It is a curious fact, to which PUCK has called attention more than once, that the important post of Speaker of the House of Representatives has been peculiarly unlucky for members of the Republican party. Between 1863 and 1890, when this cartoon appeared, four Republicans and three Democrats had occupied the chair. The three Democrats, Michael C. Kerr, Samuel J. Randall and John G. Carlisle, were all men of unblemished reputation, popular in their party and well liked and thoroughly respected on the other side of the House. They all performed their duties creditably, and retired with honor. But to the four Republicans it proved to be a position fraught with misfortune. The first, Schuyler Colfax, was forced into retirement by the discovery of his connection with the terrible Crédit Mobilier iniquity. The second Republican speaker was Mr. Blaine, and it was while he was in the chair that he became involved in the Little Rock and Fort Smith transaction, which, more than anything else, caused his defeat for the Presidency in 1884. The next Republican speaker was Mr. John W. Keifer--but it is really unfair and insulting to the Republican party to call Keifer a Republican. Of Keifer the best thing that can be said is that he was an accident and that he did not happen again. The fourth speaker of the Republican party was Mr. Thomas B. Reed, a gentleman of fine parts and high character, who was misled by his natural strength of will into adopting a policy of tyrannical unfairness toward his political opponents, which earned for him the nick-name of “Czar Reed,” and probably contributed largely to the revulsion of feeling which produced the famous “turn-over” of November, 1890. [Illustration] CONSISTENCY. _PUCK, January 21st, 1891._ The talk of the hour often renders editorial comment unnecessary at the time a cartoon is published, though its republication may make it necessary to accompany it with a word or two of elucidation. It seems proper to say that this picture is not meant for an outright arraignment of the Indian policy of our government, but as a reminder that there was no consistency in lavishing money and care upon foreign objects while far more pressing necessities much nearer home fail to receive proper attention. There is no doubt that for a long time our Indian Agencies have stood in need of a thorough overhauling; and our neglect in this matter was emphasized at the time of the publication of this cartoon, (January 21st, 1891,) by the extraordinary activity of the philanthropists who sought to express their sympathy with famine-stricken Russia by making Uncle Sam go down into his pocket for a relief-fund. [Illustration] IT ISN’T THE COWL THAT MAKES THE MONK. _PUCK, August 28th, 1889._