The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07

| as among the ablest and most comprehen-
sive, cogent and philosophical arguments
ever delivered in Congress. Indeed. many
contend that 1t has never been equaled.
SPEAKER ONCE MORE.
In December, 1895. Mr.. Reed was again
elected speaker. the Republicans having
regained control of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the Fffty-fourth Congress.
The Republican caucus voted unanimously
in favor of his nomination for that office.
Again he found himself confronted by diff
culties and perplexities, different, indeed,
from those he found in the Fifty-first Con-
gress, but serious enough to break down
the purpose Of man of less courage and
fortitude than he possessed; how serious.
few men appreciate. The task before him
was as unattractive and disagreeable as it
was difficult and severe and it's perform
ance, in the nature of things, could not be
a snowy one. But it required more firmness
ana courage and higher heroism than il
did to face the bowling mob of Democrats
In 1891. That the task was well DONE every
body who knows the facts will admit
Democrats. as well as Republicans, frankly
conceded il.
Whatever and howsoever great were the
shortcomings of the Fifty-fourth Con-
gress, they cannot justly be attributed to
the speaker or the body over which he pre-
sided. How different the one presented
SIX years beforei In 1891 no Democrat
would offer or vote for the customary reso-
luton OF thanks to the speaker; in 1897
democrats contended with one another for
the honor of offering the resolution whion
was presented by Mr.. McMillen, of Tennes-
see, and submitted to the House by Mr..
Dockery. OF Missouri, another stanch Demo-
cratic partisan, and unanimously adopted
by rising vote. Speaker Reed must have
experienced feeling of honest pride as he
rose TO deliver his brief valedfctory address
ana looked into the faces of men who had
so bitterly and vehemently denounced him
SIX years before. He was the same man.
noloing the same opinions, but their opn-
IONS ana practices In some respects had
been completely revolutionized
Mr.. Reed was candida tie for the presf-
dential nomination in the Republican ma
uonal convention of 1896 and was defeated.
HIS defeat disappointed BUT did not sour
nm, nor d1d 1t affect In the slightest de-
gree MS course as speaker of the House of
Representatives. He threw himself into
the campaign in behalf of his successful
rival with all his force and energy. After
oetVerlns campaign speeches in ten diffen-
ent states, from Maine to Kansas he
crossed the continent to the Pacific coast
The second political speech he ever de-
nVered was while he was a resident of Cali
lorna, In 1853. and the last one he delivered
IN the campaign of 1897 was in that State,
on the night before election day. Wher-
ever ne spoke great crowds assembled to
nsten, ana they heard what many of them
nad not heard before in that campaign
real sound-money talk, truths presented to
tnem In homely, frank and manly fashion
California Republicans assert that Reeds
speeches saved the State to Mckinley"
In the F1fty-ffth Congress Mr.. Reed
vas again elected speaker of the House
and he ruled that body with the same firm
hand that had marked his previous reign
as car. He was reelected to the Fifty
sixth Congress, but resigned in 1899 to prac-
tee law in New York. Since then he had
not been particularly prominent in notifies