The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-09
WAR CLASS Of KE0KUK HIGH
/ SCHOOL IS GIVEN DIPLOMAS

but never boosted of them. His
mother gave to him the rich heritage
OF graces that characterized him.
Like Lincoln he had thirst for learn
Ing that would not be denied, and he
never ceased to learn. If the life of
Reed could have been spared until
he was ninety, only infinity itself,
could circumscribe his knowledge"
In college, Reed was associated
with such men as William P. Frye
and Longfellow and others. After
his graduation from Bowdoin, Reed
taught for two years and then enter
ed the navy, which was then patroli-
ing the Cumberland. Tennessee and
Mississippi rivers.
Had Rounded Career.
This experience Reed himself de-
clared did much to widen his view
point. He went to California later
and was admitted to the bar, and
soon found himself in the front
ranks of the legal profession. In
1874 he defended Grants stand on
the money question, and in 1876 was
sent to congress to begin the career
that proved to be the most illus
trous in the parliamentary history Of
this country. The brilliancy of his
intellect illumined the halls of leg
islature
THE rounded career of Reed does
not depend on any one incident His
fame, his crown, was starred in no
single combat. His brilliancy was
ignited from fuel furnished by ma
ture, cultivated at college, and then
in the crucible of hard worlds ex-
perience.'
Tom Reeds speeches were always
concise and powerful and not too
ponderous and heavy, Mr.. Cousins
said. They were "as if coins of great
value and not to be wasted Their
terseness and condensation was due
to ability to think"
Greatest of all Orators.
OF Reed, some one said that he was
not an orator. Mr.. Cousins said that
what this critic probably meant was
that Reed was no elocutionist, one
who paved the air, thought with his
feet and attacked straw men with
verbal bullets of air. Great ora
tory he said, lis effective speech"
II have heard all of the great
orators of the last quarter of the cen
fury, both of this country and of
OllcT ICtuuS, anu IL Is uOuDIlul IL Oily
ever exceeded Tom Reed in effec-
tive speech. Whenever Tom Reed
spoke, people knew there had been
man in town. Perhaps there was
something in physical makeup and
magnetism, but it is good only for
the barber and the mesmerists.
What people need is something TO
say and then to say 1t simply and
honestly"
Reeds genius was practical and in
his maiden speech congress took no.
tice of him as a leader. Reed was de-
scribed as being generous and chival-
rous and never spoke in derogatory
terms of an absentee.
'He fought his battles when the
foe was present. 1t was no satisfac-
ton to him to hurt anyone who could
not defend himself. Reed was a man
of courage and of ability to fight. 1t
was the kind Of fighting that was ad-
mired by strong men and honorable
women.
Star Not Wind.
"Had Reed been more polite, more
patronizing, perhaps he might have
been president of the United States,
but he could no more present two
faces on any subject than he could
hold divine service at candle-light and
then turn foot pad at midnight. He
was man Of fine Judgment and was
square with the truth. There was not
in him even the trace Of that which
secures support of fools and knaves.
SO fine was his contempt for duplicity
that it could well be said, that no sail
was trimmed or any false flag flown,
He did not take his inspiration or di-
rection from the wind, but from the
stars.
"His ability was deep rooted and
strong as the oak. and like the oak 1T
stood against storms. In 1888 the bur-
den fell on Reed and out Of the con-
test his name flashed to the four cor.
ners of the nation. He had made the
most powerful argument for protec-
ton and his name was carried into
every house. In 1890 when Reed be
came speaker, Major Mckinley be-
came chairman of the ways and
means committee, and had Reed not
been in the chair, his name and not
might have been attached
to that great bill, and Mckinley might
never have been crucified."
The unselfshness of Reed, his abil-
ity to take care of himself in debate,
his brilliancy in conversation and In
speech were all dwelt upon by the
speaker HIS unselfishness, and the
beauty of his home life were tuoched
upon.
Sweetness Of Character.
The sweetness of character which
was his through everything. helped to
bring to his side even the bitterest
enemies in congress after their bat
ties had been fought and 1t was not
to see him going down the
street arm in arm with the men with
whom he\had been contesting in leg1s,
lative halls. No matter how pusheo