National Affairs: Bourke Cockran

W. Bourke Cockran, Tammany Congressman, made his last speech in the House of Representatives on his birthday, Feb. 28, and died early the next morning.

Old men, wandering among their reminiscences, recalled that rainy night, 33 years ago, in the old convention building on the Chicago lakefront, when Cockran, on a stage over which rain trickled from the leaky roof, faced a howling gallery full of impatient supporters of Grover Cleveland for the Democratic presidential nomination—and nominated the hated David B. Hill.

Fearless, magnificent, king of orators, his public career lasted for 40 stormy years. In 1896 he fought Bryan. In 1900 he stumped for Bryan. He quarreled numberless times with Tammany leaders, over whom he towered majestically.