The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-07

THOMAS B. REED, former speaker of
the house of representatives, who
died last night, was one of the most in
teresting figures in American public
life Until his retirement from con-
gress he was unquestiOnably the most
brilliant leader the Republican party
had, and even in his retirement his
caustic wit and terse epigrams made
his utteranees notable. He was in no
sense successful politician, and would
have been the first to concede his fail
ure in that respect. But as the leader
of his party in the skirmishes and sal
lies of impromptu debate, it may be
questioned whether any man since
Clay's time was so splendidly equipped
by training and temperament His
first brilliant speech was on the claims
presented for damage inflicted by the
Union army during the rebellion, and
from that time on he was foremost
among the stronge speakers in con-
gress. He seldom prepared a speech.
but his ability to make the opposition
unhappy and give heart to his support
ers entitled him 10 the high place he
held in the party councils.
1t was a popularity of the great de-
batter that he had few warm admirers
among the politicians. Possibly his hu-
NOR was too outspoken and his frank
ness too painful for them to remem-
Der him pleasantly. but whatever the
cause, he was never within striking dis
tance of his great ambition, the presi-
Dental nomination. Conservatives such
as Harrison. or Hayes, the Warwicks
could tolerate; but the brilliant Reed
they waved aside as an impossibility.
He was spared the humiliation of de-
feat which came to that other brilliant
son of Maine, James G. Blaine, but he
retired from congress and the political
field embittered by the failure of his
party to name him for it's highest honor
when others less conspicuous, less able
and certainly less experienced were Sc
lected
Mr. Reed will be known in history
principally for the precedent he estab-
lshed in the house when he insisted on
counting members as present whether
they voted or not. The bitterness of
the minOrity's attack on him for this
is still a tradition in Washington, and
it earned for him the title of car. a
title which friends as well as foes III
timately adopted. AS a parliamentary
ian he had few equals and no superior.
His unfailing humor, his readiness of
retort and his knowledge of the house
gave him a command of the situation
which no successor has had and which
none is likely to have soon. He was
the last Of the really brilliant Repub-
heans of the reconstruction period. and
With him period in political history is
closed
Personally Mr.. Reed was little known
outside the little circle In which he
moved He was not regarded as a
great lawyer, yet he resigned from
congress to accept retainer common
~ understood to equal the salary of the
president of the United States.
Failing just short of greatness; at
tanning a position second in power only
to that of the nations chief executive;
counted among the ablest men of his
generation, Mr.. Reed compelled his
party to admit his leadership. but he
lacked the one qualification which made
Blaine the, idol of his followers-the
ability to win the affections of men
and bind them to his cause by ties
stronger than steel.