The Washington times., 1902-12-08

ridicuIe His speeches hristled with cpl
grams, and his bon mots were freely
/ scattered among his fellows. who seized
upon them with hungry cagerness.
/ Thousands Of Mr. Reeds best things
were never published. for the reason
/ that they were not uttered for that pur-
/ pose. and the newspaper men who heard
/ them seldom failed 90 respect his uncX-
pressed but wcll-known wish in the mat
4 ter.
( Like Hammer Blows.
/ Compared with the conservative. com
I mon sense Of Allison. the single tariff
strain on which Mckinley concentrated
. his argument. Benjamin Harrison's cold
and clear-cut sentences. Mr. Reeds
words came like the blows Of q sledge
hammer and they carried conviction.
There was wit as we'll as wisdom. and
/ his sarcastic sentences cut like two
edged sword. He seemed TO know the
weakest points in every mans armor.
and was the most dangerous man In the
/ House 20 tackle in debate.
For instance. there was william
Springer. Of Illinois. He would spend
days in preparing great speeches. only to
have himself turned into a laughing
stock b. one Of Mr.. Reeds repartees.
One day in the Fiftieth Congress Mr.
Springer was making one Of his thun-
derous Orations He had announced a
position which he thought could not be
controverted. and he closed his state
ment concerning it with the well-known
and badly-worn quotation: That, gen
tlemen, is my position. I believe it Is
right. and l would rather be right than
be President"
you will never be either" retorted
Mr.. Reed. and the sublimity OF feeling
to which Mr.. Springer had raised the
House was thus turned into the ridicu-
lous by Mr.. Reed. and the Illinois states
man sat down in disgust
Definition of Statesman"
Mr. Reeds definition OF a statesman
! as being "a successful politician who is
dead has been quoted. perhaps. as much
as any Of his sayings. Equally as trit6
was his Characterization Of the Senate
as "a place where good Congressman 60
when they die"
Mr. Reed liked society. at least the
conversational part in circles where wit
intelligence. and genial good nature were
, conspicuous. and happily mingled. H,
drew the line. however. at public din
ners so far as possible. although he nev-
er declined TO fulfill his duties at these
J.
to friends. He was especially fond o
, the fun Of the Cridiron Club Of Wash
ington. a- b.. Il llzo.
Il was here that he won the prize ant
. proudly wore the badge for eating tn
\ largest amount Of beef at a sitting This
too. within a few months Of the Presi
~ Dental convention Of 1896. at which b.
was 10 be a candidate. whereat his op
i, ponents. In public press and private ar
. gument. held up in abashed honor tn,
. undignihed act as unbecoming 10 the as
= pirsnt to the Chief Magistracy Of a grea
nation.
Liquid Amber.
Reed. like all new members attracte,
Z little attention upon his entrance int
q Congress. Indeed. he seemed peTfectl.
o willing 10 bide his time and made no at
, tempt TO attract attention. He had beel
IN his seat but a few months, however
q when a bill was reported to pay to Will
lam and Mary College a sum OF none,
p in settlement OF a claim for damage
70 caused by United States troops IN tn
civil war.
It's defeat was due to a speech By Reed
who attacked it as a dangerous prece
s dent. He was interrupted by a membe
- who questioned some Of the statements
- and asked for an explanation. II va
10 given fully. tersely, and plainly. with
e bit OF emphasis in the Yankee twanq
T. which showed that he was far from
( pleased with the insistent interruption
n As be concluded Mr.. Reed said:
u And now. having embalmed that le
s. In the liquid amber OF my remarks
s viii proceed"
A Cutting Rejoinder.
= one day Mr. Reed was mailing
d speech. and. as usual. was faying IN
To- Democrats. when Anderson Of West Vir
y rinia a handsome and highly respectabl
+, member Of six years service in Congress
e without rising from his seat. logged hi
a memory about something he did. Pee
paused long enough so attract the atteu
:, ton Of everybody, and then. with hi
ID most oxasperating nasal twang. said
,r Yesterday I had discussion with Nj
'q Wilson. the head of the West Virgini
" delegation. and today. however unpleas
ans il may be. I suppose I viii BE- com
PEELED 70 have a discussion with the tai
Of the West Virginia delegation" tn
" House roared.
On another occasion, while in the fu
tide OF eloquence. Mr. Reed was inter
Il rupted by the redoubtable Amos Cum
r. mings Of New York Reed looked al hir
in fathorly sort OF way for a momen
and then. with mock pathos. asked
4 Now Amos. must you, must you. reall
ID get your name into my speech; mus
De- you2" The theatrical pose and the in
j. iured expression crushed the bravert {
- the Tammany braves
,e In the discussion OF the Carlisle bill
ID John Dewitt Warner made a furious on
slaught on the Republicans In genera
and Reed iu particular Reed began hi
i. answer by saying. IN a sneerinR tone: Oh
l. cannot hope 20 equal the volume Of -oic