The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-22

tion. I know plenty of smart men in
Washington who think he will be the
Democratic candidate for president four
years hence.
Judge Gresham is one of the most low
able men in all the world, and am not
surprised that Mr.. CleTeland should have
become infatuated with him. Out in
Chicago men of all parties look up to
him as the first citizen, though his legal
residence is in Indiana. He is big,
brave, sincere, generous, manly man.
He has two kinds of courage-physical
and moral. He was dreadfully wounded
in. the same battle in which Benjamin
Harrison, afterward his political rival In
Indiana, won his spurs.
In civic life he would sacrifice his hes
friend and everything else in the world
in defense of his conception OF right and
duty. He has honesty and uprightness
SO thoroughly woven in with every fiber
of his being that if he thinks man is
rascal or has done a scoundrelly thing
he likes to send for him and tell him So
He is the kind of man too honest to be
comfortable, particularly in such post
as head of big department of the gov
eminent, and when he was postmaster
general he ratified the dry bones and
showed schemers, jobbers and lobbyists.
the door in a fashion that made him
few haters and host of admirers.
How in the world Judge Gresham is
to make both ends meet financially as
secretary Of state is more than can I'M
derstand. He is poor man, as an hon
est man is likely to be. He has home
in Chicago, recently built, but not all
paid for. He has little farm down in
Indiana, and he has his salary. That is
ALL
Now. it costs money to be secretary OF
state in Washington. The $4,000 year
compensation allowed by Uncle Sam
won't pay the bills. Still. the new secre-
tary of state will worry along somehow,
though venture the prediction that he
will show us how simply and inexpen-
sively, and yet fittingly, an American
poor-man gentleman can live even while
occupying the proud post of premier.
But why don't our lawmakers make
one effort to realize that this is no longer
a nation Of few coastwise settlements,
and to raise the salaries of cabinet Off
GERS to q figure that suits their station
and at least meets the demands made
upon their purse? L
With his simple, sincere, frank man
ners, his common sense, his fine eyes and
commanding presence, am sure Secre-
tary Gresham will please the diplomats,
though it doesn't much matter whether
he does or not And Mrs. Gresham, one
of the finest types Of American woman
hood, with much sympathy and little
pretense, the soul Of simplicity and sin
certify, like her husband, will make a
hostess Of which the new administration
will be proud. 1t is rather odd coin
cidence that Mrs. Gresham and Mrs.
John w Foster, wife of the present sec
rotary of state, were schoolgirls together
and have been near friends ever since.
AS have already said, politics makes
strange bedfellows. Now, there is
Bourke Cochran, the gifted orator of
Tammany Hall. Was there ever finer
grafton in the annals of our political
campaigns than that which Mr.. Cochran
delivered in the Chicago convention last
summer? 1t was Grover Cleveland whom
he attacked, played, tortured, diagnosed
and finally vivisected in style that be-
spoke the master hand he is. Yet this
same Bourke Cochran is likely to be the
parliamentary leader of the next house
of representatives, and it is with Mr.
Cleveland's consent, almost at his insti-
cation, that the Tammany orator is to
be thus promoted.
IT'S queer, but true, that not only has
Cleveland forgiven Cochran for the Chi
cago philippe, but likes him, and true,
moreover, that SO far from being eager
to destroy the monster Cleveland Mr..
Cochran is very fond of the president
elect and thinks him one of the finest
and greatest men he ever met.
Because Bourke Cochran is the spokes-
man of Tammany Hall people who do
not know him think he must necessarily
be big, coarse, low grained fellow,
freguenter of bars and an associate of
toughs. Far from it. Mr.. Cochran is
big, and that is the only part of the in
dictment which stands. He is a student
who spends nearly all his spare time in
his library, which is one Of the best pri-
vate libraries in Washington. He is
lover of art, and his home is full Of choice
articles of virtu. He is fond of society
and moves in the best circles, being a
favorite at teas and dinners.
Mr.. Cochran is making craftsmanship
his profession. He is studying govern
ments and history, and all that sort of
thing He has dedicated his magnificent
abilities to the public service. He aims
to excel I propose that we keep an eye
on this big, silver tongued Irishman.
Next to Tom Reed he is now, the best de-
batter in congress. He will be parlia-
mentary leader Of the next house in all
probability. He will be senator from
New York. But he will never be presi-
dent.
Reed and Cochran are great cronies,
and scores of other Democrats are dis
covering that the ex-speaker is one Of the
finest fellows in Chrsstendom. More