Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-22
BOURXE COCHRAN OUT OF POLITICS.


Health Said to BE the Cause of His
Retirement from Active Politics.
New York sun, August 18th.
So much comment has been caused
by the feat that Congressman W.
Bourke Cochran was left out of the
general committees Of 1ammany Hall
at the recent primaries, that, although
he has studiously avoided an interview
on political subjects since his recent
return from Europe, Mr.. Cochran con
sented yesterday 10 talk regarding his
relations with the Tammany Hall or
ganization. ills remarks were very
brief, however. Some of the stories
printed regarding him and the organi-
cation have suggested that he was
friendly to one or the other of the fac
tion5 which were described as existing
among the leaders in the wigwam, and
it has been limited that he might re-
turn to his old place as chairman of the
committee on correspondence should
some one other than Richard Croker
become the Tammany leader.
When Mr. Cockran's attention was
called to this he said;
81 will not hold any Office whatever
in the Tammany organization, no mat
ter what faction may be dominant, ii
there be any factions in that body.
/ have had no connection with it since
the close of 1892. -
"But your name has appeared in the
list of offers of the organization since
that time, and up to now," was sug-
gested.
6 Twas appointed chairman of the
committee on correspondence and elect
ed sachem of the society for two
years, but | did not qualify for either
place and did not accept the election, :"
explained Mr.. Cochran. "lf should
be named as chairman Of any commit
tee now would again decline to act. "
The Congressman was very careful
in his choice of words. He was studi
GUS in his endeavor to say nothing that
could be construed as rejecting on the
organization or any man connected with
it. The idea which he sought to con-
vey was that he is simply retired from
active political work, and that his re-
tirement has been on his own motion.
He would not discuss the causes
which led to his retirement, nor say
anything further than the few carefully
dictated words above quoted.
AS Mr. Cochran says, the last time
he appeared in Tammany Hall in an
active and representative capacity was
in the fall of 1892, at the convention
which nominated Thomas r. Gilroy
for mayor. 1t is true that Mr.. Cock
ran was present in the wigwam for
short time at July 4th celebration
by the society since then, but he only
went there to speak to Speaker Crisp,
who was down for a long talk. He
was at the service of the national COM
mite in 1892, and all his speeches were
made outside New York City.
For eight years, from and including
1885 to and including 1892, W. Burke
Cochran, who was most of the time
chairman of the committe on correspon-
dence, drafted all the resolutions and
platforms adopted by Tammany Hall.
He was its chief spokesman where
oratory was needed. His direction of
the literary part of the Tammany or
ganization was uniformly successful.
1t is well known that the relations be-
tween Mr.. Cochran and Richard Croker
are strained, but the differences be-
tween the men are personal, and neither
has cared to discuss them.
A friend of the ex-Congressman said
yesterday of Mr.. Cockran's expressed
intention to retire from active political
work:
HE is in no condition ito assume
the worry and responsibility which
would follow on the acceptance OF the
post of chairman of the committe on
correspondence, even if it were offered
him. He has devoted his best fight
ing energies to the cause of Tammany.
He is no longer the fighter that he
was, and would really be unable to
bear the strain of work such as he used
to do for the organization. He needs
rest, and must get out of the hurly-
burly Of politics to secure it.
whether that explains why he is
out of Tammany or not, it does explain
why he is out of politics. Besides
it must be remembered that Bourke
has got all he ever expects out of poll
tics. | can say truthfully, though,
that, while he will cease to be active in
political work, he still has a lively
interest in the success of Tammany
Hall and its re-establishment in
power"
Although member Of the Demo
cratic State committee Mr.. Cochran
will not attend the meeting of that
body at the Hoffman House to-day.
Neither will he be represented. He
might designate proxy, but he will
refrain from doing so because, he says,
he fears that his action might be taken
as indicating that he favors one fac
tion or the other in Tammany Hall.