The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-14
MIL NH|IE
On TON REED
He Tells of Names Man Anti
pathy Against Mckinley.
EDITOR ESTIMATOR THEM
Reed Was Widely and Jud-
iciOusIy Read and Great.
TOR'SESTIMATEOF THEM

The death of Tom Reed closes the chap
ter Of one of the strangest rivalries that
ever occurred in American politics-the
rivalry between Mckinley and Reed. The
contest was not bitter; it rarely came
above the surface OF things. yet it was
an inevitable conflict, and was made so
by the characters Of the two men and
their propinquity in political life The
men were as antipathetic to one another
as dog and cat. IN 10 trait OF their
characters We're they similar. and each
irritated the other. Mckinley was SOL
emn, rather pompous, devoid OF humor.
given 10 prince AIberts and white string
ties, never revealing himself except TO
his intimates, canny tactful. urbane,
adroit smooth, oleageneous and placid.
Reed was brusque, a jolly man who lived
to reveal his real self and hated shams
and pretenses; a scholar. who desplsed
pose OF politics that passes for learning
in Congress; a wearer of sack coats and
clothes with lots of pockets in them
wrinkled clothes and soft hat; tactless.
and proud of it; not afraid Of making an
bristling with retort and invective
In Congress Mckinley and Reed were
members of one party and protection
lists in theory; but there stopped the par
allel. Reed became floor leader and af-
terward speaker of the house; Mckinley
was defeated as speaker of the house
and went into committee work Reed
rose TO his glory: the qualities which Nc
Kinley would have put into the speaker
ship would have made him a failure
Reed was the man needed and MS work
there has changed the current of usage
in American congress as greatly as an
amendment TO the constitution. HcKin-
ley rose afterward to his glory and forced
Reed out of political life McKinley's tao
tics there were distinctly his own; he
used no outward show of force. He did
not appear to be moving at all Yet he
ground Reed as if a glacier; there is no
doubt that if Reed had been president
he would have forced Mckinley out of
action There was bad blood between
them, but Reed would have done it before
all the people and perhaps would have
disrupted the party. He would have glor-
was frank to his acquaintance in dis
cussing it, in 80 Mckinley shut the door
of patronage on Reed except in his con-
gressional district. Reed was as mad as
a bull and beloved out a good many
kinds Of damns about Mckinley to his
friends. Among the rooters for Reed at
st. Louis was young man named Roose-
welt, Theodore Roosevelt; the way the
rooters rooted was peculiar. There was
some uncertainty about the delegates
from the east about McKinley's position
on the gold standard Perhaps this was
unjust to Mckinley. but Tom Plat OF
New York was circulating McKinleys
free silver speeches among the delegates;
Mckinley had way with him of being
popular; and until his last years. never
went further under the surface OF things
than was necessary for a political cam
paign. So Platts poison was working.
The Reed rooters got a banner as big
as all out doors. on 1t was painted Tom
Reed is for Cold in letters so big you
could see them two blocks. They hired
a band and went k-yooCing over ST.
Louis carrying this banner. 1t was spec
tccuiar. characteristic and absolutely use
less so far as votes were concerned. But
the writer who was a reporter at the
convention was proud OF the fact that the
Gazette was the only paper in Kansas
that was for Reed before the Kansas
state convention declared for Mckinley.
Whether or not Reed knew this the writer
was never able to make out But Reed
was the first prominent man 20 write
about What's the matter with Kansas.
dis letter Is framed ia the Gazette Office
today The piece had been printed but
few weeks when he wrote Later il
was the writer's honor 10 be counted
among Reeds friends.
The day Mckinley died Reed and
mutual friend and the editor Of the
Gazette happened 10 meet AZ luncheon -
The Century club in New YORK city. Reed
vas big with the philosophy Of the hour.
Sis rival Yves dead the race had been
run Reed was orf Of IL. The booR was
closed % his ambition. re knew if-
After q simple meal had been put away.
Reed pushed back his chax and began
20 talk For three long hours be dis
eou~sed most beautifully upon Hfs its
uncertainty. IT'S real rewards. and its
checks and balances spoon fame and Sos
accidents and Us emptiness. upon death
and irumortalitv. ard God ard a1 Ills
ways ard works ~ was d Sind = fun
e1aI GRAFTON tie like ~ which feE ms1
are privileged t0 hear At THE end ~ y
al the Big ran threw back his head a1f
looked up az The great oak rafterF ~ the
room FOR a Ions whsle. ana fhen left -
hands faU hsavir On the short aruls
~ the chair ana be sighed ut h0- what
does ID all mean where 81 - s0ing, who
ara We whst j. this l1fathomea mystery
men call ufe-God knows. Jon
Reed was 2lcEinleFs intellectual ~
rerlo- and re couldn't lut help Know
Reed u1s scfo.ar ~ uils ard ~
dic.ous reading Ile Knew things ~ the
base. ard Understood the intimate T1-i-
ezorhy ~ them So Do wrce vel tfe
got q chapter Co q sentence He Eas
always r-re ITS stFie aas eIiErarraflc.
l-cE.-iev had the a-o-5y sf5ie ~ 3 man
7ho g. not qulfe certain ~ hls pos'tipn.
5 IS trying e. cesTrce hl1sef 10
-sa men ever reresl.S tferlseiseT 80
- Ki-lev ard Reed. il aicEl-ieys Wfit-
teu and spoken l4nElsGs g sila ae4rteo
--- zws hin< n Eeea Big
Drained ma- = kin3eFs rtrersr7 wls
-sf tu his head 6at 81 hs heaTf Hs
rev o. real greatness hra-ss p -s
s-d Hc zauld re- a@s71 aaFo7e ED -
rred ~ n Tre greatest cai-utF
hat c1 Rave helar s-sr.ra saa
70 have To- Reed e,ect@s pres.1s1t WleH
3Tczirlrv Eer elected He s11i2 n bare
Slowed america - 81 a. Ssr sra sFaia
f7e vcaie have been izpezchee - coz
rrsss ard way declared 81 s1te - hiE.
Prem an lr.f-iecf-ai stan1fosnt Red
-