The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-19

mittee on engrossed bills (of which he is
chairman). appropriations, geological sur
vey. military affairs, Pacific islands and
Porto Rico, rules and industrial eXposi-
tions. The appropriations committee Is
the most powerful committee in the SEN
ate, and Its work brings Cockreu into
close partnership with the most powerful
republican members Of the senate. He
serves on conference committees and in
other capacities where party lines are
quite forgotten, and his vote may become
as influential as that Of Mr.. Hanna or Mr..
Aldrich. BY his unremitting labors and
long term of service he has practically be-
come the chairman of the military affairs
committee, Hawley, the nominal chair
man. being ILL., and republicans like War
rem, Burrows and the rest not having the
technical information or the experience
to grasp the work. And thus 1t comes
about that at the war department there
Is no senator who is treated with greater
Difference than the shuffling old gentle
man from Missouri. 1t is an even bet that
when he goes into one of the scores of
department offices in that building, he
knows just how many men are employed
there, and how much money has been
appropriated for them for the last fifteen
years. If necessary he could amend a
salary or two out Of the annual budget,
and no one know it until weeks later.
Senator Cockrell is not regarded as a
wealthy man. He lives in a very quiet
way, spending less, probably, than his
S., 900 salary. Like other senators he
takes little flier now and then in the
stocks Of Wall street and 1t will be re-
membered that he was among those who
were plnched at the time Northern Pacific
went skyrocketing. His colleague, Elkins,
found him wringing his hands in front OF
a brokers' office, and came to his relief
with a check. Steve Elkins is a sea-
soned old trader, being among those who
assist the market upward or downward
to suit their convenience.
Senator Cockrell is not partizan. As
a democrat he has always been regular
but he is not very strong on partizan poll.
tics. When the Chicago convention revo.
lutioniZed things he went with the ma.
jority, but he rather entrusted the politf
cal fortunes of his state to William Joe
Stone and his crowd. They did the lou(
talking while Cockrell remained In the
| background and sawed wood. On the
whole Senator Cockrell Is rather popular
He is respected by those who know him
! He was brigadier general in the con
| federate army, and did good fighting FOL
| his convictions. He Is not a graduate O.
the state legislative Doodle school o
craftsmanship, but is one Of the 'olt
school," and doubtless honest by com
parison.
AS presidential candidate Senate
| Cockrell would be merely a compromise
He never has associated himself with an.
particular policy. He might be said tt
be the David B. Hill of the Bryan camp
contenting himself with the declaration
! that he is a democrat He Is not strong
| public speaker, and would not be whirl
wind ION the stump. If nominated III
would be in reality the representative O.
Bryan, but so mildly as not to affrigh
the ''plutocrats Of the east" Mr.. Cock
rell could hardly be said, under these cir
cumstances, to be running for presiden
Gin his own right ,
But when all is considered it look:
doubtful If Bryan will be able to name thu
presidential candidate; it is more probable
that he will bolt the convention. -.-.
| w. w. Jermane