The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-28
respondents exert great influence upon
senators and representatives.

ANSPChNShoo CAtlU BIcStb luuutuC0 UPON
senators and representatives.
There are many members Of the lower
house and Il few of the upper who habit
ually seek counsel of their newspaper
friends before deciding upon any impor-
tant line of action, these newspaper
writers often being men of longer ex-
perience and better judgment than the
statesmen themselves. Besides there are
the newspaper men who write speeches
for congressman. Not as much of this
is done as one would think from the talk
about it, but it does nevertheless happen
now and then that statesman induces
one of his newspaper friends to put a
speech together for him.
a New Gladiator.
The tariff battle of last week brought
TO the front new gladiator in the arena
OF debate. Nothing finer than the per-
formance of Bourke Cochran in that
bout has ever been seen here. Mr.. Cock
rams reputation as an orator was fixed
long ago. On many notable occasions
he has earned the right to rank among
the first orators of the world. But there
was some doubt as to how he would
handle himself in the heat of debate
whether he was ready enough with re-
tort whether he could think fast enough
to keep pace with the rafting fire of a
hand to hand encounter on the floor.
There are many men who make mag
nificent set speeches, but who go to pieces
when the pressure of cavalry raids from
the other side of the hall comes upon
them. Mr.. Cochran did not turn out to
no thnt l-in1 Of 80
York, who wants to be governor of that
state and president of the United States,
rode at Cochran full tilt and was I'M
horsed. Then Boutelle, always impet-
uous and forcible, took the place of his
friend Payne, only to go down with him
in the dust. Finally Reed the Terrible
came to the rescue and narrowly escaped
a similar fate. He was not routed, but
he linped little as he sidled off the
field.
Cochran was equal to all Corners He
proved himself worthy to race in the
same class with Thomas B. Reed, and
that means he is among the foremost de-
baters of the world. 1t is pity that n
man so brilliant rs to be able to excel
both as orator and debater should find
$50 P,'DAAS N'iNti vi fiN w a ClOSC Oll
account of his inabilit. aso live in peace
and harmony with the chief of the or
ganization OH which he has reflected so
much luster. Yet the truth is that after
this congress Mr.. Cockran's eloquent
voice is not likely to be heard in the
halls of the big national statchouse on
Capitoline hill.
In the Corridors.
Though the incidents on the floor of
the house are frequently of surprising
interest, those in the corridors and
rooms round about are not less so. Ii is
worth going miles to sec Il Virginia
congressman entertaining rural con-
stitucnt. The Virginia and Maryland
members are more troubled by visitors
of this sort than any other on account
of the proximity of their districts to the
capital. With campaign promises ring
ing i'll their ears, the old farmers come
to town, hunt up their members and
calmly intimate their desire to be enter
tanned. Though they wear coonskin
caps or old wool hats that have been
handed down from generation to genera