The Portland daily press., 1899-04-22
A LOSS TO THE COuNvRY.
Mr.. Reeds Retirement VIII he Lament-
ed in New England with More Than
Complimentary Regret.
Boston Transcript) J

According TO the general drift OF state
ment Speaker Reed is about to sever his
connection with the public service of the
country and accept . highly favorable op-
portunity to return to the practice of law
with prominent New York firm. Such
decision on the speakers part would
hardly exotic surprise. He has reached
the age OF sixty years and so much of his
time and talents has been given to his
country that he has not been able to se-
cure the material prizes of life that he
could easily have acquired In private
business.
There are men who seem TO owe it to
themselves, indeed, as well as to their
country, to live and work or something
higher than their own personal interests,
and Speaker Reed Is one OF them. He
has peculiar ADAPTATION for the highest
public service, and that adaptation hns
been for MANY years recognized, not only
In his own STATE, but In the Congress Of
the United States and in the country at
large. III he ret res from the national
House OF Representatives, that body will
lose Its wisest, bravest and most tactful
member, and his Is no disparagement to
many other able and statesmanlike men
In the lower branch.
Without doubt there are not a few who
would regard his departure with much
satisfaction. They have had to acknowl-
edge his mastery and respect his power.
But they have not been comfortable with
him at the helm of Congress. His steadi-
ness of purpose and his ready resourceful-
ness have obstructed, frequently tn wa r ted
the plans of those who contemplated new
and strange policies. There Is not In the
whore party man who is a more loyal
or more consistent Republican. He
knows what the party has stood for, and
he has been loyal to it's best teachings
and highest traditions never more so
than durinR the that has naGspd
More than once he has been "a rock among
shifting sands.
His retirement would be lamented In
New England with much more than
complimentary regret. He has been not
only the most admired and beloved son Of
Maine, but he has aroused all over this
State an enthusiasm that perhaps attaches
TO no other man in public life at the pres
ent time We need to look back only
three yenrs and recall the reception given
his name at the Republican convention
IN Massachusetts,, which elected delegates
to the national convention. There was
no name but that of Reed before that
body with any support. The best as well
as the most prominent elements of the
party were solid in support of the able,
tried and faithful Speaker. and they
worked ably and Loyalty in his behalf at
St. Louis. While bowling, as In honor
bound, to ths will OF the majority. espeo-
ly helped to shape the platform, there was
yet feeling of disappointment here that
was ill-conoealed.
Although MIR. Reed may have lost touch
with some of the extraordinary national
movements of the last year and u half,
that fact Is not to his discredit and he
has lost none of the respect or popular
confidence which he SO long enjoyed. He
mas bean true to his convictions, true to
his pledges. true to his past and true to
the fundamental principles of our nation
nifty. He was never needed more than
he is at present, especially when such a
prancing statesman as Colonel Grosyenor
is mentioned as his successor There Is
no steadier hand, no more stable judg-
ment than his in public affairs today.
He is, as he long has zen, a national
figure. The distinction he may retain
even as a private, but the loss of his SER
vice to the country would be painfully
evident.