The Washington herald., 1920-03-28

ed about like q rubber ball and
was fond of associating with
athletes. of whom he was one.
McKinley's studies, reading.
and speeches all ran to econom-
les. Roosevelt's touched all
subjects of human interest He
seemed as much at home in one
place as another. and spoke with
equal cock-sureness and vehe-
mence on all topics. whether be-
fore the learned Academicians of
the Sorbonne, or in Guildhali
explaining to the gaping and
dumbfounded Britishers how to
govern Egypt. or making a
stump speech In the great cities
and on wide prairies of his ma
tive land.
From Differing Stocks.
The chances are that Mckinley
never dreamed OF writing a book.
such a book as John Sherman's
Memoirs, one of the dullest of all
books, IL he had attempted IL.
Roosevelt was a voluminous au-
thor on a-variety Of subjects-al-
ways interesting. IL not profound.
Mckinley was not a collegian.
Roosevelt was a Harvard man.
Mckinley was a devout Methodist
Roosevelt was a member of the
Dutch Reformed Church. McKin-
ley was of Scotch descent Roose-
Welt. on his fathers side. was of
Dutch extraction, while his moth
er was a Miss Bullock. of Georgia.
Mckinley taught school. prac-
ticed law, was prosecuting attor-
ney, long time Representative in
Congress, chairman of the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, and
governor of Ohio. Roosevelt was
a member of the legislature al
most before his beard was sprout-
ed, Police Commissioner of New
York, Civil Service Commissioner.
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy,
governor of New York. and Vice
President. Mckinley was reared
OH a farm. Roosevelt gathered
health and strength as cowboy
in Dakota With neither was the
road to the White House smooth
all the way. Mckinley was un-
seated in a contest in the House
and finally beaten for reelection.
Thomas B. Reed defeated him by
only two votes for the Republican
nomination for Speaker, when the
nomination was equivalent to the
election. Roosevelt was defeated
for the mayoralty of New York,
and sadly confided to his friends,
SO it is said. that his political
career was at an end-which il
is dificult, indeed impossible, to
believe.
They were both soldiers - Nc
Einley in the civil war. ending
with the grade of major: Roose-
welt in the Spanish American war.
with the rank of colonel. Both
capital stump speakers and OF oif-
ferent styles; both stanch Repuo-
licans-each after his kind. Both
masterful politicians by methods
wide apart as the poles.
Literary Tricks Employed.
The literary trick of anthithests
s as dear to Champ Clark as ever
{ was to Macaulay. Here Is his
of two men who pre-
.eded him in the Speakers chair:
There was another Man from
Maine" a giant. intellectually and
physically, ambitious as Lucifer,
with his covetous eyes constantly
fixed on the chair of Washington
and the mantle of Jefferson.
straining every nerve to become
Chief Magistrate of the Republic,
and doomed by his geographical
habitat to follow "the Plumed
Knight" to the tomb, full of cha
grin and bitter thoughts.
Intellectually. Thomas Brackett
Reed, like ANOTHER King Saul, tow
cred head and shoulders above his
Republican competitors.
Blaine and Reed.
These two tMen from Maine"
Blaine and Reed. did not love each
other with the fervor Of Jonathan
and David or of Damon and Pyth-
las. Blaine managed men by what
the French call flnesse. Reed was
direct in his methods, and accom-
plished his ends by main strength.
Blaine was a moneymaker. Reed
was not blest with much of this
worlds goods. Blaine was a Penn
sylvanian; Reed was the typica'
down Easter. Blaine's influence
was based on personal magnetism:
Reed appealed to the reason, the
prejudices, and the risibilities or
mankind.
Blaine entered politics from the
field of journalism: Reed came
from the triumphs of the bar. Peo-
pie loved Blaine for his charm or
manner; they admired Reed for his
brain power. Both were college,
bred men, both served in the state
legislature, both became Speaker,
both were defeated candidates for
the Presidency, both were Repub-
licans. though II the secret work.
fngs of their lives were laid bare
IL would probably be ascertained
that Reed was the more loyal par
sty man. Both. however, had tre-
.mendous influence, in shaping the
politics of their party.
These are the principle points of
similarity and dissimilarity be-
tween the two most illustrious
men ever sent by the Pine Tree
State" to the national councils.
How their enmity arose I know
not. Certainly 1t could not have
been rivalry. The disparity In age
would seem to preclude that.
Whether their mutual dislike in
any way hindered either from Sc
curing that high ONCE which they
agreed in considering the chief
end Of man. Is one of those things
which nobody will find out this
side of the great Judgment Day.
solIdiy for Blaine.
1t is hardly possible that 1t did.
for. notwithstanding Reeds hai
tired, Blaine always had the Maine
Htr0 -
tically at his back as long as he
was a Presidential candidate, and
Blaine died before Reed became q
Presidential possibility.
Reed, through the irony Of fate.
Of the no1lhaarAra