Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-08-20
THURSDAY, AUGUST
SENATOR F. M. COCKRELL.
VIII not be Candidate for President
ofUnited States Would Rather be
Senator From Grand Old Mis-
souri, His Memory.

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Senator h. M. Cockrell, while en-
route to the ex-Confederate Reunion
at Auxvasse, when interviewed and
In reference to endorsements he was
receiving for Democratic nomination
for president Of the United States,
said:
III the choice now lay in my power
of being either the president OF the
United States or senator from Mis-
souri,, would choose the latter.
would rather be senator than presi-
dent"
Senator Cockrell has been promin-
emily mentioned as a Democrat who
might successfully make the race for
the presidency against Theodore
Roosevelt. When Senator Cockrell
said he would rather be senator than
president, he was considering his age,
nearly SO years, the exceedingly oner-
GUS duties of the office of the chief ex-
ecutive, and the fact that he is very
familiar with the duties OF United
States senator, and the work in that
capacity would be easier for his de-
clining years.
NOT AMBITIOUS FOR THE HONOR.
~ have never mentioned to soul
that l had any ambition to be presi-
dent OF the United States" said SEN
ator Cockrell. son the contrary |
have often said that my aspirations
were not in that direction, great as
such an honor is. The movement
which connects my name with the
race for the nomination was begun
without my knowledge. / would like
to be reelected to the senate, y said
Senator Cockrell.
The tall and picturesque figure Of
the Missouri senator attracted much
attention in the hotel. He towers
more than six feet aud is straight as
an arrow. His white hair is long.
The old straw hat, the old suit of
black clothes that unquestionably has
done service during more than one
season, the old pair Of black-rimmed
spectacles, the strong and kindly face
all these attracted attention.
WANTS TO DE REELECTED
II am reluctant to discuss the ques-
tion at all, (" said the senator In reply
to a question. II really don't want to
make any statements. But have no
ambition to be president now, and as /
said, II the choice were mine would
like to go to the senate. have known
so many men who conceived the am
billion to be president Of the United
States. / know Of their disappointed
ambition. The work is hard In that
office. know the duties pertaining
to a senator and am familiar with
them"
When questioned about politics out
in the State, about Folk and the move
ment In his favor; Senator Cockrell
only shook his head. 81 don't know
anything about those matters except
what read in the papers, be said.
SENATOR'S REafARKABLEA MEMORY.
Senator Cockrell, during his stay in
this city, saw many old friends and re-
called many pleasant memories of the
past.
Speaking of his remarkable memory
the current issue Of the st. Louis
Medical Rerieso says:
"It is doubtful If there is a public
man In the United States who has
better memory than Senator Cockrell.
He never forgets face, and he can go
into any neighborhood Of Missouri to-
day and call by name dozens Of men
whom he has not seen in many years,
and recall little incidents in their
own lives or those of their communi-
ties which they themselves but dimly
recollect or have entirely forgotten.
The senator makes point Of never
failing to answer a letter from one OF
bis constituents, and II he promises
one Of them TO do thing he seldom
fails to recall bis promise when the
opportunity comes to keep it, no
matter how long time may have
elapsed since 1t was made. DR.. d. 81.
Young, Of Fulton, is telling a story
which illustrates this trait Of the
venerable statesman. Twenty or more
years ago when living in Columbia,
DR.. Young wrote Senator Oockrell
asking him for the government pub
lication called Medical and Surgical
History OF the Civil War" Very
promptly an answer came from the
senator that his quota of the publica-
tion was exhausted, but that he ex-
pected the government to reprint the
work at a later time, and that he
would then comply with the request.
Ten years, or more, elapsed before
anything more was said about the
matter and then one day the doctor
received letter saying that the re-
quest was still in mind, and that it
would be attended to as soon as the
books were republished. The next
time the subject was taken up was a
week or two ago when Mr.. Cockrell
wrote that the books had just been
given him for distribution and that a
complete set had been sent to DR..
| Younp,s address.