The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-23
departments getting jobs and doing

| uOpol CA1OAC0 6OeIAAA6 JoUo 0Ao OOlu s
favors for his constituents. He is a
member of the committee on en-
crossed bills (of which he is chair
mani, appropriations, geological SUI
vey. military affairs, Pacific islands
and Porto Rico, rules and industrial
eXpositions. The appropriations com
mittee is the most powerful commit
tee in the senate, and it's work brings
Cockrell into close partnership with
the most powerful republican mem
bers of the senate. He serves on con-
ference committees and in other ca
pacities where party lines are quite
forgotten, and his vote may become
as influential as that Of Mr.. Hanna or
Mr.. Aldrich. By his unremitting la
bOrs and long term Of service he mas
practically become the chairman of
the military affairs committee, Haw-
ley, the nominal chairman, being i'll,
and republicans like Warren, Burrows
and the rest not having the technical
information or experience to grasp the
work. And thus it comes about that
at the war department there is no
senator who is treated with more def
erence 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, ne 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 knows it until weeks later.
Senator Cockrell is not regarded as
wealthy man. He lives in a very
quiet way, spending less, probably,
than his $4,000 salary. Like other
senators he takes a little flier now
and then in the stocks of Wall street
and it will be remembered that he was
among those who We're pinched at the
time Northern Pacific went skyrCck-
citing. His colleague, Elkins, found
him wringing his hands in front of
a brokers' Office and came to his re-
lief with a check. Steve Elkins is a
seasoned old trader, being among
those who assist the market upward
or downward to suit their conven-
fence.
Senator COckrel is not a partisan.
AS a democrat he has always been
| 10, h,1} ho ic on
partisan politics. When the Chicago
convention revolutioniZed things he
went with the majority, but he rather
entrusted the political fortunes Of his
state to William Joel Stone and hts
crowd They did the loud talking
while Cockrell remained in the back
ground 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
Confederate army, and did good fight
ing for his convictions. He is not a
graduate Of the state legislative
Doodle school of craftsmanship, but Is
one of the old school," and doubtless
honest by comparison.
AS a presidential candidate Sena-
tor Cockrell would be merely a COM
promise. He never has associated
himself with any particular policy.
He might be said to be the David 3.
Hill of the Bryan camp, conten-ing
himself with the declaration that he
is a democrat He is not a strong
public speaker, and would not be a
whirlwind on the stump If nomina-
ted he would be in reality the repre-
sentative of Bryan, but so mildly as
not to alright the "plutocrats of the
east Mr.. Cockrell could hardly be
said under these circumstances, 20
be running for president Gin. his own
right"
But when all is considered it looks
doubtful if Bryan will be able to name
the presidential candidate; it is more
probable. that he will bolt the conven-
ton.