The evening times., 1899-04-21
SPEAKER REED.
Relief That He Retires ut the Right
Time.

Relief That He Rettres ut the Right
Time.
A private telegram from Hon. Thomas B.
Reed. understood to be sent to personal
friend in Portland, established the fact Of
his withdrawal from the House Of Repre-
sentatfves. During his long term Of serv-
ice In Congress and residence in Washing
ton 1t seems astonishing that Mr.. Reed
has not contracted more personal friend
ships. The fact is, he has never had many
close intimates. as his nature Is not Of the
kind to attract that feeling Of affection and
desire for companicnship which SO often
marks the relations of men.
He has always been welcome In any
gathering social or political. and has
probably always had as many invitations
az anyone. This, however. was not on ac-
count OF his lovable qualities. but almost
solely because of his marvellous originate
ty, his dry humor and his keen irony. In
terest could never flag in a group OF which
he was member. Tom Reeds sayings
and bon-mots were constantly passed
other men possessing similar gifts, various
utterances have been attributed to him
which never came from his lips.
Regret is expressed on all sides at his
prospective withdrawal from Congress and
from Washington life. but it is not the
regret which causes the moistened eye. 1t
is because the most picturesque figure in
the House of Representatives will be
missed; because there is no one to fill the
vacancy who can so intensity feeling on
the floor or SO stir up interest in the gal
leries. For time. at least, the House
will be very tame by comparison without
him as the great central object. II Is be-
cause in the drawing-room, around the
dinner table and in the frequent coteries
OF choice spirits where wit and wisdom
strive in continual rivalry there seems no
Chance of a successor who can. without ef-
fort. put in such inimi;able drawl and such
sentcntious phrase. apothegms and apho-
risms, retorts courteous or otherwise.
flashes OF humor and brilliant thrusts Of
irony.
1t must be confessed Mr.. Reed has shown
excellent judgment in getting out of public
life at this time. To be sure, there is lit
tie. IL any. doubt he could always be
Speaker Of a Republican House. But he
has served three terms as Speaker. made
parliamentary record which will be his
torical. and can gain no further honor or
renown by continuance in the position.
There was some probability also that his
wings would be slightly clipped in the next
House. He has bitter enemies on his own
side, and the Republican majority. while
safe is not big enough to be triled with.
Doubts which are well founded as to his
power 10 dominate the House in the future
as in the past have been freely expressed.
man cast in the mold of Tom Reed
would be utterly miserable il conf
PEELED to surrender fraction even OF
power previously possessed. Mr.. Edmunds
of Vermont is of the same type. Through
the force of circumstances and his own
will he dominated for years everything in
the Senate, as Mr.. Reed has in the House.
When he saw his rule begin to wane he
got out. He could not bear TO remain On
the scene of his fallen greatness.
The political ambition of Mr.. Reed could
not be gratifed by continuance in the office
OF Speaker. Leaving that out, therefore,
what did the political future offer him?
Nothing. II is conceded now without ques-
tion Mr.. Mckinley will be renominated in
1890. In 1894 Mr.. Reed will be sixty-five
years OF age This. if nothing else, would
positively eliminate him from the list of
Presidential possibilities.
No man OF sixty-five. Or anything near
it, has been elected President OF the
United States since the days of James
Buchanan. nor is it likely that anyone
ever will be again in this rapid era when
men OF mark climb to their zenith while
still young. More than this. he is not in
accord with the controlling clements OF
his party. He has gone too far away 20
get back WITHOUT such humiiialoh as ne
could not endure.
Money is power. and money instead OF
political preferment is to be his aim no1.
There are some here who do not credit the
report that MIR. Reed is to be guaranteed
SlG Gt9 year. They think he would b.
lucky to start in on half that amoun;.
which would be three times his salary as
Speaker. He has been in politics all his
life and has given precious little attention
to the law He is smart and shrewd ID an
extreme. He is an able and incisive de-
batter. but possesses few Of the charms of
oratory. II is said his prospective value
10 the firm which he is entering is cilcu
lated mainly TO the idea of his personal
ard political influence and his adsptabiiity
for the special line which brings law
firms in contact with rich clients who are
affected by legislation.