Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-06-15

Said to One Another-A .JoyiaI Per-
son In Private Lifc-How "a SLY Man
From Ohio Came to Grief-TiIt with
Jerry simpson.
Especial Washington Letter.l
If ii be true that the Hon Thomas
Bracket Reed intends to resign his
place in the house and go to New York
to practice law, it still remains problem
atical whether his political career is
closed. 1t Is safe to assume that when
the ambition to be president once en-
ters a mans head it remains there un-
til he is dead. believe that Mr.. Reed
increases his chances to be president
by removing to Gotham.
If anything should happen to ma
terially diminish the popularity of
President Mckinley, Reed will be
nominated in 1900. Failing that, he
will probably appear in the national
convention of 1904 as the favorite son
of New York and bag the nomination
easily. That viii probably be his last
chance. for he will then be 65, and
only two men have been elected the
first time when past 65-General Will
liam Henry Harrison and James Buch-
anan Harrison died within month
after his Inauguration. and Buchanan
was clearly in his dotage during the
latter half of his term.
These facts have established sort of
age limit, and, while Mr.. Reed at the
age Of SO will probably be in the full
possession Of his mental faculties, the
chances are that he will not get the
nomination in 1908 unless he gets it in
1904 But even if he never secures a
presidential nomination he win forever
remain a great historic character. 1t
is chiefly as speaker that be viii be re-
membered, for he unquestionably be-
longs to the small group of really great
speakers. A man may be a great man
and yet not be a great speaker, and
vice versa. Mr.. Reed 5 fame as speak
er has to very large extent over
shadowed his fame as leader of the
minority. although he was as great on
the floor as in the chair. In both .posi-
tions he is an object Of intense interest
to Democrats as we'll as to Republic
ans.
Reed as Humorist.
When a man hasn t ingenuity enough
to invent witticism OF bit of humor
himself and kasn' heart enough to en-
JOY it when originated by Others he
writes the wit or humorist down as a
fool That is the dullard's argument
against brilliancy.
II would require vast audacity to
deny to Mr.. Reed brightness and
strength of mind. and yet there is moth
ing ON earth that he would not jest
about. He does not spare even his own
personal appearance. One evening he
was dining at swell Washington res
taurant. A newspaper correspondent,
desiring to see him on important bust
ness, peered into the dining room, but
did not recognize him. The landlord
went in and brought Mr.. Reed out,
whereupon the scribe said, II saw you
in there, but mistook you for President
Cleveland Reed, solemn as an owl
replied, .For heavens sake, never let
Cleveland know that, for he is too vain
of his beauty now.
The qualities which give Reed his
immense power in the house are his
readiness at repartee and his biting
sarcasm,
Tom Marshall described old Ben
Hardin as a kitchen knife whetted on a
brickbat.
pao5 80 n so~t ,,f ,o,,,b;rati,,v, ,..e,,
Damascus blade and bludgeon. Meta
phorically speaking, sometimes be rubs
the skin off, sometimes he cuts to the
bone. and sometimes he crushes in a
skull as though it were an eggshell.
For instance, one day he was making
speech, and. as usual, haying the
Democrats, when Anderson of West
Virginia, handsome and highly re-
spectacle member Of six years service,
without rising from his seat, logged
his memory about something he did
when Speaker Reed paused long enough
to attract the attention of everybody,
and then, with his most exasperating
nasal twang, said, yesterday / had a
discussion with Mr.. Wilson, the head
of the West Virginia delegation. and
today, however unpleasant it may be.
/ suppose | will be compelled to have a
discussion with the tail of the West
Virginia delegation.
Of course the house roared. 1t
couldn't help itself. Such shot at
point blank range would place any man
in Christendom hors de combat-tem-
porarily at least
Passages at Arms.
On another occasion, while in the
full tide of eloquence. Mr. Reed was
interrupted by the redoubtable Amos
Cummings of New York. Reed looked
at him in fatherIy sort of way for a
moment and then, with mock pathos,
asked. 'Now, Amos. must you, must
you really get your name into my
speech must you r The theatrical
pose and injured expression set the
house in broad grin at the expense of
the brayest of the Tammany braves.
During the discussion of the Carlisle
bill John De Witt Warner made furi-
sus assault upon the Republicans in
general and Reed in particular. Reed
began his answer by saying in sneer
ing tone 81 cannot hope to equal the
volume of voice of the gentleman from
New York. That is equaled cnly by the
volume of those things which he does
not know.
When Senator Wolcott of Colorado
in his fracas with Carey Of Wyoming,
dramatically exclaimed, 1T is waste
of lather to shave an Ass, il sci peo-
pie to disputing what was the most
eanstic thing ever said by one congress
man to another The pundits were tii-
vided in opinion between Wolcott' s jab
at Carey and Reeds Characterization
OF John A. Picker of South Dakota.
When Reed FIRST saw Picker per
form, 60 the story goes. be said, not on
the floor of the house, as commonly re-
ported. but ID private to personal
friend. 4 have read and heard much
Df the wild ass colt of the desert, bat
never had any clear conception II
what manner Of aninial il really was
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