Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-10
nouRKE COCHRAN ON BRYAN.

Bourke Cochran, the Tammany con-
gresham with an International repu-
tation for eloquence, is going to make
a speech in Omaha next month in sup
port of Mr.. Bryan, and that recalls
the fact that Mr.. Cochran once spoke
against Mr.. Bryan at one of the most
turbulent political meetings ever held
in this city. Mr.. Cochran was then
speaking in behalf of Major McKin-
ley and his e%xcoriation of Bryan
aroused the silverites present to such
a pitch that they made a desperate
effort to break up the meeting in a
riot and were prevented only by the
active work of most of the police force.
The meeting was on September IA,
1895, at the old Coliseum, where 49,
900 persons we're gathered. The
trouble started when Mr.. Cochran
said:
Personally l admire Mr.. Bryan. He is
an honest man, a sincere patriot and has
great ability; but 1t is the very possession
of these qualities, taken with the princi-
pies he advocates and the influences which
are backing him, that will make his cleo
ton dangerous to the welfare OF the eoun-
try.
Several hundred Bryanites, headed
by one of the secretaries of Mr.. Bryan,
started a riot that for a time assumed
threatening proportions. Hon. j. Ster-
ling Morton was acting al chairman
of the meeting and made an effort to
restore order, but was unsuccessful
until the police had been called to his
assistance. When order was finally re-
stored Mr.. Cochran proceeded with a
sected the Bryan issues and exposed
their fallacy. In the course of his re-
marks he said:
My friends, let us get a little closer to
Mr.. Bryan's argument. Let us see what is
the matter with him, II we can. And !
want TO say to you here, as a word OF
warning, that whenever a quack comes
along and asks you to allow him to cure a
headache by cutting off your head that as
a matter Of prudence you should hesitate
to accept the proposition. l do not say
that Mr.. Bryan is a quack, but l want
you to bear in mind that whenever a mar
submits a plan for the regeneration OF
mankind It Is we'll that he should talk tc
you in plain language II he wants you tc
take an important step that may affect
your own condition. / confess that TO me
Mr.. Bryan talks a language l do not un-
derstand. You must not be Inundated out
OF shame when the populist orator mounts
on inflated periods and talks to you abou.
the battle Of the standards, the wicked,
ness of the money power and the agent,
Of Lombard street, and the machinationi
Of the shylocks, and the gold bugs tina
are depressing the farmer, and all thes,
things. II you do Northumberland them d
not be ashamed, because in the matter o
mystifieation you are in the same SHAPE
as all your fellow citizens, including Mr.
Bryan himself.
The picture that Mr.. Cochran
painted of Mr.. Bryan in 1896 is true
to life today. Mr. Bryan is not advo
eating free silver this year, but he Il
again employing the old tactics OF US
ing inflated periods to convince tbs
people that they should join him II
his plan for the regeneration OF man
kind. He is the same great gener
alizer and theoriZer that he was wheI
he drew Mr.. CockTan's criticism IL
1896. Mr.. Bryan personally is Just al
worthy as he was In 1885 and his poll