New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-25
DENIAL. ACCEPTED. WITH SPECIFTCA-
TIONS.



From The Tribune OF October 60 1907
Mr. Cochran has evidently been deeply IN
censed by the charge that he was willing to
sell his Oratory TO the fusion cause in this cam
paign and had actually been hired for a large
price by Tammany. We give him the full ben
eft Of his indignant denial that he has received
money for his speeches in behalf Of Tarnmany.
But he should have refrained from utterances
calculated to create impression that The
Tribune invented that story and gave It all it's
circulation. What we did in the article printed
last Saturday morning. to which he has angriIy
referred. was to publish current report, which
we expressly described as such. and which. as
q matter Of fact, had appeared in print the
afternoon before and was repeated by several
morning newspapers simultaneously with it's
publication in The Tribune. 1t q report,
moreover, which was pretty generally credited.
for reasons which Mr. Cochran. in his calmer
moments. surely has discernment enough to
appreciate. When his present excessive heat
has passed off he should be willing to confess
TO himself that II was utterly natural to sup
pose that he must have accepted a pecuniary
compensation for adopting a course so amazing
and abhOrrent There was no process OF
logic by which to account for unpaid devotion
on his part to Tammany this year. IL by a long
series or political sOmersaultS Mr.. Cochran had
not accustomed the public to associate him
with the class Of men whose services in the
line OF campaign speaking are procurable on
a cash basis the circumstances OF the present
campaign were such almost OF necessity 20
suggest the idea which he resents.
Mr. Cockran's assaults on Bryan in 1895 were
unbridled. and he voted for Mckinley. In
1900 he Topped over and gave Bryan his sup
port For years after Tammany had raised him
from obscurity, something worse, he was its
darling but at length owing to cnuses of
which Mr. Jerome seems to have knowledge. he
incurred Croker's disdain and became an enemy
OF the organization. In 1897 he cheerfully voted
for General Tracy, but two years ago he had
got far enough back to support Mr.. Shepard,
with whom Tammany trying to mask its
infames. Untn within a few weeks. he
now acknowledges. he disapprOved every single
thing that Murphy doing. but IN obedience
to his creed that ncn-partisanship in local poll
ties is a heresy. he suddenly embraced Murphy
and all that Murphy stands for. The fervOr
with which Mr.. Cochran attempted on Tuesday
night to give an appearance Of moral con-
sistency to this harlequin record justifes In
credlting his assurance that now. always. his
speeches are gratuitous: but 1t would be piece
of monstrCus audacity for anybody TO pretend
that there was excuse for the contrary Inn
preston commonly entertained last week.
TT may be fitting now. In spite OF Mr.. Cockran's
protestations, to ask whether his sudden
sion and renewed service TO Tammany be
regarded I'm any gratuitous. The success
of Tammany last fall made vacancy in McClel-
lan's district; whereupon Tammany. which had
driven Mr.. Cochran out OF Congress. promptly put
him back Verify he has his reward.l