The Washington herald., 1908-02-04

BOurke Cochran. Representative from
New York, long a political opponent OF
William Jennings Bryan's Presidential
aspirations yesterday flung away his OPP
position to the Nebraskan.
IN a speech that set the Democratic
members Of the House to cheering and
stamping the floor. he said that Mr.. Bry-
an Is the only man who can carry for
ward the great policies that President
Roosevelt has so recently outlined in his
special message.
Mr.. Cochran spoke for an hour, fol-
lowing set address of Representative
Townsend, Of Michigan, who defended
the Presidents railroad rate legislation,
and a brief response by Representative
Sherwood, of Ohio, who denounced Roose-
welt In terms not so loud as they were
deep.
While Mr., Cochran failed 10 speak the
name Of Mr. Bryan, there could be no
doubt whom he meant. when, after he
had disposed Of the President, Secretary
Taft, Speaker Cannon. and Senator Knox,
as possible candidates who could follow
cut Mr. RooseveIts policies, he said that
there was one man in the Democratic
party who could become a crusader
such as Mr. Roosevelt has been.
Mr. COckrnn's Address,
Adverting to the Presidents special
message. AIr. Cochran said that so far
as outward manifestation went, the
House was unanimous in approval Of the
the accuracy Of Mr. Townsend's assertion
that railroad rate regulation and anti
trust legislation had received Democratic
support only at times. His reading oE
history was that all that class of legisla-
tion was passed by Democratic votes
signed by a Democratic Executive. or
had their origin in Democratic platforms.
He said he would go further, and make
the assertion that every element and
principle Of progress and reform in the
administration OF the government had
Democratic origin, from the tendency 10
Democracy given by the peoUle In 1900
when they elected jefferson and gave
a death blow 10 the tendency toward
oligarchy under Adams ana Hamilton,
down TO the policy Of reconstruction
which declared that the States ia re-
bellior were not foes to be destroyed,
but c-~inE sisters 10 be welcomed back
u the fold of the Union.
And now We are told that this mes
sage. proclaiming on the part of the
President of the United States nothing
bat a purpose Of enforcing the law, is
an invitation 10 mobs to join the Carma-
gnUIe To dissipate capital. threaten prop
eTty beCl0ud all prospect OF order or Of
prosperity.
Is Very Significant.
THAT statement is of immense sig
nidcauce. Il is highly portentous Il
tenders To- the American people through
the President. this issue that if the law
Zee enforced impartiaIly that if it be
enforced TO the utmost letter ruin viii
overcome our prosperity. panic and desc
l8ti0n win sweep over the country.
Are we prepared to confess that? Are
We prepared to confess that rottenness
IS the essential basis Of prosperity? This
attitude has been taken now for three
months. It has been charged that the
President was responsible for the panic
They pointed 10 no act of his except his
declarations that the law must be en-
forced against all malefactoTs, a little
more stringently against the great than
against the little. and they tell US that
that produced the panic.
They tell us. moreover, that unless
this determination on the part Of the
Executive be changed or. at least. he
cease to proclaim il. prosperity cannot
be revived. When this Congress met I
had hoped that the President Of the
United States would accept that chal-
lenge on behalf Of law justice, order
and morality. that he would have said
IN unmistakable terms that these men
who themselves have wrecked our pros
peTity, having undertaken to preScrIoe 10
this government the terms on which they
would suffer it 10 be restored, and that
these terms were not merely immunity
for the preparation Of offenses, bur 81
lence to the perpetrators; that he would
answer and say that he would give them
neither, that he would pursue them re-
lentlessly so long as they violated the law.
that II prosperity must be builded upon
corruption. he would not allow it 20 be
maintained by perjury, for corruption
can only be tolerated through the per
jury OF officers sworn 10 do battle against
81 in The name of the law and the jus-
tice which law embodied" Applause on
the Democratic sideJ
Filled with Apprehension.
When he heard the message read. Mr..
Cochran admitted. he was filled with ap-
prehensIon of its effects The first part
was devoted TO complaints, and TO his
mind no President was ever impressive
when describing conditions for the relief
Of which he offered a remedy. But the
rest of the message was a reply 10 the
challenge which had lain neglected since
the opening of Congress.
The Presidents message met the de
mand for justice which neither party
would deny-"that party because it dared
not: this because it would not" The
coming campaign, he said, would be
contest To choose Il President who would
do the most for the principles underlying
the message.
Mr.. Cochran said the President could
not accept "a nomination without dis
honor. yet his message was q call for
crusader 10 lead the host The Republicans
had none 10 offer. but the Democrats had
one about whom the only doubt was as TO
whether ne was not too strenuous. lie had
opposed him i'm the past, might well
oppose him again in the future. but be-
lieved this message outlined the condi-
tions under which he became the fore
ordained champion Of law and order. Pro
longed applause and cheers on the Demo
cratic side.
Mr. Hepburn rep, Iowa), closing the
debate, congratulated the Democrats upon
their versatility. When Mr.. Sherwood
denounced the President the cheers greet
ing him were as hearty as those which
indicated approval OF Mr. Cockran's
eulogles. He was himself an ardent be-
liever as that gentleman had been in