Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-15
Ronrkc Cockran,s Snecch.

Bourkc Cockran's Speech
Bourke Cochran made the greatest
speech of his life in the House on Sat
urday evening in support of the Wilson
bill. He excelled his silver-rcpeal
speech as much as that excelled his
former speeches in Congress. 1t was
enthusiastically received by the demo
Gratis and by the large majority of the
people in the crowded galleries. All
its good points were applauded, aud
when he got through the democrats
and the people i'll the galleries clapped
and cheered Tor fully ten minutes while
MrCocklau was almost mobbedwith con-
gratuations and had TO get out into the
cloak room in order to give the chair
man chance to restore order in the
House, so that the next speaker on the
programme might &C on with his spt ech.
1t was remarkable demonstration,
such as has seldom been seen in the
House.
His speech was not ''mere sound and
fury, signiiying nothing" but was as
logical as Darwinian treatise on the
survival ofthe iittest. He stated the case
of the protectionists as fairly rs Burrows
orMcKinleyco II d and then proct eded n
eloquent logic o destroy ii. So far ;s
speech may, Bourke Cochran 5
speech marked the beginning of an era.
II marks milestone on the pathway
OF economic emancipation, to use his
own phrase His plea for fre,r trade
will stand before the American people
much as Webster's great speech for
Union has stood through two genera
tons. 1t was an epoch-making speech
NIr. Cochran said if he believed that
this bill would reduce the revenue he
would not support it. He believed, on
the contrary, that rhe revenues would
be increased by decreasing the tariff,
and his belief was based on the expert
ence Of all the civilized nations of the
world. The reduction of the tariff
would increase trade, would Increase
consumption, enlarge our markets, and
would not only increase tbe revenues
Of the government, but would also in
crease the opportunities of the people
to earn the money they need for exist
cnce. The chief trouble would be the
question of how to dispose of the sur
plus which would accumulate. Gap
plause and laughter)
Mr.. Cochran then went on TO crit-
else the reports OF the minority Of the
committee Oh ways and means: and in
connection with one of its propositions,
us to the competition between Ameri
can labor and the unskilled labor Of
other countries, said 'Sir, barbarism
mas prevailed against civilization, when
barhariSm used the weapon OF brute
force; but in economic contests, the
higher the level OF civilization the more
sure the result of the contest. And
because we, in this country, are the
most civilized people that the world
has even seen, because we have reach
ed the highest level OF civilization OF
which the human mind ever dreamed,
we are tor that reason, and for that
reason only. charged with the high
purpose OF etltcting the industrial and
economical conquest of the whole
world Quoting approvingy a SEN
tence from David Hume, Mr. Cochran
said
Like him. pray for the commercial
success and prosperity of the sons Of
men, wherever they are. believe
that the children Of Adam, whom
Christ died TO save, are all our breth-
rem and that the mission of this repub-
lie is TO elevate all of them.
Mr.. Cochran continued: "As the
chairman ofthe committee on ways and
means, the gentleman from West Viz
ginia (Mr WILSON, has stood here in the
House and launched the tariff bill OH
its successful VOYAGE as he stood here
and withstood the angry protests OF
some men in his own State, some OF
whom added threats TO remonstrances
certainly we, who have less to lose,
can do the same" The Wilson bill, he
added, was step in the direction OF
economic reform and commercial free
dom of the country
Let us pass this BILL he continued,
"and / promise you that ii will take
more than six months OF hard times to
put soup kitchens in every city zap
plause). Mr.. Wilson told us, in words
which will last long after he has dis
appeared from this scene of his activity,
which he has done SO much TO adorn
he has told lis that the prosperity OF
this country depends not on the tariff,
but on its labor not its mines, but on
its men, not on the republican party,
but on Almighty God. cloud APP
plausc.(
a FavoTasle Verdict.