The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-13
WHY GEN. COCKRELL
is 50 MUCH LIKED.
Plain Ways Of Senior Senator
From the Great State OF
Missouri.

II reckon" said me mbcr o. the Mia
souri, Society Of New York. that II
Missouri elected the President OF tho
United States the next occupant OF the
White House, In 1905. would be General
Francis Marion Cockrcll. senior United
States Senator from Missouri.
Eastern Democrats have always over
looked Missouri, uecause 1t has been so
overwhelmingly Democratic that 1t would
cash In. no matter who was nominated.
General Cockrcl. however, has heap
OF strength outside Of his own State. and
that's what tho party wants.
''Cockrell Is the sort OF a man a whole
lot OF people like. lie comes from mighty
fine stock. but he never talks about 1t.
''He Is tho sort OF man who. II he went
to the Waldorf Astoria. would throw the
menu on the floor and say TO the waiter:
Fetch me some corn-pone bread and but
tcrnilk, and some bacon and greens and
when 1t got down toward tho bottom Of
the bill lie would order q whole pie and
some New Orleans moasses.
And when he finished he would
pull twist OF lonE green to-
out jackknife and slice off enough Of
the twis, TO iii cob pipe and I've would
smoke right where he sat ri bet = he was
to pull off his boots you'd find that he
wore yarn socks. home m ade. ut that.
IF he was riding out in the country,
he would never think of following the
road. He would Just let down a rail fence
and 90 across the field.
when llo got TO where hc was goln at.
to use Missouri phrase. he would tie HIS
nag to the gate post. go up TO th,. door
OF the house and kick on the dor, mud
when the door was opened h. would ex-
tend his big hand and say, 'IIowdy. How
arc you MI getting long? Ana then ash
about every member of the family. calling
each by the first name, and than when he
took q chair lie would ask, 'How's old
Aunty Samanthy Harrington comm on
since she got over the rnensie%" 10
would know Just when she had 1t,
"And when he would walk down me
street of any town he would ait down on
dry goods Eox and take out Ills tack
knife, cut off q silver from the corner OF
the box and whttle 1t away, and then
yanlt of another, and so on until there
W ouldnt be enough of the box left to
send BY mail.
"And whom lie goes to church he just
teetcrs on his toes and heels when he
sings regardless Of what the choir Is 40
Ing. He used to be whlrwind a. camp
meetings In old Mssoury.
IT haven't seen Frank for fsw years
back but when ] saw him last he WIS
still wearing boots. and when he, went
out after rain. or In the rain, helstuck
his trousers in the legs OF his boots. IN
the good old fashioned way.
'If you think from what ! hnr. been
saying that General Cockre!l Is bruslue,
uncouth or awkward, you don't follow
me. lie is gallant, chivalroua AID SYM
athletic No woman ever appealed In
vain to him. lie would risk his life 10
please child,
"When he was In the southern army
no was not only A,splendld fighter, but
a tender nurse, He had the sort Of reli-
gIous streak In him that Stonewall Jack
son had,
'If he was President every old-time ira
dltlon OF ante helum times would be re-
stored, He would never forget the dign-
~ Of his position, lie would never shock
the ideas of any or your 400, but they
would know n whole lot when their visit
was over IF he was President and you
We're at the White House in a rain-storn
he would ask you TO stay all night.
~ don't say he Is a statesman OF the
Calhoun BENTON or Evarts or Elaine typo.
But he Is n man nearer like Lincoln than
any one else | know Of. Lincoln had some
characteristics which no ono ever had,
and which, few ever viii have
'Cockrcil has T.1ncoln's homey virtues
and great humanity. Cockrel has none
of the humor which used to wake UP IN
Lincoln now and then. but he has LAIN
coins simplicity and sympathy. All these
things appeal to people and II me Demo-
cratio,party would get up out OF the grass
and quit knocking his one or that one,
and rally around Frank lockrfl, there
would be ono of the llvellest rampaisns
In 1904 you ever heard of.-New York
Sun.