The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-01
Over Twelve Thousand Peo-
pie Heard the Eastern
Mans Speech
HE ATTACKED EXPANSION
The Creeds of the Two Parties Are
Held UP to the Audience and
Closely Analysed for Them.
The Audience Well
Pleased.

western campaign itinerary here tonight
spoke to an audience that crowded the
Coliseum built to seat 1900 persons.
The speech was made under the aus
pices of the anti-imperialistio league and
attracted thousands who were unable to
enter tho auditorium.
The crush at the doors when Mr.. Cock
ran. accompanied by Mayor Harrison and
others arrived. was so great that scores
of men and women tainted, and both Mr..
Cochran and Chicago's executive were
iostled and half suffocated. United
States Senator Jones and his wife were
caught in the throng and only by he
role efforts was Mrs. Jones rescued from
injury
My Cochran arrived in Chicago at
1870 D. m. and was escorted to the Au-
dtorium hotel by Mayor Harrison, X.
Il. Burke and Ed NJ. Lahiff. At p. m.
he was entertained at the Iroquois Club
at dinner. and al o'clock escorted by
two bands the Cook County Democratic
Marching Club. city and county officials
and several hundred citizens, proceeded
to the Coliseum. En- route the speaker
was cheered. his name being mingled
with that Of w J. Bryan. The marching
club provided fireworks and other means
of illumination along the line of parade.
Mayor Harrison introduced Mr.. Cock
ran. who Immediately began an attack
on, the eXpansionist policy of the govern
ment. He said in part:
Ladies' and Gentlemen. We are told
bv the republican adversaries that the
issue of this campaign Is the preserva-
ton of our national prosperity. / accept
that issue. l 20 farther and | say that
on the results of this election depend
not merely the prosperity of the Ameri-
can people. but the prosperity of the
whole human race. believe that the re-
publican and the democrat Will concede
that the establishment of this republic
was the most important contribution to
human progress since the birth Of Chris
uanitv. The benefit OF this republic to
the human race was not the adoption of
written constitution. 1t was not the
distribution Of the powers of the govern
ment into various departments Long
before the convention met to deliberate;
long before the declaration of independ
encc had been proclaimed in PhiladeI
phia. executives had administered gOV-
ernments. parliaments had adopted and
Judges had interpreted laws. But never
ia the history 81 th~ race until the Amerl-
can people came together to frame the
system under which they intended 10 live
was 4 government established. NOT an III
famous assumption of divine intervention,
but upon the consent ana on the will OF
the people To establish justice, 10 provide
70 the people and to their posterty the
blessings of liberty.
The fruits Of that experiment have
been visible all over the world They
have proved that the only sure pathway
10 prosperity is obedience to the moral
law; that justice Is the fountain Of great
ness. material, intellectual and moral:
a fountain that flows in ever-ipc~nasiiaa
abundance among those who remain faith
full TO the source. That has been the ono
lesson which this country has proved
proved by every benefit which the hu-
man race had derived from il; proved pv
the fact that since this republic was
founded the peace of the world has been
preserved, the well-being of this nation
has been fruitful; the power of human
hand has been multiplied the extent
of human knowledge has been widened and
the boundary OF human hopes has been
ampllned. And now we are asked to
change this system of government for
one such as other countries are every
day discardlng. We are asked to aban-
don these institutions, emb0dving In
themselves all that has been achieved
for human rights since the doctrine of
human equality was first preached on the
shores OF 6ailiee, ana we are asked to
surrender. not because there are any signs
of impending failure. but because II has
achieved the very plentitude of success
Surely this raises not merely the issue
Of American prosperity, but the issue OF
human progress. ,
'"rhe republican candidate offers us pro,
fessions of morality which are the most
I'VE find him shooting down people In
the eastern islands ana processing the Ut
most affection for them and the utmost
regards for their prospects. He tells
us that he IS opposed 10 Imperialism ana
yet he IS seeking to establish a govern
ment of arbitrary and unlimited powers.
He affects To resent the assertion that he
is introducing militarism into the United
States. and yet we find the army mas been
quardrupled during his administration
and a policy established which viii
lead to further armament if IL should lie
successful at the polls. / have no dis
position to charge the president of the
United States with immortality or dis
loyalty. ! prefer to think that he has fall
en- q victim to high-sOundiug and mis-
guiding phrases which have often recon
ciled men of excellent disposition to very
questionable transactions. In fact, I be-
lieve that it IS source Of congratula-
ton to the people of the United States
everywhere that this campaign has been
free from all manner of per-
I do not think have ever
Quoted upon Il higher plane of thought
ful discussion Both parties are deeply
upon the questions before them.
They are bitterly divided upOn the issue
but I think they are both united i'm con-
cediug the personal virtues of both the
candidates. Now I believe that this is
sue before the American people repre-
sentS the attempt on the one slice to
overthrow all that has been mae for hui
man progress and on the other an honest,
determination TO defend IT.
1T Is STATED In it's very narrowest
compass: the issue before the American
people IS the right of this government to
seize distant territory and govern it
against the will of its inhabitants. not
under our constitutional government. but
officeholders to be named by
the president. who viii administer their
functions outside the constitution and in
dependent of its limits"
Mr.. Cochran next reviewed the history
of the Louisiana purchase. maintaining
that TO secure the free navigation of the
Mississippi river to the gulf. to which
the United States was entitled by treaty
right, but which right had been practi-
cally nullified by complications between
France and SPAIN to which the United
States was party. jefferson was reduced
to the alternative of taking Louisiana,
of taking the whole by peaceful means.
or else of taking New Orleans by forcible
means.