The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-14
The Country Club-HOuses in the Vicinity Of
Washington and the Amusements They
Proyide-GOSsip from the Capital.
SUNSET cox.
Democrats Announce that He Will Be Their
Leader in the House--His Political Career.
Special TO the INDIANAPOLIS Journal

Democrats Announce that He Will Be Their
Leader in the House--His Political Career.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON Nov 13.-Democratic Repre-
sentatives arriving here from every part of the
country announce with singular unnnimity that
Sunset Cox, of New York, the late minister to
Turkey, will be the leader of their side of the
House in the Fiftieth Congress. Of course, this
expression must be ratified by a majority of
those who will occupy seats on the east side of
the next House, in December, 1887, but it is very
likely that the old members will have their way
and that Sunrise" Cox, as some one has christ
ened him since he arose again so unexpectedly
in Congress- will be the leader of the Democracy.
The career of Cox during the past few years
and the general drift of the leaderships on both
sides of the House show how uncertain is poll
tics and how quickly men are made and forgot
ten in public life. OF late years men are leaders
in both the House and Senate by virtue of promi
nent chairmanships or the championship of
prominent measures. Before the war the lead
erships went to men of brilliancy and only those
who had the master minds figured in the pro-
ceedings.
It was not till the Forty. seventh Congress
five years ago-that Sunset Cox was regarded as
a man of great mental force. For years he had
written funny things, and made the House roar
by his wit and humor. but he was not regarded
statesman. He wound up a career in the
Forty ninth Congress which made him feel some
assurance, and he asked for the complimentary
vote Of the speakership. He was given a set
back, as he was when he wanted to be Speaker
Uhan Mr. Chr1iclo frat ran Ona NJ fha ynocf
serious objections to him was that he was too
funny. and would not be sufficiently dignifed in
the chair. AS chairman of the committee on
naval affairs in the last Congress he led the
movefor RECONSTRUCTED navv, and demonstrated
his power to think and reason like statesman.
And mad not the proposition to revise the tariff
been so prominently before the House, thus push
ing forward Morrison and Randall as leaders of
the two respective factions in the party, Cox
would then have gone to the fore front as the
leader. He could hold the House better than
any man in it in debate, and had way Of ridi-
culing propositions very profound so that his
hearers were unable to fathom his information,
and concluded he had no limit of knowledge
But Sunset Cox is close student Like Reed
of Maine, he reads everything and forgets moth
ing; and he has a knack Of throwing out in his
remarks what he has read, which gives him use
Of it to the best possible advantage. He is pro-
verbally goodnatured, and has few personal
enemies, because he is not vicious. His wife
brought enough money into the family to place
them beyond the danger of want, so that he can
be as liberal pecuniarily he is in mind
Evidently the era for new leaders has come.
Senators Ingalls,, Harrison and Allison in the
upper branch of Congress, and Messrs Cox,
Mckinley, Reed. Browne, Henderson and other
younger men in the House, come to the front
with fresh blood, while Senators Edmuuds, Nor
rill, Evarts, Butler, Brown. and Messrs. Ran
dali, Holman, Kelly and other old leaders in the
House go to the rear. Active work. earnestness
and eloquence tell now, and slow brains and slow
bodies are to be relegated