The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-09-19
SUNSET COX.
Death of The Brightest Man in Con-
greSs.

gress.
Few men have combined so many
brilliant qualities Mr. Cox was
statesman, diplomat, humorist, author
and orator. His writings will survive
him, but his presence on the floor Of
the House will be sadly missed. 1t
will be especially a loss to his party,
which stands particularly in need at
the present time of quick wi,ted,
ready men. There are plenty of solid
thinkers and learned Thebans on the
Democratic side who can 0 through
a public question like locomotive
through a snow drift, but that side is
in need of men quick in repagtee and
handy at ridicEle. 1t was Sunset
Cox who could parry lance or stand
in front of battering ram with equal
success, and unless the new member
ship of the House shall furnish all un-
heard of genius there is no one who
can step into his shoes.
But it would be unfair to consider
the loss of Mr.. Cox as a party one
solely His broad views went far be-
yond the limits of the party to which
he was always loyal, aud his loss will
be national one.
In the House of Representative
Mr.. Cox has made so many notable
speeches that it would be difficult to
pick out, in familiar phraseology,
"the greatest effort of his life His
late speech on the tariff and the more
recent one in behalf Of the admission
of the Territories are the best of his
efforts since his return from CONSTANT
nople. A notable address on the
Life Saving Service, in which he de-
scribed shipwreck on the Atlantic
coast, was the most dramatic recital
that ever occurred on the floor of the
House of Representatives.
Mr.. Cox was one of the ablest of
parEamentarians. Twice he was
candidate for the Speakership of the
House Of Representatives, and though
considerably popular, other consider
ations weighed against his candidacy
and in neither instance did he come
within reach of his ambition. 1t is a
popular belief that Il be had not been
a humorist he would have been elect
ed, but that "funny man was out
of the question for Speaker. There is
little to support this assumption,
which is probably an incorrect one.
1t is true that Mr.. Cox would say
undignifed things, even when tempo
rarily in the chair, but it was rare
that he did so, and his humor was
never gross or such as to invite dis
order. One instance, often recited in
print afterwards, occurred during the
cotton-tax debate. Mr.. Cox was in
the chair when member from North
Carolina arose to interrupt a member
from a neighboring State
"The gentleman from North Caro-
lima desires to ask the gentleman from
South Carolina a question" said
Chairman Cox solemnly, "and." con-
tinuing, eff it is the same old question
it is in order
The laughter that followed SO de-
lnoralized the gentleman from North
Carolina that he could not recall what
he Intended to say.
Mr. Springer, of Illinois, and Mr.
Cox Aave served many years in the
House together. The two gentlemen
became conspicuous for the frequency
and vigor OF sheir disputes. Springer
is unable to keep out OF any discussion
that is in progress, no matter whether
he is interested, or knows anything
about the subject or !aot Mr.. Cox
therefore, always found the opportu
nifty at hand to belabor Springer, a
pastime that Mr.. Cox greatly enjoyed
He would not spring at once on the
member from Illinois, but would -irst
get the attention of the House by {
few preliminary remarks. Then when
all we're hushed and attentive, Mr..
Cox would pause and say:
"Now, 1 have few remarks to
make to my honored friend from Illia
nOis-"
This would be the prelude to an
awful roasting.
There was something of the wag as
we'll as of the wit about Mr.. Cox. He
lived at the Riggs House while in
Washington. Mrs. Cox had learned
ofsome New York families in Wash
uGgton who we're not in highly pros
porous circumstances, and had sug-
gested tc Mr.. Cox that he send tur-
key on Thanksgiving day to each
family, and do it in such a manner that
the donor could not be known. The
reason of this was that Mrs. Cox sus
pected some of the families she wished
to aid might return the gift if the
source we're known. Mr.. Cox was
deputed to carry out this worthy in
tention, and he consulted the late
Congressman Stahlnecker, Of YoDk-
ers.
"Oh, that will be easy enough, %
said Mr.. Stahlnecker, "order enough
dressed turkeys to go around, send
the addresses to the dealer and let
him deliver them.
1:But dressed turkeys went do,
said Mr.. Cox, "this thing must be a
secret"
sWhat's the difference p" inquired
Stahlnecker unsuspectingly.
4Why," said Mr.. Cox, "the gift OF
dressed turkey would be dead give
away"
Stahluecker was on train going to
New York the next day before the
pun in its full measure of atrocity
broke upon him He was then SC
overcome by it that he telegraphed
/ from Philadelphia that the joke had
Just got through his head, and he
would pay for all the turkeys, alive OIL