The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1888-02-08
New York's Eloquent Democrat On
The Ninite Conteet.

The White Contest
/, wasarseros, Feb. 4.-Thc break in tieil
ranks which the Democrats had been fear.
ing ever since their scheme to unseat MIR.
White became known, came unexpectedly
this afternoon in vigorous talk from
Brouke Cochran. Mr.. Rowell. a Republican
member Of the Committe on Elections, had
been Speaking in favor of White. and when
he suddenly yielded fifteen minutes Of time
TO Mr.. Cochran the House livened up and
looked for senation.
Mr.. Cochran gave it to them, for he not
only announced his intention Of voting
agains, his party's plan for increasing their
majority. but gave such unanswerable rea-
sons for his determination that the old Demo-
Gratis had hard work to avoid settling the
case by an immediate vote. As it was. they
had the speaking continued until another
Democrat, Mr. Wilson Of Minnesota, got
away from them. and then the talk was con-
tinued in rather detected manner until the
adjournment During Sunday they will
have some opportunity to stiffen up their
ranks again, but the defecfions are almost
too serious to be overcome, aud the prospec CT
is that Mr. White will hold the seat to which
he was elected.
Mr.. Cockran's speech. which was made in
the midst of an interested crowd of members
from both sides, was a very plain statement
of the reasons for his fight against the policy
which would set aside the will of the people
in or,ler TO gain party vote
lie recounted the facts of the case. which
are admitted on both sides, and then went
on TO say that il was merely a question
whether he would believe Mr.. White under
oath or not Mr.. Whites word was corrob-
GRATED by character against which not
one word had been uttered even in the heat
of the debate, and il would take strong evil
dence to make him believe that such man
had been guilty of perjury.
Men on the Democratic side. he went on.
claimed TO represent popular sovereignty IN
the fullest meaning of the word. They
claimed that to their party belonged the mis-
sion of extending the power of the people
at the ballot box. So far as the people ofthe
Twelfth Indiana District could speak they
had declared their wish. their will, their
command. that Mr.. White should be their
representative.
Against the co mmand of the people the
Committee on Elections had advanced num-
ber of circumstances which, il was said.
ii. g
He must believe either that Mr.. White was
naturalzed in Indiana. a he claimed to be.
or that he had c,mmtted perjury. IL was
a lawful member Of the Hoase of Represen
al court on the charge of perjury.
Mr. Cochran then went on TO review Mr..
Whites record, aud closed by saying that he
came before the House after thirty years of
honorable life lie came with history
which was part Of the history of the conn
try He had held important Offices aud dis
charged the duties of citiz ,nship. lie had
sled his blood fbr his country. and his
wounds should not be made to bleed afresh
by reason of the ingratitudc of his associ-
ates.
II would rather be his own pride, a he
hoped il would be in his power to east a vote
TO show that he who risked his life in de-
fence of the land merited a reward which
would surround him like an arnior invinci-
Bile On the point of the great aim in the
Democrats in unseating him to gain another
Il
come into the House. he said that their cam
pagn should not be fought in iliat way. The
party should so comport itself, he said, that
the contest would not come into the House,
but that the people would overwhelmingly
express their approval OF the Dsm leracy at
the polls.
Concluding. he said Believing as | DO
while that flag which Captain White and his
associates had kept floating in pride over
every part of this country. floats over my
head while | feel deeply grateful TO the
heroes who preserved and ccmented with
their blood this Union under which we live.
| shall not cast a vote which would be trca-
son to my constituency, and which wonld
pronounce a soldier of the Union guilty ot
perjury and unworthy of the association of
his fellow men,
Tonight the Democrats are very much
down cast over the probable failure of their
great political scheme of the session. Part
ofthe symptoms of repentance may be due
10 the consciousness which is claimed for il
but some also il due TO poiitical adyisability