Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-06
HOUSE WAKES UP
A Political Debate on the Subject
Of the Presidents Message
Aroused Enthusiasm.
COCHRAN GROWS WTROLIc
The New York Democrat Praised tho
Document 40 an Inspired Pro
clamatIon TO the Anierl-
can People.

Washington, Feb. 4.-The house By
almost O unanimous vote passed q gen
eral pension bill granting 81 pen
month to the widows Of all honorably
discharged soldiers and then INDUCED
in O general debate with the presi'
dents special message as the subject
The political debate was opened by
Mr.. Townsend of Michigan, who, In q
prepared speech, claimed for the re-
publican party credit for all national
legislation in the last so years OF vital
interest to the public. In this he
was vigorously disputed by Mr.. Cock;
ran of New York, who afterward
launched into a discussion of the presi'
dents message of a few days ago, his
remarks frequently evoking applause
on both sides Of the chamber.
1.-THE message which the president
sent here Friday" said Mr.. Cochran
'raises question which goes to the
very existence and growth of civil gov.
eminent. The first part Of the mes
sage contains complaints" he con
tinued, after we pass that portion, we
come to the part which we all ap-
plaud, and that was the paragraph
that related to charges that business
distress was brought on by the govern.
ment and that the knife should he used
freely in cutting out rottenness."
Mr.. Cochran grew vitriolic In his de-
nunciation Of bank presidents and cor
poration officials who had been guilty
Of illegal action. He first referred to
the investigation and in speaking Of
the recent financial crisis said 1t had
been caused by revelations Of deprav'
ity in high places In the financial
world. WAS the president respOn-
sible for that?" he inquired. The
whole thing, he declared, grew out OF
a quarrel Of the plunderers of insur.
ance companies over the distribution
Of the spoils. So deeply had the pub,
lie conscience become appalled,, he
said, by the spectacle of unpublished
crime that never did 1t seem to dawn
on any one, publlclsts or journalists,
or prosecuting officers or even pollti.
clans, that instead of certain corpor.
alton heads being suffered to do some
house cleaning In the corporations
they had pillaged, they ought to be
sent to do some cell cleaning In the
penitentiary.
1t had been asked, continued Mr..
Cochran, why don't the president
prosecute these gentlemen" but he
said he noticed, 1T was always pro
pounded by those who II they thought
there was any danger Of prosecution,
would not engage In public discussion
on the hastings or in the newspapers,
but would be quietly seeking steam.
ship tickets to foreign lands"
He did not believe the president yet
had exhausted all his powers, but he
said Il do say this message shows he
appreciates his duty" Loud repub-
lican applause followed this remark.
The message was, Mr.. Cochran de.
clared, an inspired proclamation to the
American people.
He declared that justice was the
foundation Of prosperity. 1t was, he
said, only the ragged, the rotten and
the corrupt that had reason to fear the
light Of publicity or the sword Of
Justice MAY the light never be OBJ
scured," he exclaimed, "and may the
sword never be sheathed." The value
Of the presidents message, said he,
is that both parties would swear by
the board for IT,"
Mr.. Cochran referred further to
President Roosevelt as a crusader,
the only one the republicans had"
but he said the president was disquall.
fed. "His nomination by you or us
would be personal dishonor" The
president had renounced the field Of
politics and had taken a noble posi-
ton before the civilized world