Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-09-12
SENATOR cOCKREIL
Discusses Reorganization of the Dem
ocTatie Party and Other
Political Questions.


Senator +. M. Cockrell, in an inter
view with the Warrensburg NO. cor
respondent OF the Cincinnati Iaguirsr
thus discussed reorganization 0.
the Democratic party and other polit.
ical questions:
'4of course. the Democratic party
will be reorganized 1t was re0rgan.
ized in 1896, in 1900 and every foul
years We will elect new national
committeeman and a new chairman Of
the National COMMITTEE in 1904. as we
do in every Presidential year. Whether
there viii be any other kind OF reor-
ganizau0n ! do not know, and do not
care to predict
Senator CockFell was asked what,
in his opinion, would be the para
mount" political issue Of the cam
paigns Of 1902 and 1904.
That is a thing no human being
knows" be replied.
Congressman Grosvenor says the
Democrats are trying 70 force the
tariff question 10 the 'front.'
"Well, the tariff question may be
the issue. 1t might be brought up in
various ways. When Congress meets
We will have to take up the question
Of Cuba's future. l suppose the island
viii be granted some more nearly in
dependent form Of government But
nobody thinks we arc going to turn
the people 81 the island loose and let
them 90 ID alone. People OF all shades
OF political belief are convinced that
that would be a bad policy. Our inter
ests there are too great 20 take any
such risk. Congress must determine
what their future relations 10 this
government shall be-"
"Do You think the question OF the
disposition 10 be made Of the Philip
pines will be up again."
"Well. the Supreme Court has sim.
plihed matters somewhat for US.
There is no longer any question that
they are a part Of the country, or that
Congress has power TO legislate FOL
them. There are very wide differences
Of opinion, however, regarding the
kind Of government there should b
given. Possibly sentiment viii erys
talize before the campaign begins, ant
the people will be divided into twl
camps those In each camp holding
tolerably uniform opinions regarding
what policy should be adopted. II 50
the question Of governing the island
ers may become a live political issue
But with reference to this subject, a
60 all others Of politics at this time, j
IS very hazardous to prophesy.n
Senator Cockrell thinks the thiri
party which win be organized In Kan
sas City about the middle Of mex
month viii cut little figure ana
frankly c~onfesses his lack Of sym
pathy with the principles and aims o
It's projectors.
"The public ownership plan ha
never been practically tried on a larg
scale. Few people are familiar Wit
the proposition and very few have an,
idea Of how the plan would work. /
seems TO me, therefore, that thes
radical men who think they can excit
wide and general public interest fl
the scheme and make it the priDcipa
political issue Of the next campaign
wiz be greatly disappointed. A plal
to have the Federal Government a
sumo control Of all utilities is 80 i'm
practicable upon the face Of it that /
cannot secure many ~adherents."
$40 you think the third party pee
: pie will be able 10 get the so-caIlel
Bryan Democrats 10 foIlow them?i
"No; the Democratic party is essen
italy a conservative party. Its advo
cacy Of free silver has been callei
radical, but It was not Sixteen {.
one was the old ratio, and there va
nothing radical about demanding tina.
we return to It. Third parties ar
always composed largely Of men whi
have a desire to hold Office, and hayl
failed to get IT gratified in either 0
the old parties, and their platform
are composed Of radical proposition
because they realize that they stanl
no chance Of winning popular supper
If they favor one or the other side O
an issue already before. the people.
can see 40 reason for expecting tn
third party, which It Is proposed q
organize, TO meet with any better s1e
cess than its numerous predecessors
Indeed. the conditions seem 10 ml
anything but ripe for the starting 0
such a movement Very few Of thI
so-cailed Bryan Democrats will join
It. The Democratic party believes II
majority rule. and it seems to me i
would be very un-Demoeratic for
large body Of Democrats to bolt be
cause the platform adopted, or thI
candidates nominated, did not pleas
them in some minor particulars