The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-20
All Administration Measures
From Now On.
Has GROWN BITTER.
It Was His Influence Which De-
feated the Canal Bill
And the Bill ApprOpriating
$2O,OOO,OOO to Pay Spain
And He Will Kill the Army
Bill if He Can.

New York, Feb. 2O.-A Washington
special to the Mail and Express says:
1.-THE remaining two weeks of this
session of congress will be chiefly de-
voted to fight between Speaker Reed
and the administration. 1t is a contest
as to how many bills favored by the
administration Speaker Reed can kill
For some time past the speaker has
let it be known that he is opposed to
almost every measure favored by the
administration, from bills carrying out
the policy of expansion to measures ap-
prOpriating money for the actual run
ming expenses of the government.
Speaker Reed has gone into the fight
with the determination of humiliatinS
the administration, of showing his alb
solute control over the house and vent
ing his bitter disappointment at his
failure to get the presidential nomi1a-
ton in 1896.
''As the session has progressed Mr..
Reed seems to have grown more bitter
until he has now arrayed himself
against the president. He won his first
victory on the Nicaragua canal bill,
when he whipped a sufficient number OF
Republicans into line to defeat it as an
amendment to the Sundry civil bill. He
has avowed that he will kill the army
reorganization bill if he has a chance
and his course toward paying the $780,
900, 900 appropriation to pay Spain under
the treaty is another instance of his de-
termination.
These would be strong assertions
were they not borne out by statements
made by Mr.. Reed himself within the
last fortnight, and made at a place and
on an occasion when he knew they
would be conveyed directly to the presi-
dent. 1t was not thought, however,
that he would go SO far as to attack a
treaty obligation. The occasion referred
to was dinner at which a cabinet
member was a guest of honor and Mr..
Reed one of the invited guests who sat
around the table.
1.-THE speaker gave vent to his feel
ings in a remarkably candid and en-
phatic manner, and his words startled
those who heard him. Mr.. Reed has
been careful about accepting social in
vitationS this season and his appearance
on the night referred to was remarked.
1t was evident he came for a purpose,
and that was to notify the president
through the cabinet member of his in
tended programme.
During the evening Mr.. Reed pub
1icly denounced the presidents policy of
expansion, OF army reorganization and
the campaign in the Philippines. He
declared that the necessary appropria-
tionS to carry out these policies were
extravagant and that the house-he
evidently considering himself a najori-
ty-would never consent to the adop-
ton of measures looking to the carrying
out of these plans.
"He is rapidly carrying out his
threats. The house, under the speakers
leadership, has defeated the Nicaragua
canal bill, Reed is doing his best to pre-
vent the passage of bills for public
buildings, is on record against carrying
out the treaty obligations, and is doing
everything in his power to prevent the
passage of the army reorganization bill.
He Iaughingly announces that he has
only started his fight, and that he in
tends to continue it until March f. and
hopes to have many more administra-
tion scalps hanging at his belt.
"An of this has started a new topic
discussion in congressional circles. This
is nothing less than opposition to the
reelection of Mr.. Reed as speaker of
the next house. OF course, if an extra
session is called, there will not be much
time to organize such opposition, but if
congress does not assemble until next
December it is safe to predict that Mr.
Reed will not be elected speaker with
out a struggle. The administration is
not directly a party to this move, but
the administration leaders on the floor
of the house are taking the matter up
and are questioning the policy of elect
ing a man speaker of the house and
putting such power in his hands as the
speaker holds when that man is opposed
to everything the administration adyo-
Gates.
''Mr. Reed holds his present power by
the worst sort of tyranny. He threatens
and bulldozes members by declaring
that he will not recognize them on the
floor or consider them in other ways If
they oppose his bidding. Then, being
under the ban of the speaker is not
desired by members who have favors to
ask or measures to pass, and they,
therefore, bend to his wish at the criti-
cal time. Yet there is a Smothered re-
volt, and if a leader comes up before
congress meets again, the opposition to
Mr.. Reed will be formidable. General
Grosvenor gave hint of this in his
speech on the Nicaragua canal bill on
Wednesday, and since then he has had
many members come to him offering
their support should he need it."