Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-11
Characteristic Incidents in the
Life of Thomas B. Reed.
Some Of His Most Noteworthy sayings
His Work as Spsaker-How He
Won His First Case in Court-His
Irrsproachnble Character and
Beautiful Home tifa.


Thomas Is. Reed known to every man.
woman and child within the boundaries OF
the United States, and no doubt Canada
as we'll Men of public affairs the world
over know him too.
Incapable of word flourish or of the
hounce and frill of rhetoric, Mr.. Reed
has always been talker rather than an
orator. He launched his ideal with a ORA wi
which told of his Maine origin. Nothing
| so drew Reed as a political discussion.
lie rose when in Congress in his place,
about midway of the second aisle, to the
right OF the centre. For 10 minutes he
would, as it were rain verbal lead. When
he ceased and the smoke drifted aside,
! that proposition in opposition politics
Whlch drew his fire would have a bullet
hole in every part of its surface as large
as a man mead.
Reed talked and thought ~ he shot a
rifie-of hand; and. by the way. he was
described as tack head shot with rife.
He seldom, if ever, wrote a speech. Nor
dld he much favor those who do. When
| the rules were in process of adoption by
the House at the beginning Of a recent
congressional session, while descantng on
the written" speech and the man who
writes Ii, Reed said:
For ms self, at least, l have slight
patience wherewth to listen to a man
who knows so little of the subject he $
discussing that he has to write 1t down"
As ne went carelessly about among men
Roeo had turn to be wasgish. Dineley
was one for whom Reed had high re-
gard. Dingley, too, was the president of
The. temperance society of the House and
man besides noted for the correctness
of his life. Reed, pausiuy before Dingley
one day, with 4 grave face, but twinkle
in his eye, surveyed him until Dinsley
grew bit nervous.
Il was merely thinking how respectable
N~gff qryl. id
seticaly, as one who excuses an mad
Vertcnt rudcness. Actually, Dinglcy,
there are times, as | sit and muse over
you, when it seems as if you were re-
spectacle to a degree absolutely incom-
patlhlo with human existence
1t is this trick for trenchment epigra IN,
this slcisht of sarcasm. which made Reed
feared In the House
Reed, like all new members. attracted
little attention upon his entrance into
Congress. Indeed, he seemed perfectly
willing to bide his time and made no
attempt to attract attention. He had
been in his seat but a few months, how
ever, when a bill was reported to pay
to William and Mary college a sum of
money III settlement of claim for dam
ages caused by L. S. troops in the Civil
War.
Or. George p Loring, the handsome.
graceful and eloquent member from
massachusetts, favored the bill in a
speech roplctc with good will toward
the "crrlrg sisters,' ~ tho south and
with such Glowing n.rioda that n. vac
oerwhelmcd with applause as he sat
down. and the success of the measure
seemed assured
1t was il minutes hefor. Mr.. Reed.
who was instantly on his feet, couid
ba heard and in those IN r,in',a n
he confessed of,nrv.nrds 10 r,rst boa,,
ily wished som, ono eIeo wa. i, ~
shoes. However, he beean bis .r."'
ment against the bill. holding that ito
passage world ost.hiier dana.ro,,s
precedent. lie vas int.rr,rt.d h,.
member who omnstionad 500.
statements and asl,,i f,r o., o,,,,,o,,.,.i'
1t was siyen f,ilIv t.rs.Iv ava nint''I,.
with biz Of ,m,hnsis j., the T",'i.y,
twang. which sbnw,d tbIt ~. w. -.
from pleased win the insist.nt h,tar-
ruption. ''''''
As ne coocluaed n. turned toward NJ.
Lori.s and from linn ',Ja,ce, ,o,, -"ii
ne s@,oI-''T md s.i,t' I,''I 90 ~" .! "
ing anbl.lneI tbat n.g ~ ~ 1;a',
unIber of NV remnrl,s VII, 'r ,'ron .au' :,
He turned tba ti'io G.fa.tn ''' 70 ,'i,,
med the noIir,, ~ Co,,,er. Wv IN
other ana siril.r c,otr, 70
and estubIisheo his avn na.fti ~
House wa A''''0" III ING
Th,t niyb+ Of "a. o,,,,, ga
and next 1,orri'o i,' all ~. "iu notels,
of tLr IauI I'M ~ t,,'7 "epaptIs
anfa,i,t. ,d at,'" ION N-Ihe' ms
chief tonic ~ ror,.,l, ,i s,, e'.e
and b,nreforth NJ Tond ,',,u ron,
attentive u,,dinnc. IN ,,,, 49, '@oNeu All
Abdomen he ft,I,so ,L
cr1tin tn .'I9e ""9 tileh ueno-
I'adcr an ~. r,n,,bItra, prominent
hcvrd IN nart,. s,'I ;rr.s,.s ,h Ne ~
- "''r h'o'H'eu tiat inc
nrinc,r,nS u.a NJ Dni irrn. Shd their
'' '''' 'Hi 81 esl'eudru OIL