The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-06-11

COO N, s SPEECH
HIS DISCOURSE ON TARIFF NOT
EFT IsEDSlrl & DEMOCRATIC n.
CAMPAIGN BOOK.

ssNASHINGTON,z Jun e io:--ftefore-
go i iva Rourke Cockrans tariff
speech which he delivered. in the
House short time before adjourn
men Il; wi ID the apparent purpose OF
! ilayin y lit adopted by the Democrats
\ AS III document$to be used in the com
SSI q, National campai gn, IS now prov
ing q source of no little trouble and
discomfort to Chairman Cowherd, OF
the Natl cna1 Democratic Congress
gsional committee. The speech is one
hich is easily recalled, and was
heard and read by thousands OF PEG
pie. IN IT, Mr.. Cochran roundly de-
noIncea; III the most caustic Ian
sstlage ne could employ, the entire
Etariff system He also took occasion
ITO go out of his way and answer
s1nestion OF Representative John Dal-
EEL, #o Of aPi ttsburg in a most dis
courteous way, for which he was Civ
san e severe tongue flashing several
days later
Cochran was asked to deliver
lleS speech. Democratic leaders, re-
the perative need of some
seffectiYe argument against the tariff
sSinorder 10 successfully meet the Re
pub leans on the stump. selected
Cochran as the one best prepared for
the ificuIt task. He was assured
s1hat Git would be adopted as CAM
spaign argument and rebound to his
own reputation and the good Of the
party
Cochran Went to Extreme.
With this assurance he prepared it
With care. What he said was to the
Consideration of his fellow Demo
Gratis both in the House and through
Aoutsthe country They expected some
thin radical, but had no idea that
he would go to the limit he did. Not
only did he advocate free trade, but
likewise favored the abolition of ev-
ery custom house in the country.
He went a step beyond any of his
predecessors in denunciation Of the
tariff and the SUGGESTION of remedies
tolScure what he called a blot upon
the body polite.
Chairman Cowherd is now select
ling material for his first campaign
text book to be issued Immediately
aftersthe meeting Of the National con-
VentionH and to contain, among other
things the letters of acceptance of
both the Presidentia and Vice-Pres
dental nominees and the platform
Sadopted3at ST. Louis. Mr.. CoclSran's
tariff speech is not the one selected.
Instead Chairman Cowherd has
chosen one delivered by John Sharp
Williams, the minority leader Of the
House, some months before Cochran
delivered his more eloquent, but less
polite one. AS a result Of this Cock
ran sore1y disappointed and his
friends are disposed to consider it
deliberate affront and breach of
Requests as to why such action
has been taken have resulted in the
reply that the Congressional commit
ee@desiTes TO see What action the
National convention takes on the tar
question before incorporating a
speech SO radical as the New York
Eer.s in q text book for general circu-
& lation. This reply loses effect in face
ofs# the fact that the speech of VIII
h lians has been accepted as repre-
Sssenting the views of the Democracy
ION the tariff, several weeks before
The convention meets, and is now in
Ecorparated in a book to be issued.
Admission of Fear.
The plain truth is that the commit
teesais afraid to use the Cochran
speech knowing that to do so would
& lose the votes of thousands of con-
serYatiye and sober-minded members
$of the party. It would be gladly used
WITH omissions, here and there, were
Y IL not for the fact that to do so would
5Ebe an admission of fear as to the
Il parts cut out and become at once APP
parent to those who heard the speech
cor read it in the Congressional Rec
n ord.
Chairman Cowherd is placed in a
most embarrassing position. He is
1; met with the agreement, reached by
party leaders, to use the speech, and
on the other hand comes face to face
with the question of good politics
and party expediency. The outcome
will probably be a frank admission
y at the party fears to print speech
for. which it asked and which reflects
the judgment of many of its leading
members
The dissatisfied Brother.