Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-05-12

the chairmen dnG members of the con
mittees of the house, he appointed Maj.
Mckinley chairman of the committee
on ways and means. tariff bill was
passed which was called the Mckinley
bill. All bills of that character are
named after the chairmen of the COM
mittees in which they originate. AL
though Speaker Reed was the recog-
nized leader of his party the Mckinley
bill was spoken of so often in print that
the reputation of Maj. Mckinley be-
came national. and that fact was la-ge-
ly instrumental in bringing about his
subsequent election as governor OF
Ohio and president of the United States.
There are a great many Ifs" in the po-
litical world, and one of tn EN- most often
used by friends of Tom Reed goes with
the expressions: "If Mckinley mad been
elected speaker of the Fiftyirst con-
gress, and Tom Reed had been made
chairman of ways and means. as he
would have been, the country would
have had a tariff bill called the Reed
bill, and Tom Reed might have reached
the presidency as Mckinley reached it"
sentatives occupies an exalted position.
1t is very difficult to secure access to
him. Strangers in Washington must
have their representatives. or senators
go to his office room with them in order
TO pass the door where sable messen-
ger guards the entrance. BY the way,
that messenger is the son of an African
American Methodist Episcopal bishop.
There is no assumption of authority
in this official condition. Speaker Reed
is obliged to be exclusive and bar the
public out, because he has so much busi-
ness to attend to that he cannot have
time to indulge in social greetings.
Nevertheless, whenever a senator or
member of congress goes to his office,
the door is promptly opened and the
visitors are permitted to enter. Every
body who calls with d right to enter his
room finds there a genial gentleman,
who is one of the most entertaining
men in this country; or, for that mat
ter, in the world.
just few months ago, a distin-
guished editor in a northwestern city
visited Washington with his daughter
in-law, and was viewing the rotunda of
the capitol when Speaker Reed passed
through tLat spacious place. 4 news
paper man who is well acquainted with
MIR. Reed called to him and said: Are
you in very much of hurry
II am always in IA hurry" said Mr..
Reed, but | can steal little time for
friend even when | am busy"
We'll, want to introduce a couple
of friends who are visiting Washington
for the first and only time in their
lives" said the newspaper man.
'In such case" said Mr.. Reed, II
will steal an hour if necessary. | am
always glad to meet people who come
to the capital city of their country"
Then, taking the hand of the north
western editor and his daughterin-law,
Mr.. Reed said: Il must congratulate
you on your good fortune. You are see
ing the national capital on day when
the weather is good, and your sight
seeing cannot be interrupted by heavy,
cloudy skies, or dsagreeable fogs and
drilling rains. 1t is always pleasure
to me to meet with visitors here
! No man in private life, in black
smith shop, in a carpenter shop, a clerk
in a store or a worker in a machine
shop could have been more affable and
polite and agreeable than was this big
man from Maine, when introduced TO
strangers who were viewing the capitol
building in the capital city. He il q