The Washington herald., 1915-01-19
HISTORY BUILDERS
How Tom Reed Made His Reputation
as a Wit.
Cwritten Expressly for The Washington Herald.)
BY DIR. E. j. EDWARDS.

as a Wit.
Cwritten Expressly for The Washington Herald)
BY DIR. E. J. EDWARDS.
The late Speaker Thomas B. Reed be-
came a member of the House Of Repre-
sentatives at the special session of Con-
gress which was called by President
Hayes to meet in the fall of 1871. Reed
attracted no attention at first, except
ing that which was due to a realization
of his physical proportions. There was
no member of the House of Represent
atives, excepting Judge William d. kel-
ley, of Pennsylvania, who was taller than
Reed. Judge Kelley was six feet four
inches and was always proud of the fact
that he once measured up back to back
with Abraham Lincoln and was told that
the book which was placed upon the
heads of both was very nearly upon the
| level He was a trihe shorter than Lin
coin. Judge Kelley, however, was
loose jointed man, whereas Reeds ply
sical proportions were statuesque. He
must have weighed, when he became a
member of Congress, about go pounds.
The massive. really noble contour of his
head attracted attention. as did also the
briIliancy of his large hazel eyes 1t
was often said that his eyes and the
flashes of genius which sometimes came
from them resembled the eyes OF MIR.
| Blaine.
Mr. Reed took no active part in the
| special session, but he was already be-
ginning the study of parliamentary law
and was one of the closest observers OF
the rulings OF Speaker Samuel ]. RAN
dali in the House. In that body were
two members who were afteTward elect
ed to the Presidency of the United
/ States-James A Garfield, with whom
Mr. Reed maintained most intimate re-
lations afterward, and William Mckin-
| ley. It was a House not surpassed by
any other in the past for ability of the
distinguished men who were members
of IL.
At the regular session of the Congress.
Mr. need felt justified in letting himself
out a little He ventured to infuse into
his brief addresses some of the wit which
afterward was so characteristic of him
1t was in his first speech, in reply to a
member, that he said that the Congress
man was like deacon, member OF
temperance society, who said that ne
could not drink cider, but If they would
call IL apple juice he would take II
| Upon another occasion. when speaking
| OF the members OF the Potter lnNesu'
eating committee, Mr.. Reed stated that
| the Democratic members were the
bright the consummate flower. the
|
able to the subject, the combined sweet
ness and strength, the very rock and rye
of the Democracy" These wittiCisms
were so spontaneous and were always SO
! thoroughly associated with the serious
treatment of a subject that Reed was
never in danger OF gaining an exclusive
reputation as a funny man.
| II was not, however, until Mr.. Reed
delivered one witticism which was very
widely reported that he began to at
tract the eye of the country. He was
speaking upon a serious subject when h'
was suddenly interrupted by an lncon
spicuous member of the House who pu,
a question to him. Mr.. Reed repuec
briefly to the question and then, turning
in his langluid, easy way and speaking
in a conversational and strongly nasa
tome of voice, he said, Mr.. Speaker
now having removed that fly from th'
LIQUID amber of my remarks, l will pro
ceed with the discussion The House
was conyulsed. The amusing metaphor
did more for Mr.. Reed, so far as per
sonal recognition was concerned thaI
did his speech. 1t went from one enc
of the country to the other and iron
that time Thomas B. Reed was ma
tional character.
(Copyright. 1915 by E. ]. Edwards. All night
reseryedD
Tomorro-- DIR. edwards will tell How
the Great Middle West was Developed.