assumed by Speak
er Reed both at the coming session of Con-
greSS and in the Fifty-SiXth. Mr.. Reed has
been practically silent since the Maine cleo
ton, and has had very little to say since
the war with Spain began. His attitude to-
wards questions now uppermost in the pub
lie mind is we'll understood. He is not an
admirer of President Mckinley nor a be-
lever in the policy that the administration
has now adopted in the matter of the ac
QUESTION of territory he opposed the war
or any sort of interference between Spain
and her colonies. He opposed the anneXa-
ton of Hawaii. He does not believe in
carrying the American flag across salt
water to be planted permanently. He OPP
posed any attempt at financial legislation
by this Congress and held generally to the
which resulted Immediately from the estab-
lshment of a Republican administration.
Reed is not man to change his opinion
when once formed. What he Will do, with
the drift of events and the trend of public
opinion strongly set against his very firmly
fixed ideas of policy, is question of no
individual force and power in the Repub-
lican party in Congress- No one sufficiently
approaches him even to present the APP
pearance of rivalry, and men follow him
who do not agree with him. In the House,
though but a small minority hold views
similar to his on the live questions of the
hour he dominates the whole body. Time
and again the spectacle has been presented
during his career as speaker of men re-
solving in the cloakrooms to oppose him,
and then on the floor of the House. under
his eye, hanging their heads and following
In the next Congress. if not at the clos
ing session of this, legislation will be de-
manded to give life and force to polcy
which Mr.. Reed has most earnestly OPP
attend the acquisition of territory. Expan-
sion of the military and naval establish
ments. extension of our relations with for
eign powers, relaxation and extension of
the qualifications of citizenship, q spread
ing out of our tariff, internal revenue and
shipping laws. and the expansion of the
postal system to cover new territory and
strange class of people-all of these things
will have to be legisated for 1t will be
required of the Republican Congress that
it act in harmony with the policy of the
administra ton. and if Mr.. Reed adheres to
the attitude he assumed towards expan-
sion at the very beginning he Will be like
the next Congress the Republican majority
will be too small in the House to admit of
mand for legislation will be too imperative
to admit of the power of resistance being
left in any hands where 1t will be used to
defeat the administration. If as speaker
Mr.. Reed would oppose the policy of the
administration. his presence in the chair
would be an obstacle intolerable to the ad-
vocates of expansion. Yet, if he were de-
posed because of adherence to his convic-
tons, his presence on the floor OF the
House at the head of a small band of fol-
lowers would be a still greater menace to
the measures which he might oppose. In
the chair he would owe a responsibility to
his party: on the floor, depOsed, he would
be free. If he should determine TO resist
the policies which 1t is known he does not
approve, he would. if standing alone on the
floor so far oVertop every one about him
that his power would still be felt. The
alization is forced upon all who are inter-
ested that cordial relations must be estab-
lished between Mr.. Reed and the admin
iStratiOn, and that an understanding must
be arrived al If serious difficulties are to be
avoided. The suggestion that he shall be
opposed defeated
of the next House is ill-advised. and there
Is no likelihood OF its being followed 1t is
not TO be assumed that. policy being al
ready irreVocably adopted, Mr.. Reed will
resist its being successfully carried out
but if he should oppose he would be more
dangerous to the purposes of the admins
tration on the floor hhan he would be in the
chair. unless he had voluntarily retired
from the speakership.