Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1902-12-12
DEATH OF SPEAKER REED
DISTINGUISHED STATESMAN sUC-
CUMBs AFTER SHORT ILLNESS.
Former Speaker of the House OF Represen-
tstives Was Confined to His Bed But
Seven Days When no Passed
Peacefully to the Great
Beyond.


| speaker of the house of representa-
tiyes. and for many years one Of the
most prominent characters in public
| life, is dead, his death occurring in
Washington, D. c., at 1910 o'clock
Sunday morning, after short illness,
the immediate cause of death being
were Mrs. Reed and Miss Katherine
Reed, Doctors Gardner, Mcdonald,
Bishop and Goodnow, and the nurses.
Mr.. Reed passed away peacefully and
apparently without pain.
Thomas Bracket Reed was born Oc-
tober IS, 1899. in Portland. Me-, and
received his early education In the
common schools of that city. In 1860
he was graduated from Bowdoin col
lege, winning one of the highest hon
crs-the prize for excellence in Eng.
lish composition. The next four years
were spent by Mr.. Reed in teaching
and the study of law. Before his ad-
mission to the bar he was appointed
acting assistant paymaster in the
United States navy.
After his discharge in 1865 Mr.. |
Reed returned to Portland, passed the !
bar and entered on the practice OF |
his profession. Three years later he
was elected as Republican in the
legislature OF the state Of Maine. In
1859 he was reelected to the house
and in 1870 made state senator, pass
ing from the latter position to that of
general of the state the same
year. Retiring from this office after
service in 1873, he was then
made solicitor of the city of Port
land.
In September, 1876, he was elected
TO the Forty-fifth congress of the Unit
ed States, which assembled in De-
cember, 1877. He Immediately be-
came prominent through a speech, one
Of the few formal ones ever delivered
by him, in which he argued against
The payment of damages By the Unit,
ed States for injuries received by
William and Mary college at the
hands Of United States troops during
he war. The subsequent policy OF
he government in relation to war
,laims was largely determined. by the
iefeat of this measure, to which Mr..
Reed signally contributed He was
llso one of the minority members an.
'ointed to Investigate the election OF ,
resident Hayes in the famous Hayes I
rilden controversy. His skill as de-
'ater was at once recognized, and his
influence becoming more strongly
marked each year. the leadership OF '
is party was finally conceded to him,
nd in the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth
congresses the complimentary nomx
alton to the speakership was ten. 3
cred him by the Republicans. t
In the Fifty-first congress- that par I
= having obtained the ascendancy. he ,
'as elected speaker on the first bal :,
IT. In the first days of his admins | ~
'ation of the Office much opposition n
as made by the minority to the en-. Il
'rcement of what Mr.. Reed believed e
is constitutional power to count n
LENDERS present in the house as par. :
cipating in vote. despite their re, :,
lsal to use their privilege. The cues. l.
on OF silence on such occasion con. b
1tuting legal absence, and the de- in
ruction thereby of a quorum. was, re
oweyer, set at rest by the adoption -;
new rules by the house. February :,
!, 1890. In September of the same VI
ear Mr.. Reed was reelected to the &C
fty-second congress by a large ma A
rity. Mr.. Reed proved himself an M
defat1gable worker even while In
ngress, and aside from his duties as
ngressman and speaker he found
ne to contribute to several maya ,b
nes OF the day articles pertinent to -
g various political and economic 10
estions which were from time to OF
ne agitating the country so
IoAorD w,ru s isl