The Washington herald., 1910-08-28
SPEAKER REED, THE MAN
AnecdoteS-0f Gar of the House, Who Could Be
JOcuIar on Occasions

formula; rs there objection?" There
was no response.
Instead Of proceeding with. The Chair
hears none" &c. he waited a moment
and asked again, somewhat louder than
before; rs there objection" Still no re-
Spouse.
Reed paused I'll he could catch Nc
Kinleys eye. and then called out. with
each word in a sharp staeeato: "Did-any
-gentieman-object?' p Instantly. though
ignorant of what the bin was, except
that It obviously was a vicious one, Nc
kinney cried: 7 objectr'
The gentleman from Ohio objects"
announced Reed. with not a change in
the expression OF his face, but clear
note Of satisfaction in his voice. He
brought the hammer down on the desk
with a report like a gun. and the bill went
to the legislative graveyard.
On the subject Of government. Reed en-
tertained pronounced opinions. He had
no sympathy with the modern idea that
conqueror. however progressive and intel
ligent, could successfully impose upon a
conquered people new laws and forms,
and rules of public conduct As a young
man he had once taken the ground, IN a
college debate. that this was possible
After he had become a leader OF the wing
OF his party that opposed a colonial policy
for the United States. some one reminded
him Of his earlier utterances.
He jocularly admitted the inconsistency.
but added that every one was likely 10
change his youthful views with increas-
ing knowledge, and concluded:
'The things we say about one system
Of governments being better than another
hardly ever take into account the fOun-
dalton fact that government in real life
grows up out OF the past Of any nation
and could not be transplanted. For that
reason people always make their own
governments, and make them more suit
able than even the wisest conqueror.
There are no hothouses for nations. Each
can grow only as its own soil and climate
viii permit"
On another occasion, over their lunch
con. Senator Beverage. Of Indiana, had
called up in conversation an entangle-
ment into which our appointed authorities
in one Of the island colonies had been
drawn against their will.
Yes" answered Reed. you have got
into the very trouble all people get into
when they try to govern some one else
before they have learned to govern them
selves"
Beverage met this with some sugges-
tons about the practical needs Of the
situation. ending with the remark: You
mean well, Reed; but you're a dreamer"
It's true" was the measured response.
that was once. I dreamed that the
republic would last forever; but now I'm
waking up"
It was apropos Of the same general sub
ject that while chatting with a Repre-
( sentative who was an expansionist and
also jealous supporter Of foreign mis-
sions. Reed said, as he glanced over the
: front page Of a newspaper his companion
had just bought:
Here's tfdings Of great JOY for you and
your brethren.
The page was weighed down under
grapdiose headlines Introducing the cable
( dispatches abou, the battle Of Manila.
The estimates Of the native losses were
/ startling. and the benevolent expansionist
looked amazed at the spirit in which Reed
had taken the news, till the paper was
4 handed back with the explanation:
Il see that you have got 1900 fewer
Filipincs to convert to Christianity than
you had yesterday. At that rate they
won't last more than six months; so
you'd better start at your work Of pre-
pairing them for the other world without
any more delay and prosecute It with