The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-04

Mr.. Cochran grew vitriolic in his de-
nunc1ation of bank presidents and cor
porations who had been guilty of illegal
actions. He first referred to the insur-
ance investigation and in speaking of
the recent financial crisis said it had
been caused by revelations of depravity
In high places in the financial world.
Was the president responsible for
that?" he inquired.
The whole thing, he declared, grew
out of a quarrel of the plunderers of
insurance companies over the distribu-
ton of the spoils. So deeply had the
public conscience become appalled,. he
said, by the spectacle of unpublished
crime that never did it seem to dawn
on any one, publicists or journalists. or
prosecuting officers or even politicians
that instead of certain corporation
heads being suffered to do some house
cleaning in the corporations they had
pillaged, they ought to be sent to do
some cleaning in the penitentiary.
Those gentlemen" he said, when
their repacities had exhausted the
supply and there was nothing left to
steal. did not even surrender control of
the corporations they wronged.
They do not" he continued, flee
from Justice fearing its sword, but they
go into court of justice and obtain its
protection to obtain further authority
over the very trusts they had betray-
ed" Regarding recent bank failures in
New York Mr. Cochran said that not
one of them failed through error of
judgment. Every one of them" he
said, was ruined by crime
Mr. Cochran referred further to Pres
1dent Roosevelt as crusader 'the only
one the Republicans had but he said
the president was disqualified.
His nomination by you or us would
be personal dishonor" The president
had renowned the field of politics and
had taken a noble position before the
civilized world
Never before in the history of the
country, he said, had president still
in office been the object of the bftterest
attacks, hated as no hatred ever before
was treasured against a public officer;
yet able, while still in office, to prac-
ftcally fix the conditions upon which
the parties will contend.
Thunderous applause greeted this re-
mark and the one which followed that
Mr. Bryan" He did not think Speaker
Cannon was one nor was Senator Knox
or Secretary Taft. Referring to Mr.
fbBryan, Mr. Cochran said:
We have crusader as to whom
there is some doubt as to whether he is
not too strenuous I opposed him in
the past, I might stiH oppose him, but
I believe this message has outlined the
conditions under which he becomes the
'foreordained champion of law and or
der"
The applause which this utterance
evoked among the Democrats was so
great that it was some time before Mr..
Cochran could proceed. Continuing and
still referring to Mr.. Bryan, Mr.. Cock
ran said that If he declared himself the
champion of the principles which were
directly and indirectly embodied in the
presidents message, IF he represents
the determination to prosecute malefac-
| tors for their crimes, and if a rigorous
| enforcement of the law should result
| in congesting the criminal courts, then
| the plunderers of millions will be given
| precedence in the pathway to prison
over the pilferers of pennies