Thomas Brackett Reed, occasionally ridiculed as Czar Reed, (1839–1902) was a U.S. Representative from Maine, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889–1891 and also from 1895–1899. He was a powerful leader of the Republican Party, and during his tenure as Speaker of the House, he served with greater influence than any Speaker who came before, and he forever increased its power and influence for those who succeeded him in the position.
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Representative William McK. Springer, remarks in the House, quoting Henry Clay: As for me, I would rather be right than be President. Reed: Well, the gentleman will never be either.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
We ought to use the best means we can to be well informed of our duty.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Duty
Most new things are not good, and die an early death; but those which push themselves forward and by slow degrees force themselves on the attention of mankind are the unconscious productions of human wisdom, and must have honest consideration, and must not be made the subject of unreasoning prejudice.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Innovation
To say that a thing has never yet been done among men is to erect a barrier stronger than reason, stronger than discussion.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Justice
If human progress had been merely a matter of leadership we should be in Utopia today.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Progress
They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Fools, Foolishness
Let a man proclaim a new principle. Public sentiment will surely be on the other side.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Public
The reason why the race of man moves slowly is because it must move all together.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Progress
Copernicus … did not publish his book [on the nature of the solar system] until he was on his deathbed. He knew how dangerous it is to be right when the rest of the world is wrong.
—Thomas Brackett Reed
Topics: Right
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