The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-08
WHY THEY LIKE cocKRELL.
Plain Ways of the Senior United
 States Senator From Missouri.

oC0peS senator From Mlssoufl. New York Sun
 Society of New York. 'that 1T Missouri elected the President of the United states, the next occupant of the White House, in 1905, would be General Francis Marion CockreH. senior United States Senator from Missouri -
 Eastern Democrats have always overlooked Missouri. because 1t has been so overwhelm- ingiy Democratic that 1t would cash in no matter who was nominated General Cockrell, however, has heap of strength outside of his own State and that's what the party wants.
 ''Cockrell is the sort of q man . whole lot Of people like. He comes from mighty fine stock. but he never talks about it.
 He Is the sort of man who. If he went to the Waldorf-Astoria, would throw the menu on the floor and say to the walter: Fetch me some corn-pone bread and buttermilk and toward the bottom of the bill he would order whole pie and some New Orleans rnolasses.
 And when he finished he would pull a twist of long green tobacco out of his pocket, yank out Q jack-knife and slice ofH enough of the twist to fll cob pipe. and he would smoke right where he sat. I'll bet if he was to pull of his boots you'd find that he wore yarn socks. homemade at that
 If he were riding out in the country, he would never think of following the road. He would just let down a rail fence and go across the neld @
 ''when he got to where he was goin' at, to use c Missouri phrase, he would tie hls nag to the gate post, so up to the door of the house and kick on the door. and when the door was opened he would extend his big hand and say 'Howdy. How are you all getting 'long ? And then ask about every member of the fam fly. calling each by the first name. and then when he took a chair he would ask. 'How's old Aunty Samanthy Harrington comln' on know just when she had 1t.
 And when he would walk down the street of any town he would sit down on . dry goods box and take out his jack-knife cut Uff c silver from the corner of the box and whittle 1t away. and then yank of another. and so on until there wouldn't be enough Nof the box left to send by mail.
 And when he goes to church he just teeters on his toes and heels when he sings regardless of what the choir Is doing. He used to be Q whirlwind at camp meetings in old Mssoury.
 ''I haven't seen Frank for few years back. but when l saw him last he was still wearing boots, and when he went out after a rain, or in the rain, he stuck his trousers in the legs of his boots in the good old-fashioned way.
 'If you think from what have been saying that General Cockrell is brusque, uncouth or awkward. you don't follow me- He is gallant. chivalrous and sympathetic. No woman ever appealed fin vain to him. He would risk hls life to please a child.
 When he was in the Southern army he was not only a splendid fighter. but a tender nurse. He had the sort of religious streak in him that stonewaIl Jackson had.
 'If he was President every old-time tradi- ton of ante-belum times would be restored. He would never forget the dignity~o of his po- sition. He would never shock the ideas of any of your 400, but they would know q whole lot when their visit was over. If he was PTesi- dent and you were at the White House in q ralnstorm he would ask you to stay all night.
 T don't say he Is a statesman of the Cal houn, Benton or Evarts or Blaine type. But he is a man nearer like Lincoln than any one else I know of. Lincoln had some character istlcs which no one ever had. and which few ever will have.
 ''Cockrell has Lincolns homely virtues and great humanity. Cockreli has none of the hu- nor which used to wake up in Lincoln now and then, but he has Lincotn's simplicity and sympathy. All these things appeal to people. and if the Democratic party would get up out of the grass and quit knocking this one or that one. and Taiiy around Frank Cockreh, there would be one of the liveliest campaigns In 1904 you ever heard of."