Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-30
COUSINS
H0N0RED
ELOQUENT IOWA CONGRESSMAN
WILL OPEN CAMPAIGN AT
PHILADELPHIA.
RECALLS FIRST SPEECH
Mr.. Cousins sprane Into Prominence
by Reason OF Address He Delivered
in Philadelphia In 1896, When He
Took Place of Depew on Program.
(BY HAROLD j. MAHIN.)
Washington Bureau of Courier.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 90.
News leaked out in Washington to-
day that one of the signal nonors Of
the coming great campaign, the open
ing of the battle. as 1t were, has fall
en- to Iowa's youngest congressman,
Representative Robert G.. Cousins, of
the fifth district.
On September 8, the Union league
club of Philadelphia, the oldest and
strongest political organization in the
United States, will celebrate with an
immense banquet and elaborate cere-
monies the semi-centennial of the re-
publican party and the formal open
ing of the campaign of 1904. Accord
ing to report in Washington the
club has extended to Representative
Cousins the invitation to make the
principal speech Of the evening. A
dispatch received today from Mr.. Cou.
sins by the Courier correspondent ver-
ifies this report and states that he has
accepted the invitation. The event is
slated for October s.
From time immemorial the Union
League club has been power In east
ern politics and Its functions have
been mile stones in the political af-
fairs of the country. Like other large
clubs whose position and influence Is
known over the entire country, the
Union League has been careful and
particular with its invitations to speak
ers. In view Of this the honor to Mr.
Cousins is unusual for he is the young.
est man who has ever been asked to
deliver the main address for such an
occasion.
Cousins Address In 1896.
The selection of Mr.. Cousins as the
orator for this great meeting Is un,
doubtedly the. direct result OF an
event which took place back In 1896
During May Of that year the Union
League club held large banquet in
celebration of Grants birthday. They
had asked Senator Depew to make
the address of the evening and he had
accepted but at the last moment was
stricken with illness and was unable
| to be present. The rest of the story is
better told in the words of John Rus
sell Young, late librarian Of congress
and the famous war correspondent
| who wrote for the PHILADELPHIA Star
under the nom de plume of rs. M
In dispatch to the Star at the time
describing the occasion Mr.. Young
said:
Arose Unknown; Sat Down Famous.
~ was told afterward that the com
mittee had been in a quandary ovel
the failure of Mr.. Depew to come. His
toast was The Memory of Grant ant
1t was the main toast of the evening
ling Cousins General Bingham sup
/ +D1 ryI,i In TNh, ~
sell was emphatic. But, who was Cou
sins? He was a western congress
man and had hampered Bayard, ant
was we'll known in the west. A west
ern reputation is not always curren
in the east and it was with some un
certainty, i afterward learned, tha
the committee followed the sugges
tions and invited Cousins. At tn
banquet the young congressman aros
after the speech Of Mayor Warwick, i,
itself severe trial. Tall, smootl
faced, face rugged rather than other
wise, he stood cool and self possessed
undisturbed by as critical an audi
ence as ever heard an orator. He be
gan in a light vein but in a momen
took wing and scared to the highes
range Of oratory. A full penetrating
voice .anent somewhat western an,
nasal. few gestures and perfect CON
mand of every rhetorical and orator.
cal resource. He talked forty mir
utes and carried his audience wit
him. AS bit Of art it was perfec
and when Mr.. Cousins sat down ami
, a storm Of cheers which again an
, again swept the room, Senator &c
munds advanced and congratulate
him upon having made the bes
speech that he had ever heard. Thi
compliment was that of the master be
slowing the crown and the young maj
who, rising unknown sat down fan
Gus. was worthy of the honor. l ne,
er heard better talk than at this bal
ouet. and ! stayed till the end, bu
. Cousins led them all"