Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-04-23


emphasized his return to congress after
an absence of nine years by the deliv-
cry Of a brilliant and eloquent speech.
in which he deplored the decline of the
house as a parliamentary and delibera
tive body, its loss Of power and influ
ence in our system of constitutional
government, and pointed the way to re-
gain its former prestige and standing.
Contrary to what many had expected.
Mr.. Cockran's speech, which has been
anticipated for month. was not ac-
companied by any manifestation of
partisan bitterness. it was not a politi-
cal effort intended for campaign pur-
poses entirely. nor an assault upon the
administration. He did not deal much
ties, condemning only what he termed
the successful attempts to invade the
constitutional prerogatives Of the house
Of representatives by the executive
branches of the government and the
senate.
Those who saw Mr.. Cochran when he
was in the house ten years ago and
he made upon the tariff and silver
questions were somewhat surprised at
the change in the man.
His appearance is quite different
from what it was a decade ago. His
voice has also changed. there is less
Of melody and more of harshness in it,
and the rich Irish brogue so pleasing
m ho 10 hnv
formerly but the fount of his wit re-
mains unexhausted and the flow OF his
eloquence is undated.
He spoke apparently with slightly
more effort than formerly. but at the
same time with great fervor and earn
estness. He still has great magnetism
and wonderful force of delivery. That
it was masterful Grafton even his
political opponents We're obliged to ad-
nit, the like of which has seldom been
heard in the hall of representatives.
and probably will not be heard again
until Mr.. Cochran again favors the
house with another speech. for it must
be conceded-in fact it is conceded
that there is no man out of all the 1856
match the gifted orator.
His pTesence and volume Of voice,
thought and power of delivery uniteao
| his perfect diction. clearnest of
| thought and power of delivery united
to make him easily and above all the
leader of speechmakers in that great
forum of debate. There are other ora l.
| tnr in, ho h;c
peculiar style and effectiveness, but
not one who so fully combines all the
arts of oratory as Mr. Cockron. His
speech was plainly an evidence that
the day Of great orators is not past,
and the power of it was best appre-
ciated when others following arose to
reply, and it was possible to compare
their feeble efforts with his
The text for Mr.. Cockran's speech
was found in the action of the COM
mittee on rules, which shortly after the
house met, through Mr.. Dalzell (rep-
resentative from Pennsylvania) re-
ported back to the house with the rec
! ommendation that it lie upon the table
the resolution introduced two weeks
ago by Mr.. Cochran directing the COM
mittee on judiciary to inquire into the
authority Of the secretary Of the in
terror in promulgating the executive
order making age a disability in the
matter of applications for pensions.
The fact that Mr.. Cochran was to
address the house had been quite wide
ly advertised, and in consequence the
galleries were filled to their capacity
when he began, and large number OF
members, especially on the democratic
side, were in their seats, notwithstand-
ing that the attendance in ordinarily
slim and less than a quorum on Sat
urdays.
Mr.. DalZell said he would withhold
his motion to lay the resolution upon
the table in order to permit of debate
and an hours time was thereupon al
lowed Mr.. Cochran. When he began
to speak Mr.. Cochran took a position
in the center aisle well toward the