The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-24
COCHRAN
THRILLS
The HOUSE
The MostNotable Speech
Since WebSter's Day.
STlRS DEMOCRATS
TO ENTHUSIASM
One Of the Most Marked Dem.
onstrations Seen on Floor
Of the House.
scATHlNG REPLY TO
DALzELL, WHO RETlRESt
The Great New York Orator.
Replying to Mr.. Hepburn's
Argument on Tariff, Elec-
trifies House by His Flo Is
quence-s Ship Subsidy
Commission. \
One Of the Most Marked Dem
onstrations Seen on Floor
Of the House.
SCATHlNG REPLY TO
III DALZELL, WHO RETlRESr

WASHINGTON. D. c., April 23.--IIon.t
Bourke Cochran. OF New York. delivered
a speech In the House OF Representatives.
| this afternoon, that Is pronounced by
many OF the leading Democrats OF the
| House to have been the ablest In every
| sense that has been heard in that body
| in fifty years It Is almost the universal
opinion among Democrats that not since
the days OF Webster and Calhoun and
J Clay, at least, has there been heard Ia
| the historic hall, q speech Of such elo.
! quence or one Of more convincing logic
Mr.. Cochran spoke for an hour and
hfty-five minutes. 10 a crowded house and
galleries that were damned to the aisle,
In which were standing dozens OF men
and women unable to tfnd seats, but 80 3
eager to hear the orator that they would 8
not go away. The speech was entirely
impromptu and it was not known that
Mr. Cochran was to speak. But as he IL
lproceeded with his speech, word that
| he was making one OF the most, re
gmarkable addresses ever heard In Con-
gress leaked to the outside and tho
crowd began to Increase When he cons
cluded. there was not standing room plII u -
the gallery for twenty more persons.
Replies to Hepburn.
Mr.. Cochran spoke in reply TO g, q speech
1 made by Mr.. Hepburn, OF Iowa, IN reply
/ to one delivered by Champ Clark. Of Mis-
| souri,, some days ago. Mr.. Hepburn, one
| OF the ahlest men in Congress, made
fine argument in support OF the protec-#
| tive tariff. He was frequently interrupt,
| ed by applause on the Republican SIDE.
! Ii was evident shortly before he con-
Guided that Mr.. Cochran would reply
! He was listening with closest attention
| to the arguments of the gentleman from
| Iowa, and number of Democrats went
I to the seat of the New Yorker and evil
IDENTIFY urged him to reply Mr. Claude
| Kitchen made n speech of ten minutes
| when Mr.. Hepburn concluded ana thep
| Mr. Cochran arose. He stood rather Tar
| back on the Democratic side. but his
resonant voice, which time seems only TO
I make melower and more musical. car
| rled to the farthest corner OF the GAL
lery He began In tones soft ana SUD
dued at times amostfto q whisper, out
as he proceeded his voice was raised
| and its music could be heard by those IN
| the corridors leading to the hall.
The interruptions from the Republican
side began, but they We're not continued
long Els replies only gave him an OPP
derful powers OF repartee for which this
wonderful irish American orator Is noted.
and his questioners fell before his keen
blade like naked savages before the nre
OF Calling gun.
Dalzell Sought Cover.
Finally Mr.. Dalzell. of Pennsylvania.
had the temerty to charge Mr., Cochran
with having been hired by the Republican
National Committee to make speeches.
for Mckinley IN 1886 moss, VINO mensu
the terrible scorn. the scathlng. wither-
Ing sarcasm of Cockran's reply 70 the
charge will never forget It, Fills denial.
with all its magnificent eloquence, VIII
stand as one of the finest pieces OF Eng
lish ever uttered Mr.. Dalzell sought
to escape from the force of that terrible
reply by saving that he had been In
formed that the assertion that he had
made was true, and Cockrans demand
for tho name of tho man who had made
such a charge was the signal for half
tho members on the Democratic side to
leap to their feet, with angry demands
for the name of the informant. Mr., Dali
zell would not give the name, and he
sought shelter In the cloak room. fol-
lowed by the Jeers OF the Democrats
and Kisses even from the crowded gai-
lerieS.
Frequently there were cheers from tho
Democrats and galleries In the course
of his speech but when Mfr, Cochran waa
nominating John Sharp Williams tor the
presidency and paid such tribute 70 NO
South as has never been listened 10 IN
tho national capital, there was scarcely
n AfSltoS+N'NS
rot on his feet. cheering at the top or
his voice and hundreds In the galleries
followed their example
An Unusual Scene.
When the speech VAS concluded, there
was a mad rush on the part OF the
Democrats 10 reach the orator. They
husged him. and at one time two strong
men had their arms around Cockran's
neck, while two were working his arms
like pump handles, The Speaker made
an attempt for some minutes to secure or
der, and finally the Democrats almost
carried Mr.. Cochran to the cloak room,
whore he was kept busy for an hour ra-
relylng the congratulations OF his col
leagues,
| have not given the faintsst idea OF
The wonderful speech, | have not ex.
aggerated In the slightest degree It's Ell
feet upon those who heard IL, hnye
lehrd hundred men, men who have
listened to the greatest orators living.
md who have heard many OF those who
ire dead. say they have ncyer heard q \.
speech so eloquent, or as fun or convince
ng logic. Ono OF the leaders OF tho
Republican side Tonight said the speech
vas worth contribution or y half mil
ion dollars to the Democratic campaign