The Washington herald., 1907-10-02

!
plenty Of sleep, and work hard if you
/. want to live TO a green old age" said
Francis Marion CockreI, Of Missouri, who
was seventy-three years young yester-
day.
Mr. Cockrel was a United States Sena-
tor from Missouri for thirty years. lie
entered the Upper House Of Congress as
the successor OF Carl Sehurz on March 4,
1915. Missouri was submerged by the
Roosevelt tidal wave in 1904 and when the
deiuge was over it found that it had a
Republican legislature on its hands.
In the control Of Republicans. Missouri
didn't know how 10 act. a lot Of promi-
nent men entered the lists for the Sena-
torship, and at the height Of the contest
for the honor Elihu Root, of New York,
Secretary Of State. premier Of the Roose-
welt administration, urged the Republi-
cans of Missouri 10 continue Senator
Cockreu, Democrat. in public life. They
refused. ThereupOn President Roosevelt
named Mr.. CockreII a member of the
Interstate Commerce Commission Com
missioner COCkrell was most active in the
preparations made in the summer Of
1906 20 put into effect the Hepburn rate
law. which was almost revolutionary in
its effect upon commerce between the
States.
His Health Restored.
Nearly everybody in oficial life re-
membered yesterday that it was the
seventy-third birthday Of Senator Cock
rell, for he will carry the title Of Sena-
tor as long as he lives. Some months ago
| Mr.. Cockreus health became impaired
as a result OF his strenuous work as a
lmem1er Of the Interstate Commerce Com /
mission. He returned 20 the Offices OF
that body yesterday apparently as good
as rev. and looking better than he had
looked for a great many years.
Il want 10 know" said a young man
who called on Senator Cockrell. how it
is that at the age Of seventy-three you
look and are as active as a man OF fifty
How did you do IL? Give me the reCipe?''
I have worked hard all my fife. was
/ the reply. 7 went into the Confederate
/ army as captain Of a company when I
was a mere stripping. Many OF the boys
/ in gray had hard time Of f. Ny COM
pany did not enjoy the luxury OF a COM
I missary department. We had 20 depend
upon the broad prairies for food ana
/ everything else we needed. Sometimes
we went into camp hungry. 7 went into
/ the army in May, 1861. All through the
/ summer and up until the cold snap set
/ in went without a coat and so did the
! rest OF the boys Of the company. Ny
| army experience benefited my health. /
/ When the war was over I returned home
stronger and healthier in mind and
/ body.
Never Drinks In Public.
Mr.. CockrelI was little over forty-one /
when he entered the United States Sen
ate. in March. 1915. When I came 10
| Washington" he said, Il was possessed I
of a lot Of old-fashloned ideas. The Capt
| tai was a great. big place. 10 my notion. /
/ and I made up my mind 20 steer clear Of
/ temptation. One Of my first resolves
was that I should never take a drink AT
| any public function where l was guest. (
/ During my thirty years service in the
! Senate ! never tasted champagne. wine, /
i or any intOxicant at any dinner or re-
/ ception Of public nature.
/ I remember an experience I had at /
/ the White House during the Grant ad- /
I ministration." said Senator Cockrel. with }
"a smile. Il had the pleasure of occupy /
4 ing a seat next 10 Mrs. Grant Observ-
! ing my usual custom, I turned down my
/ wine glasses. The first lady Of the land
noticed it.
Senator she said, turning to me.
/ drink your champagne It's a good di- /
/ gestant
" Madam replied. rarely ever
drink
All. see the trouble she said, with 4
I an amused smile. You want whisky or
/ brandy. I shall order it for you. Which /
/ shall Il be2'
Again I assured her that did not /
/ care for a drink. and repeated that /
rarely ever took intoxicants
" What" she exclaimed. with an as
constituent that was not feigned, You a 4
! Democrat and from Missouri, and DO 4
/ not drink
7 have never used whisky. except as
/ a medicine continued Senator CockreN /
/ Whenever 7 have felt out of sorts. I /
1 have taken a dram. but that is all II
never liked the taste or smell of the /
| stun
Gives Up His Apples
Senator CockreH has just abandoned /
/ practice about which columns have been
written by newspaper men It was his /
wont to eat for luncheon each day three
big, red apples. Sometimes he munched /
them in the Senate chamber. bending his 4
tail form under his desk, nursing a de- \
lUsiOn that he could not be seen from the
/ galleries Often he ate his apple luncheon
! in the cloak room, occupying a seat on .
a couch where he could hear every word I
of the Senate proceedings. Once in a
while he stood in the door of the cloak
room. But his physician advised him
recently that he had better take a
/ heartier lunch. So oysters or clans have
supplanted red apples in the CockreH
MONDAY menu
A1r. COCkrel lives about a mile from
the offices of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. He walks to and from his
work every day.
I can walk mile in twenty min
utes,' he said. "and cover from three
to seven miles every day. Seven miles
is my limit. i can do no more I am
seyenty-three. I see no reason why I
should not reach the age of ninety
three, OF even more. Young man. If you
want to live long, drink moderately if
at all; be careful in the use Of the weed
if you are fond Of tobacco: eat plain
foods, and sleep at least eight hours
every day. That is my prescription for
healthy, comfortable, long life That's II
all
DIAM nTNNTD T0 DAcorr