The Irish standard., 1904-04-23
In Masterful Speech, Which Was Applauded
by Both Sides, He Appealed for
Rights of That Body.
Scene Recalled Old Days When There Were
Orators Who Could Command
Attention Of the Country.

Representative Bourkc Cochran, af-
ter an absence of nine years from the
house, signaliZed his rcappearance, OH
the 9th inst, by a speech, which, for
power, for literary ability, for solidity
of reasoning, for voicing what so many
men think, has seldom been equaled,
says an Associated Press dispatch from
Washington, ID. G. When strong
man speaks in the House of Repro
sentativcs he always commands an
audience. Today was no exception
The galleries We're crowded and the
floor was full. ..
Mr.. Cochran is blessed by nature
with a commanding presence and Il
voice that can be heard in every part
Of the house 1t is the voice of a man
who, if one may use the phrase "speaks
from the shoulder" who talks because
he has something to say, in other
words, who has convictions.
Mr.. Cochran spoke on the resolution
he introduced requiring the judiciary
committee to investigate the Presi-
dents recent pension order.
AS Mr. Cochran, who had been sit
ting in the seat of Representative Will
linms, the minority leader, arose he
was greeted with hearty applause. Be
fore he had been talking ten minutes
senator Dcpcw and some twenty or
twenty-five other Senators came over,
remaining until Mr.. Cochran had con-
cludcd. After speaking an hour Mr..
Cockran's time was extended by unani-
nous consent. At the conclusion of his
speech he was cllecrcd for three min.
,ltcs by both sides of the House.
Mr.. Cockran's speech was remark
able for the attention given him by
both sides and the impartiality of the
applause which he received. He was
wonderfully we'll treated by the Re,
pubicans. His remarks OH the deca-
dcncc of the House were as heartily
checrcd by the Republicans as by the
democrats.
In his speech Mr.. Cochran said in
part:
4 have no desire to make partisan
discussion. This resolution is offered
solely to vindicate the Importance in
our political system of the House of
Representatives 1t is offered with the
hope of calling the attention of this
body to an invasion of it's privileges
a disregard of it's authority in debating
a contempt so profound that, if this
Recommendation be not adopted and
the House do not formally declare the
treatment which it deserves, the I'M
portancc of this body, which has been
declining steadily for a generation, will
have sunk so low that it's preservation
VIII scarcely be worth an effort.
II rise here, sir, not as a partisan,
but as a member of this House, in the
hope that l can enlist both parties in
an effort to preserve it's dignity.
"That l have not exaggerated the
Importance of this attack upon our
dignity and upon our privileges think
will be made most clearly apparent by
bald statement of the administra.
tion act which this resolution questions
"a bill was introduced in this House
by Mr.. Sulloway, which proposed that
any person who had served ninety
days in the army or in the navy during
the war of the rebellion, and who had
reached the age Of sixty-two years
should become entitled to a pension of
$S month. Every one who had be
come siXty-siX years of age should be
entitled to $40 month, and every one
who had reached the age of seventy
years should be entitled to pension at
the rate Of $12 month.
'.This measure the House declined
or at least failed, to enact, and there
upon the Secretary Of the Interior, by
an order dated March Is, 1904, decreed
that the terms proposed by the meas
ure, which the House did not enact,
should nevertheless govern the pension
department, and moneys are now being
actually paid out Of the Treasury with
out the slightest warrant Of authority
from the House of from the Congress