Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-08
Early Life Uneventful.

The interest of the general public in Mr..
Reed centers largely about his service IN
Congress, and especially in the latter part
of his tenure of office. His boyhood and
young manhood were comparatively I'M
eventful. He came of sturdy New England
stock, the son of Captain Reed. master of
a coasting vessel and Of Matilda Mitchell
Of North Yarmouth. His father was man
below the average size, but active and
noted for his great physical strength. while
the son grew into a man of ponderous and
powerful frame. The father was a man OF
moderate temperament and not a ready
talker, but the mother endowed the boy
with her ready wit and sarcasm, for which
She was noted.
Thomas B. Reed attended the city schools
and fitted for college in Moses Lyford's
Boys High School. AS a youth he was
quiet and studious. good scholar and able
to grasp ideas quicker than his mates He
was partial to bCyish sports, and was al
ways a faVorite with his comrades. When
he entered college he showed special apti-
tude for literature. philosophy and the Ian
guages. After graduation he continued the
study of law, but before he had completed
his studies was seized with the western
fever and started for California. taking
storage passage m a sailing vessel around
the Horn. He taught school for a time in
Stockton, and studied law In San Jose, but
California did not please him and returning
to Portland he obtained in 1854 appoint
ment acting assistant paymaster in the
navy, serving -OT ABOUT d year, When he
went back to Portland and opened a law
Office.
From that time until he entered Congress
he was very busy man, devotirg himself
to the law and serving term as attorney
general. In 1876 he decided to enter politics
more aggressively, and stood as candidate
for election to represent the first Maine
district in the Forty-ffth Congress. John
II. Burletgh, the sitting member, very
popular, and the contest in the caucuses
was spirited throughout the district. Mr.
Reed won the nomination by small mar
gin, but since that time his denomination
has never been contested.
Service in Congress.
Mr.. Reeds ability was early recognized
in Congress, and his readiness in debate
soon became a source of discontinue to the
opposition. In the Forty-six Congress he
was assigned to the judiciary committee,
then as now one Of the important commit
tees Of the House. and in the Forty-seventh
Congress was made chairman. In the same
Congress he was appointed member of the
committee on rules and thereafter retained
q place on that important governing COM
mittee Of the House. He went on the COM
mittee on ways and means in the Forty
eighth Congress, and by that time was a
recognized leader on the republican side
Indeed, in the previous Congress he had
fore the republican caucus. but Mr.. Keller
Of Ohio was the nominee. Mr.. Reed re-
ceived the complimentary nomination in the
Forty-ninth and Ffftieth Congresses.
During all of these years his life had been
one of great activity and usefulness to his
party. His aggressiyeness and fearlessness
together with his marked ability as de-
batter and his familiarity with parliament
| tary law made him the natural leader of
his party in every one Of the many bitter
| partisan fights which marked that period
| in the lower branch Of Congress. He was a
constant attendant upon the sessions of
the House, taking the deepest interest in
legislation, and watchful always Of an op-
portunity to take share in partisan de-
bate. 1t was often said OF him at that
time that he seemed to love a fight, but the
fact was that when the republican party
was In minority In the House 1t was nota-
bly, aggressive and Mr.. Reed was the per-
sonifcation Of party loyalty and party ag-
gressiveness.
In December, 1889, the beginning of the
Fifty-first Congress. the republicans were
| in the ma ority in the lower branch for the
| first time since 1883. 1t was a small ma
jority. however, and the democratic minor
ity at that time was more unified and DOS
sessed ADLER leaders than had been the case
upon previous occasions when they were in
the minority. The republicans organized
the House by the election Of Mr. Reed as
Speaker.
Career as Speaker.
The question Of main Importance at that
time was whether it was possible or not
for majority to transact public business,
| II that business were not altogether to the
mind of the minority It seemed as IL that