Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-08-21
II II It It II II j
Especial Washington Letter. ]

to be in Kansas City. The re-
porters came around for an inter-
view. AS there wasn't much to say
about the election except that we had
received IL drubbing something less Sc
we're than that of two years before, l
discussed possible and probable Demo
cratic candidates for the presidential
nomination. Among other things de-
clared that General Francis Marion
Cockrell would make q tiptop candi-
date and would poll the entire Demo
cratic strength Of the country. 1t was
rather an elaborate interview, and I
stated my reasons for believing he
would make strong candidate. My
nomination of the senator at that time
attracted very little attention. The
only comment I recollect was in the
Washington Post, which suggested
that maybe wanted his seat in the
senate, an inexcusable piece of malice,
for stated in the aforesaid interview
that I was in favor Of his unanimous
reelection to the senate in the event
of his defeat for the presidency. To
all such filings as that made by the
Post the proper answer is the old
motto, "Honi soft qui NAL y pense"
("Evil to him who evil thinks'). Now
people are falling over each other
in their eagerness to be known as the
original Cockrell man. Out i'll Mis-
souri, the men who are now for Cock
rell for president are as the sands upon
| the seashore and the stars Of the
heaven. Even the Chicago Chronicle
has walked up to the possibilities in
the Cockrell case and has sent one Of
its staff correspondents to Missouri to
get the exact lay Of the land. 1 sup
pose it must be accepted that my sug
gestion Of Cockrell for the presidency
nearly year ago was not such bad
shot after ALL 1t was perhaps prema-
ture by something like ten months. 1t
seems now to be agreed by a multi
tude of people that president Cock
relr' would sound very well to the
| American Democratic ear. There is no
good reason why Missouri, the stron-
gest and most reliable Democratic
state in the Union, should take a back
seat.
That General Cockrell would make a
capable president there is no doubt
He has served twenty-eight years in
the United States senate and has
achieved a very high standing in that
body. He was very strong silver
man, for which reason the Bryan con-
tingent would support him with en-
thusiasm; he is exceedingly conserva-
tive, for which reason the business in
terests would not fear him. His serv-
Ice as gallant officer in the Confed-
Il crate army, which would have been q
bar to his candidacy ten years ago, il
this era of good feeling would prove Q
good help. A Union veteran has much
respect for Confederate veteran who
bravely fought during the war for
what he believed to be right and who
quit fighting when the war was over
His liberality on the subject of pen.
sions would also help him with the old
Union soldier. In his private life he
is absolutely above reproach. II nom
mated, in all human probability he
would be elected; but defeat would moi
hurt him particle. No one can defeat
him for the senate whether lie runs fol
president or not. If he will consent tt
run for president and should be de
feated, the people of Missouri will no
allow any one to oppose his reelection
to the senate. The lone gallus" fellow
at the forks Of the creek would see II
that, with the hearty cooperation o.
the majority of the other people. Thu
surest way for senatorial aspirant t.
. fall into pit Of his own digging would
, be to start an intrigue to slip int
Cockrell's seat in the senate while hi
is candidate for the presidency. L
is easy for a newspaper a Thousand
miles from Missouri to get up cock ant
bull stories as to "why" the people Of
Missouri are supporting Cockrell fol
the presidency.
Another Richmond.
There is another Democratic presi.
dental Richmond in the field in the
person Of Hon. George Gray of Della.
ware, who was for many years a lead
ing member of the senate of the United
States and who is now on the federal
circuit bench. In the senate Judge
Gray succeeded Hon. Thomas f. Bay
ard. who resigned to be secretary OF
state in Cleveland's first administra
ton and who was ambassador to 1nt
court of st. James during Cleveland
) second administration. One would
, travel long and far before discovering
u finer specimen Of mental and phys
lcal manhood than ia Judoa Grov n,,,c
first time I ever saw him was at the
Iflden convention at st. Louis in 1876
when and where was merely an in.
tensely interested locker on in Vienna
Judge Gray placed Senator Bayard In
nomination for the presidency. He was
then in the bloom Of splendid man.
hood and attracted universal attention
by the grandeur of his physique and
the excellence Of his speech. From
that day to this he has been growing
man and has kept himself well in the
public eye. President Mckinley ap.
pointed him as one of the peace com.
missioners who negotiated the Paris
treaty at the close of the Spanish war
and subsequently appointed him a
United States circuit judge. President
Roosevelt appointed him a commits
sioner to aid in settling the anthracite
coal strike last year, the difficult and
delicate duties of which position he dis
charged with such success that he won
the hearts Of the miners. They have
made up their minds to advocate hin
Tor the presidency. OF course Della
| n i,,a a..