Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-12-12
NO. SO.
Thomas 3. Reed.

1
ality Is gone. Tom Reed, as he was
familiarly and lovingly called, was a
| dominating force in American political
life until he voluntarily withdrew, be-
cause, as he said, he was tired OF be-
ing poor" That he served 22 years
in Congress, six years as speaker, and
made no additions to his bank ac-
count, is conclusive evidence of the
honesty of the man, for opportunities
come to congressman, and particular
ly to those of assured power and infiu-
ence, to make money, and this is
said without any insinuation toward
Credit Mobelier schemes.
Mr.. Reed may not have been a great
constructive statesman; we do not re-
call that he ever conceived and
pushed to completion any great meas
ure to which he could be referred as
the father, but il was given to him. by
his own strength of character. by his
1rmness and indomitable will to end
for all time revolutionary practices
which threatened representative gov
eminent itself, by giving a minority
power to reduce Congress to impot-
ence. And the great question which
he settled for Congress was settled by
his decision in every other legislative
body of the land In the 51st Con-
gress, when Reed was speaker and the
Republican majority was a narrow
margin, the Democrats attempted to
block the radical tariff and other legis-
lation which the Republicans pro-
posed by not voting, and raising the
cry OF no quorum. Mr.. Reed calmly
named enough Democrats present and
not voting TO make a quorum and
and had them counted in the divi-
sion. The uproar which followed
continued many stormy days, but the
speaker stood imperturbably at his
desk, defending his action by citing
precedent in other Legislative bodies,
and proceeded to count a quorum
when necessary, meantime leveling
the shafts of his keen wit against the
obstreperous leaders of the minority
with a sangfroid which only aggra-
waited them into more furious out
bursts"
Later the supreme court of the
United States upheld Mr. Reeds con-
tention and eventually the Democrats,
on coming into power, practically
adopted the rules which he had en-
forced while they were eursing him as
GEAR
Tom Reed was giant intellectually
and physically, No one who ever met
him face to face could forget the burly
figure of over 800 pounds, the round,
impassive face which denoted perfect
self-control; the bright, twinkling eyes,
and the massive head indicative of
extreme mental power He was a
many-sided man, gracious and charm
ing to meet in his own rooms; calm
ness and self-poise persOnified as he
sat in the speakers chair, and a mas
ter of sarcasm and irony and of an
aggressiveness that was almost pug
naciousness when battling against his
opponents on the floor of the House.
But Tom Reed will always be remem-
bered for his originality, his indepen-
dence, and his honesty and courage,
which were never questioned. Had he
been more subservient, more "flexi-
BILE" and less Of a leader he might
have attained to the presidency, to
which he honorably aspired, but in his
crowning ambition he was defeated,
and, disagreeing with the policy of the
administration, he was glad to retire
to a private law practice, which
brought him large peeuniary rewards
in comparison with his salary as
speaker. What might have happened
had Tom Reed been President of the
United States we can only conjecture.