Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-12-10

Parish church, OF which Raw. John z.
Perkins Il pastor.
Thomas Brnckesi Reed was born 10
Portland ocs. Is, fsss, and always resided
I'm that eiIy. Hs was tho son o, Thomas
Brackcst and Matilda (MitchciI) Reed.
He wsa educsted in the Portland public
schools. and was graduated from Bowdoin
college IN 1890. He taught school q year
or 80, studying law at the Same time.
In Aprtt, fsss. before ho was admitted
10 the bar. he was appointed an acting So.
ssstant paymss,er In the navy. After the
wsr, he wss admitted to tho Cumberland
bar, and commenced tho practice OF hls
profession.
He commenced hts noted public career
By bslug elected to the state legislature
In 1857 He wAs returned to the levisla.
tusc In tssa and. In 1870. represented Csm-
hartand eoenty In the ssste sonsts.
While member of the senate he wss
nominated aud eiacted astorney-genersi
of Mainu, and being a; that tims only
sh.rty-two years OF age, was the young
est attorney general In tho history Of
Maine. in ths. capacity he served three
terms.
For four years, isTi.'7s, he was the
city solicitor OF Portland. III. hrst nom
insiIoa tor Congress was 10 1875, aud he
represented the frst congressional dis.
triet OF Maine at Washington until his
resignation In 1853, whon he was serving
his twelfth term az member OF Con-
xrrss, and his fourth term a. speaker.
CARRIER IN CONGRESS,
Mr. Reed entered House which wss
democratic, and Of tho twelve Congresses
ia which he served, the democrats con-
troiIed SEVEN. Although a new member
Of the minority party In the House, II wss
not long before Mr. Reed displayed those
qualities Witch wero destined 10 make bis
career In Congress a distinguished one.
Long before bis election to the speaker
ship he was recognized =. bis party's
leader 10 the House, aud won more than
nat ioasl reputation by bits power as a
dsh&teT, his eloqaeneS which found ex-
preston in tbs ,ew long speeches which
he made apon the door. aud his breadth
Of view and comprehension OF the great
questions Of the day which raised him
shove tbs level Of tbs mere politician.
Ei.EcTxp SPEAKER.
Bot u wa. bis election 20 the speaker
ship which gave MIR. Read his opportunity
TO do ths nxtion that service With wi ieh
hts name has since been eonnec ed.
Facing unmoved a storm Of opposii Ion
such - fsw maa have been forced 10
meet. he brought about q revolution In
the mat hoas OF parliamentary procedure
In the House, and made impossible the
practice BY which the minority had Tor
years detesied tbs will OF the majority of
that body.
II Sss early Ia the Hfty-fir-t Congr' So,
In isSa, that MIR Reed did the one par
tisuisr thsnE which hss given him his
greatest poliiscsi eeisbrlty. He counted
sqooram. For years ia had been the
custom OF the House to ascertain me
presence oil g member by calling his name.
II be answered to hIs name he was pres
ent. n be did not answer be was not
present, although De might be sitting la
his seat on the fioor of Congress. Tue
refusal TO answer to hts NAME gave every
member Of the House the power to in-
dalse IN what has come TO be known In
psrilsrrs ntary tactics s. fiibasterinR.
opPosED 10 FILIBUsTKRIS0.
Mr.. Reed bad gone on record as being
opposed to these methods Of obstruction
but Il is prohabie that few, 10 any, OF the
members % the House knew when Mr
Reed Wss eieetei zpesk~r that he was g.
ing to east presidents 20 the Wind. md TO
embsrE IN something absolutely new and
revolutionary in the matter of pariis-
mentary procedure IN the House.
When Congress me, II il probable that
Mr.. Reed bad siready formed his plan to
dothis. The republican majority WAS a
narrow aua. The democratic minority
bad very many able leaders who contest
ed the organization OF the House, and
the conduct OF it, business at every point,
until finally the great day came
The point TO be remembered always
when considering Reeds act in counting
quorum Is that he did II before the
House had adopted any rules giving him
the power to do so. When Mr.. Springer
OF Illinois, In one of the most exciting
scenes which the House has ever wit
messed, asked by Whist authority Recount
ed men ~ present who had not answered
to their names, Nit. Reed replied that he
did II "under the authority OF general
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