The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-02
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.
MFR. Reed Decnnes.-e4 haven't any

MFR. Reed Declines.-HI haven't any
time to make speeches. for I am too busy
a man" This is the first authoritative
utterance from the Hon Thomas Bracket
Reed tbs very interesting question as
to the part he is to take in the campaign.
He used the words quoted at Boston yes
terday- The Dig man will not even make
any speeches in the State campaign now
going On in Maine The Hon. Joe Maniey
declared positively a few days ago that
Mr.. Reed would make some speeches IL
Maine, but as the country has known the
Hon. Joe Manley longer than it has known
was placed in his assertion as to Mr.. Reeds
purposes. The fact that the ex-SDeaker
finds himself s.too busy even to submit
a few remarks from the stump to his
friends in the Pine Tree State is consid-
cred important. 1t indicates his frame OF
mind. Evidently he does not propose to
do a thing for the reelection of the
amiabie Mr.. Mckinley. whom Mr.. Reed
last winter characterized mildly as the
Emperor of Expediency." In the Blaine
Cleveland campaign Mr. Reeds prototype,
Roscoe Conkling refused TO take the stump
because he was not then engaged In
ped from under the Plumed Knight and
his party went to smash generally. Reed
is the Conkling of his time He despIses
the Hannaites just about as Conkiing de-
spised the crowd that ruined the splendid,
magnetic Blaine and broke his heart. 1t
is not believed that Mr. Reed is without
followers o. influence His refusal 10
speak for Mr. Mckinley will mean the loss
of votes in November III places where ev-
cry vote will count 1t is expected that
his conduct will soon lead TO the develop
ment of the story of how he was driven
out of public life by the Hannaites When
that story comes out the country viii have
an opportunity to become better acqua1nt-
ed with the methods and purposes of the
crowd that surrounds Mr.. Mckinley The
perspicacious and vitrioiic Mr. E. L. God
kin characterizes the affable Presidents
advisers as 1.-The most dangerous set OF
scoundrals by which any civilized country
was ever beset." Mr. Reed has spoken
similarly of them. Of course he has not
talked in this way about them for publ
cation. Nor was Mr. Godkin's terrible
Characterization intended for publication
1t was written in confidence to friend
As TO Mr. Schrader.-A good deal of
literature isSbeing scattered over the eoun-
try concerning the assessment levied by
Mr. Hanna upon the employees of Congress
lust before the session adjourned and how
il was collected Collections were made by
the Hon, Frederick F. SchTader, Assistant
Secretary of the Republican Congressional
Campaign Committee. Mr.. Schrader holds
no Government office. Therefore he is not
amenable TO the Civil Service law. He
does not, it is said. deny the collection OF
money from employees of Congress. nor
does he deny that the money was collected
for political purposes. The presumption is
that the employees Of Congress sought Mr..
Sehrader out and periodically rendered to
him certain sums of the coin of the realm
with which TO pay for literature for the ed
ucation OF the voters. IN his official capacity
MI Schrader is one OF the best educators
in the Hanna organization. He writes fine
pieces nearly every day for the Congress
sional Committee and scatters them broad
cast over the land. He is of German ex-
traction, but, unlike most of that class of
American voters, is not afraid of impe-
rislism. He writes pieces On this subject
in German with the same facility that he
writes them IN English. And when en-
ployes Of Congress voluntarily offer cash
contributions to Mr- SchTader to help along
the cause ne regards it as his patriotic
duty to accept them and place the names
of the contributors on the honor roll kept
by the Congressional Committee. For doing
this Mr.. Schrader does not understand why
the enemy should turn its mud batteries
full upon him and also hold him up TO the
scorn Of his countrymen- His perfect
frankness in the matter justifes what has
here been written about him.