Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-12-01
Missouri's Grand Old Man.

1 flicker of the expiring candle.
Missouris Grand Old Man.
Every general election has its TRACE
dies The last one is full of them, but
of all the defeat of AIissouri's grand
old man, her well beloved ehieftain,
General Francis Marion CoclSrell, for
reelection to the senate of the United
States for sixth term is the saddest
and clearly demonstrates the made
quate rewards of political life. Here
is a man venerated by all his people,
his name known and honored as
household word in every home betwixt
the two oceans, turned out in his old
age from position which he has
/ adorned for thirty years, supplanted
| by some obscure politician whose name
! does not mater. some Republican Tom,
/ Dick or Harry Missouri was the first
state to keep a senator at Washington
for thirty consecutive years. Thomas
Hart Benton held her commission for
that length of time, or for six full Ro-
man lustruns," as he pompously pat
/ it He was one Of the greatest men of
/ his era. an era exceptionally rich in
great men He would have made one
/ Of the best presidents the country ever
/ had. but that was not to be. He held
4 the belt for length Of senatorial serv-
\ ice until March 4, 1897, when Justin S.
Morrill, Of Vermont began his sixth full
term and his thirty-first year in the
I senate, He served thirty-two years
4 ana died In 1851 Colonel Benton went
1 to his politieal death BY reason of the
bitter factional fight among Missouri
4 Democrats on the slavery question.
4 His long, losing fight to regain his SUI
K premacy is one of the most remarkable
! episodes in American history. Colonel
4 Benton was not only man of COM
handing talents. but also of vehement
/ passions. a most ferocious fighter,
4 rancorous ana implacable foe. The
/ Democratic faction opposed to him in
Missouri hated him worse than they
did the devil. and in the legislature
which defeated him there was a large
Democratic majority, but such was the
insane luminosity which he engendered
that enough OF lis Democratic enemies
voted With the Wings to elect a Wing
senator. Henry S Gever In General
Cockrelrs case the circumstances are
+ different Ile is closing his thirtieth
year Of senatorial service without an
enemy in the world lii fact, his popu-
larity. always great. has grown with
bis service Individually lie was as
great favoritc with Missouri Repub-
leans as with Mis- Democrats.
Had the people votes rect for soma
I tor instead Of for members Of the leg
4 islature TO elect Il senator Re would
4 have swe1 fhc state from Io9a to Ar
4 kansas ana from the MISSISSIPPI 70 the
mouth Of the raging Kaw Ike a cy-
clone
Among Missouri Democrats it had
I become a sort Of mania to have him
exceed Colonel Benton's record by
electing linn to the full sixth term. for
which Benton strove eagerly and fought
valorously, but which he failed to get.
There are many capable and ambitious
Missouri Democrats. men anxious and
fit to sit III the senate, but not one OF
them dared to hint that he would like
to tackle "OId Frank Coczrell,'' as the
good gray general is afectionately
called. II would have meant sure po-
litical death to the Democrat who tried
it. 1t is not the language of fattery,
but OF truth ana soberness, to say that
thousands Of Missouri Republicans
prefer General CocHrell to any Repub-
lican as senator, for he has been as
faithful a public servant as any state
eyer sent to Washington. a Confeder-
ate soldier himself, he has been the best
friend the Union veterans of Missouri
ever had. If they had understood his
peril. enough of them and to spare
would have voted for Democratic mem
| bers Of the legislature to have made
the legislature Democratic on joint bali
lot 10 have insured his reelection.
Had he sent 20.ee0 letters or even TO-
600 to Union Republican soldiers whom
he has served so we'll, asking them to
| vote for Democratic representatives be-
cause they would vote for him, he
would have secured his sixth term. It
1 was the wretched indirect way Of elect
! ing United States senators that defeat