Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-05-12
POPULAR SENATOR CoCKRELL
Ability, Fidelity and Industry Accoui
for His Continued Success.

1NN . y
popularity is due to his commanding
ability and to his fidelity in discharg-
ing all his duties, great and small, to
his country, TO his state and to his
constituents. He attends religiously
to the wants of all Missourians and
never fails to respond to every demand,
however trivial. To illustrate: Col.
Jim Edwards, assistant doorkeeper Of
the Senate, who served under Cock
rell during the Civil War, who is very
fond Of him and who is considerable
OF a wag, gives. with great gusto an
explanation of Cockrell's popularity.
"When the time came for Cockrell's
frs reelection" quoth Colonel Jim,
"a coterie Of politicians In St. Louis
wanted to elect Colonel Thomas AL
len, the multimilli0naire owner OF the
Iron Mountain railroad and withal a
very able man, but they were using
Colonel James o. Broadhead, late
minister to Switzerland, as the osten-
sible candidate. Colonel George w.
Anderson was bellwether of the anti
Cockrell movement.
"Most members OF the Legislature
in the eastern half of Missouri at that
time had to go through st. Louis to
reach Jefferson City, the State Capital.
$50, during Christmas week, /
stayed in st. Louis, principally about
the Laclede Hotel, which has been
Democratic headquarters from a time
whereof the memory of man runneth
not to the contrary. | was there to
listen to what was said. The anti
Cockerellites were busy interviewing
and buttonholing members of the Leg
islature. / overheard a conversation
between Colonel Anderson and an old
farmer Representative from a certain
county which gives the key to Cock
rell's continued success.
Approaching the farmer, Colonel
Anderson said; Whom will you sup
port for the United States Senate?'
"'well,' replied the member, i
guess | will vote for Frank Cockrell.
"'why will you do that?' asked An
derson. HE is no orator; be is only a
country lawyer
"'Wa-al, Colonel, drawled the old
farmer, what you say may be true,
but you can't beat Frank Cockrell.
He Is the peoples man. Nobody,
white or black, male or female, ever
writes to him about anything what
ever that he doesn't answer the Letter
and attend to the business. Why,
bless my soul, Two fellows In my coun-
ty got up a controversy about what
time In the moon was best to wean
mule colts. They both served under
Frank Cockrell during the war and
agreed to leave 1t to him. They
wrote him about 1T to Washington,
and, drag my buttons, in about a week
they got a four-page letter from Cock
rell, not your typewriter stuff, but a
genuine letter, every word written by
his own hand, in which he discussed
the subject of mulelsm in such a mas
terly manner that you would have
thought be had never done anything
in his life but handle mules, and, by
the jumping lingo! he decided the
question in such a way that both the
fellows were pleased. Colonel Broad
head is no doubt a great man and a
fine lawyer, but IL be lives till be beats
Frank Cockrell for the Senate he'll be
a blamed sight older than Methuselah.
1t can't be done, Colonel Anderson,
unless Franks writing hand is totally
paralyzed or the supply Of pens, ink
and paper is completely and perma- |
nently exhausted. You hear my
horn!'
Colonel Anderson walked of sor-
rowfully," continued Colonel Jim,
"muttering: We'll, I'll be dadswiz-
zledl'"
Ponce de Leon searched In vain for
the fountain Of perpetual youth. Cock
rell seems to have discovered it, and
it is this: He is the boss apple eater
Of the age. His midday luncheon con-
sists entirely OF that luscious fruit.
He knows at what stand the best APP
plies are TO be found, and when he APP
proaches the Capitol at morning the
pockets of his coat are bullying with
big red apples. At precisely l O'Clock,
when more dilettante statesmen de-
scend to the Senate restaurant to
feast on terrapin, ~canyasback duck,
deyiled crabs and such like products
Of bad livers and govt, the stalwart
Missourian retires to his committee
room and quietly munches his apples.