Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-22

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NXE Thomas b. Reed was the most
| wv genial of fellows in private life.
in public life none was more
feared. for his power of sarcasm and
| ridiculeA His speeches bTistled with cpl
grams, and his bon mots were freely
scattered among his fellows, who seized
upon them with hungry eagerness
| Thousands of Mr.. Reeds best things
were never published, for the reason
that they were not uttered for that puf-
pose, and the newspaper men VINO hearu
| them seldom failed to respect his unex-
pressed but well-known wish in the mat
ter.
Like Hammer Blows.
| Compared with the conservative COM
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 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 to tackle in debate.
For instance, there was William Spring
err, of Illinois. He would spend days In
| preparing great speeches, only TO nave
| himself turned into a laughing-stock by
one of Mr. Reeds repartees.
One day in the fftieth congress Mr..
Springer was making one of his thun-
derous orations. He had announced
position which he thought could not be
controverted, and he closed his state
ment concerning il with the well-known
and badly-worn quotation: That, gen.
tlenen is my position believe it is
right, and / would rather be right than
be president"
"You will never be either,% retoKted Mr..
Reed. and the sublimity of feeling to
when Mr.. Springer had raised the house
was thus turned into the ridiculous by
Mr.. Reed and the Illinois statesman sat
down in disgust,
Definition Of "statesman."
Mr.. Reeds definition of statesman
as being "a successful politician who is
dead" has been quoted. perhaps. as much
as any of his sayings. Equally as trite
was his characterization of the senate
as "a place where good congressman go
| when they die"
J Mr. Reed liked society. at least the
conversational part in circles where wit,
intelligence and genial good nature were
! conspicuous, and happily mingled. He
drew the line, however, at public dinners
/ to fulfill his duties at these functions, or
pay the debt of gratitude to friends. He
was especially iona OF the run Oh the IAiu-
iron club of Washington
It was here that he won the prize and
proudly wore the badge for eating the
| largest amount of beef at sitting. This.
too, within q few months of the presiden-
! tiai convention of 1886. at which he was to
| be e candidate, whereat his opponents,
| IN public press and private argument, held
up in abashed honor the undignlfed act
as unbecoming to the aspirant to the chief
magistracy Of a great nation.
Liquid Amber.
Reed. IKE all now members, attracted
| little attention upon his entrance into
CONGRESS. Indeed. he seemed perfectly
willing to bide his tina and made no
attempt to attract attention. He had been
in his seat but few months, however,
when a bill was reported to pay to Will
liam and Mary college a sum of money
in settlement of a claim for damages
caused by United States troops in the
civil war