Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-04-09
Eulogy on Cosgrove
Address of President Bryan Delivered
At Pullman Memorial Services

gift of the people that would accept,
and to that expect to be elected. !"
But Mr.. Cosgrove was active in the
affairs of the state. He was active in
determining public opinion. And as
leader in this he was sane and just.
While one of the leaders of public
thought in the matter Of just and equi-
table railway rates, he wished at the
same time to be just and fair to the
railways. believing them to be instru-
ments of great good in developing
state, deserving of support an encour-
agement. AS an active member of
the State Constitutional Convention.
he was an exponent of all that is best
in our American constitutional system.
In his own community he was a
leading practitioner at the bar. He
took an active part in all political
conventions, was an important factor
in determining the platform of his
party, both state and local, and upon
the stump for years in every cam
paign, was public teacher of the doc
trines in which he believed. | think
we do not appreciate fully the value
to the American Commonwealth of the
political teachings which come from
the stump. We are apt to think the
utterance wholly partisan and prompt
ed only by desire to fill the offices
with our friends. But may the day
be far distant when the heated discus
sions of public issues no longer at
tracts the people to listen. The cam
paign is a great public teacher. and
doubt if any public man in the State
of Washington has been a more con-
slant and more conscientious, more
successful teacher than was the late
governor.
| have already mentioned the fact
that he was a leader in the great fight
for just railway rates upon which our
people were once so divided, but upon
which, through such teachers as Cos
grove, they have come to be almost a
unit. That question having been
settled, it was but natural that he
should become leader on question
of even greater public Importance, the
great temperance question. He be-
lieved heart and soul. in the right of
any community to drive out of it's
midst this curse of all curses the
greatest. In his long campaign he
placed himself in no uncertain light
and even where, after a most trying
journey from California to Washing
ton for his Inauguration, with the few
short breaths which remained to him,
he gave personal charge to the egis-
lature, which must have encouraged
the friends and dsspirited the foes of
temperance in the legislature. to stand
by their pledge, stand by the will of
the people and stand by the cause of
right by enacting an effective local
option law. In this long life of de-
votion as a loyal, patriotic, devoted
private citizen to the public welfare,
Mr.. Cosgrove contributed to the public
wealth vastly more than many office
holders have who have held office for
years. Had he been permitted to
serve out his term he would have adj
ded much to his work. But even then,
what he would have added would have
been small in comparison to what he
had already accomplished. The ILL
success of Mr.. Cosgrove for years in
securing coveted prize was due
largely to the miscarriage of our sys-
TEN and he was one of the first to re-
cognize that the direct primary was
his opportunity. He lived in a small
county whose delegation in determin-
ing political combinations was insig-
niticent. and while his personal worth
and force were r, cogrized, the trading
strength of his opponent was greater.
1t is significant fact that no matter
who the first choice of the people
might have been in the recent pri-
mary, whether determined by personal
choice or policy or political expedi-
ency. in so large number of cases,
the free second choice was for Mr..
Cosgrove.
Outside his career as a public man
and professional man. Mr.. Cosgrove
was an important factor in the COM
munity in which he lived. | have
mentioned his devotion to the public
schools and to his grand army com.
rades. But he lived in a developing
state and a developing section. In
building up his town, in securing
transportation facilities. in determin.
ing the agricultural possibilities Of
the new soil and climate, in farming
considerable tracts of land, he was on,
of the foremost citizens of his section
he was deeply interested in the deyel
opement of scientific agriculture an,
its adoption by the farming commun
lty. The purity and uprightness O
his home life. his religious affiliations