The Washington herald., 1910-08-28

Former associates OF the late Speaker
Reed were gathered recently In one OF
the committee rooms at the Capitol in
Washington. and. using as a text the
news that the long-promised statue OF
him was soon TO be unveiled az Portland.
Me-. reeled of story after story Mus
trative Of his unique personality and
methods.
7 suppose" said one. that HIS hand
to-hand struggle with the Democratic
host that faced him as Speaker is what
comes first to the mind Of every one who
thinks Of him as a public man. II was
so dramatic that It has obscured the
recollection OF another important incident
Of the same periOd-the clearing OF the
Hobbies. When Reed came in as Speaker
every corridor in the House wing OF the
building was so crowded 18th booths for
the sale Of merchandise that It required
good steering 90 work ones way
through says writer in the New York
Evening Post.
tOrial napkin rings and other souvenirs;
tables al which visiting cards could be
bought, with the purchasers name and
address written by the vendor in maze
OF elaborate fiOurishes; flag and badge
stands, cigar and tobacco stands, fruit
stands, cane stands, even pie stands.
"Of course, il was impossible to keep
the floors decently clean with an intermit-
tent shower OF wrapping paper, string,
banana peels, and supernuous pastry
raining down upon them, In addition TO
the mud brought in from outside. and the
dust raised by moving feet; and many a
woman had her gown ruined by walking
there. The encroachments Of the booths
had been going on at an ever-increasing
pace for years. but no one in authority
saw his way clear TO stop the abuse TIL
Reed came.
With one sweep OF his broom he
emptied his end Of the Capitol Of its un-
dIgnihed wholly unlawful membranes.
and no one has ever dared to attempt
their restoration. In its way. this clean
ing up was as fine a performance as the
release Of the House from its business
lethargy
Some one commented on Reeds ability
10 deliver, when necessary, a speech OF
great length, with such precision Of state
ment and rhetorical form as to leave an
I impression that it had been committed TO
memory. That brought out from another
quarter the fact that Reed was able to.
and did. commit long speeches when a
crisis in a debate made It important that
every word Of the leaders be weighed
carefully before utterance. He acquired
the art while still an undergraduate. there
being certain branches Of learning men,
/ tally so uncongenial to him that he was
obliged to recite his lessons by rote. In
the first stages Of this discipline he made
use Of Buffers analogy, from which he
would memorize long passages. till The
had them letter-perfect. though Il cost
him not less than two hours every day.
( AS a strengthener Of his memory, he
1 confessed himself a debtor to this exer-
else, placing due importance on the pc
! culiar quality Of Buffers work. II, which
not a superfiuous word occurred. or one
4 out Of its proper relation 10 its fellows.
/ Although, as Speaker having 20 hold
the balance as evenly as practicable. Reed
was perfectly candid in his manner OF
sidetracking what he regarded as a piece
Of dishonest jobbery. One such measure
coming to his table at a time wher
nearly everybody m the House was talk
] ing. and everybody except the author Of
I the obnoxious bin inattentivr. he was
compelled TO offer it in It's regular order
for immediate consideration. following