Reed, Thomas Brackett (1839-1902), served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891 and from 1895 to 1899. He was sometimes called Czar Reed because of the blunt way he controlled the House. A Maine Republican, Reed served in the House from 1877 to 1899. He opposed U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War, fought in 1898. In 1890, he won adoption of “Reed’s Rules,” which increased the Speaker’s power but made the House more effective. The House still uses many of these rules. Reed was born on Oct. 18, 1839, in Portland, Maine. He died on Dec. 7, 1902.
