The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-09
Tvr GREATNESS Of THos. B. REEa.


Speaker Reed had a fcrceful personal
~ that under the aesis Of the ieudal
:rstem would have won him hish
estate in the England OF his ancestry 1t
Won him a very hish relative position
n ms Republic. I5e made himself
greater man than some OF our presi ie'''s
nave been. and in The Speakers chair n
t1c House of Representatives he hli
up Z power which even the Eesi5ent
mus: reckon with.
Reed may be said to have discovered
the Speakership Before he took the
chair 1t had been little more than
oarlia,nentarian, seat; when he laid
down the gave! he laid down a sceptre,
ae was called Car There was moe
truth than poetry IN the appellation. TIE
whole House ehafed under his tyranny.
The Democrats fought bitterly his arbt-
.srv rules: some OF the less. well dis
ciplired Republicans resented his as
sumption Of power But the Car saved
his party. The Car re,1la5e bis party.
When the ponderous but bril- liant Con
gresham from Maine was elected to
the speake.ship, his party was enba1aSs-
Cd by such . small majority il the
House that. under a less thoroughly able
and less practically partisan aaer it
could have accomplished little o. nothing
AGAINST the viii of the Democra led
by Mr. Crisp. Mr. Reed had no more
power than his predecessors. but the &C.
casion was stimulating and he vas the
man bold enough 10 take advantage OF
The vast powers contided in the office
He ,lust have had born in him the
maxim Of Napoleon, L audace. laudace!
ct toiouis l'audace," or the other enc
IF Richelieu. Use everyneans to CO.
,fli2te: ard failing these, every power
to crush. because they are the key to
MS conduct.
Grea; principles of action are inherent
IN the men Ior the hour, no mater
ssi7en or where Or how hose men hap
pen to be born. The political gerils Ct
Reed, fo- instance, .schooIed in the law.
developed in the public life Of Mama. and
bro-ght cut in the Fails OF Congress, IS
IF a piece with the military genius e
j. Z. 3. Stuart, schooled al the I ed
states Military Academy, derelo Cd in
The old army. and brought out on tie
aattlefelds Of Virgin a. Reed was
further like Stuart in that he DEVELOPED
Intrinsic. but dormant Iove :. Stuart
=-as . born cava r,y-,rlan and comm nder
af horse Great-hea6ed, dehoAnair, gal
ant and daring. he drew about him he
cry material for the making OF Ight
cavalry. and r. exacted OF the bra
young fellows the utmost OF their cous,-
sse and endurance Stuart. incessa~
gc.ivc. made q standard for cavalrymcn;
be created the S.crless Virginia cavalry,
the sIcepless shield Of the armies Ct
Lee. before them in the advance. guard
,7g them n the darkness. covering them
IN retreat.
Reed had legislative genius. h had
ready wlt. steady nerve, assured dig it5-,
:nI@a bic viii ana a calm audacity which
arose to every emergency. They carried
him through 20 the partisan success
.vl,ich was his constant objective He
rae.:l!pt1.a ted tie COMM tees, and through
his appointment. s he made ." unmSde
Hesitation al VIII; he ignored customs
ne. forced qaoru.ns: he recognized whom
he would; he vas 2 Gar" The Demo
cratic wing Of the House revol- ed, but
he he'd fi.9n and had his way. II was
PRECAUTIONARY but ii worked. and the
result may be aecn today
The SpeaEership Of the House. which
Reed may he said 70 Rave created, is Gre
Of the greatest Offices in The country.
Thc election Of Reeds successor Wa
matter Of almost as great interest TO the
country as the election OF a Chief Exc
Gu i've Succeeding Speakers have TAX II
advantage Of Tie great Speakers p on zee
ing, but none have equa'led the c@ea s
genius himself. The office is still e
power behind the throne, bat where is
It's Warwick Tho Great Speaker is
dead.