Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-02-14
GREAT HOUSE ORATORS.
charaeteristies Of cOeI.ram and Wilson.

characteristics Of Cochran and HilsOi'.
Somebody has called Bourke Cochran
the "Tammany Tornado" and 1t Is
very accurate description of him as an
orator. His voice has that tremendous
thrilling depth and farreaching reso-
nance which can only be heard in the
voice of well.developed tiger, while the
current of his speech flows on, once II
has got started, like nothing so much as
the steady, relentless, irresistible tidal
sweep of one of those mighty wind waves
which occasionally pour norlhward from
the gulf and for days at time test the
powers of resistance of everything in their
path.
Occasionally the rush OF his eloquence
becomes tempestuous and he pours out
food of ideas in language so strong, rapid
and passionate that it bewilders the miud
and fairly takes one off his feet, meta
phorically speaking. But while his voice
at these times sinks to a deep bass growl,
it is never repellant to the ear because 1t
has always the warmth of the gulf lorna
do and never the screaming iciness Of
northern blasts. No doubt most people
who read this will think it highly ex-
aggerated and fanciful decripIion, but il
they had listened to Cockran's speech on
the Wilson bill Saturday afternoon they
would at once acknowledge IFS justice and
accuracy.
Assuredly there is no other orator in
either house of Congress who can fairly
be called Cockran's equal in those physi
cal qualities which 90 to make a man a
great and effective public speaker. As
to the logic, beauty and substance of his
speeches, these can be judged of readily
by all who care to peruse the reports in
newspapers or in the Congressional Rec
ord. There may be other men in Con-
gress who can treat wellworn subjects.
like finance and the tariff with equal or
greater originality and clearness, but il
/, would take very close examination t.
settle this question to the satisfaction OF
unprejudiced persons. Even those whom
he failed to convince by his reasoning
cannot fail to be deeply impressed by his
tremendous force and earnestness.
To all the other orators in Congress
i Cochran stands in same relation that the
n elder Salvini stands 10 all the other great
: actors of this generation. In training
and mental gifts he appears to be their
equal, while in those physical endowment
on which the success OF the orator as ot
the actor vitally depend, there is no one
at all to be compared to him with thC
single exception of Tom Reed.
The latter has the great physique and
much of the fervid earnestness of style
and delivery of Cochran, but can never
wholly divest himself of that cynical at
mosphere which he seems TO seek to sur
Z round himself with ordinarily, and thii
n mars the effectiveness even of his mos
y earnest utterances. The strong nasa
twang to Reeds voice, which becomes
:. more marked as his speech becomes more
1. impassioned, is also apt to jar on the cal
:, and deiract from the charm of his ora
S. tory, while Cochran develops an Irist
: brogue, rich and pleasing, as he grows
T. more fervid.
n Reed when most excited has always
about him a suggestion of restraint, as i
= he was not saying all he meant, which
g leaves on the close observer an impression
= that there is method in his oratorical mad
ness, while Cochran seems TO pour out hi
whole soul without reserve, allowing hi
at feelings TO carry him away and whirlinl
ie bis audience with him. Yet each o
these strongly contrasted individualitie
possesses that rarest of oratorical gifts
the power Of thinking most clearly an'
brilliantly when apparently in the yer.
;, whirl-wind of bis passion, as more thai
one luckless wight has discovered 10 hi