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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 I f I I 75-26,672 STOVALL, Richard Lee, 1944- THE RHETORIC OF BOURKE COCKRAN: A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1975 Speech Xerox University Microfilms,Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 © COPYRIGHT Richard Lee Stovall 1975 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE RHETORIC OP BOURKE COCKRAN: A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Richard Lee Stovall, B.A., M.A. * * * * * The Ohio State University 1975 Reading Committee Approved By Goodwin F. Berquist William R. Brown Paul C. Bowers Department of Communication ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Professor Goodwin Berguist for unselfishly sharing his scholarship/ advice and friendship. A special note of thanks is due the members of the dissertation committee for their many words cf encouragement and helpful suggestions. Finally# I wish to dedicate this study to my wife# Susannah# and our child­ ren, Christopher and Stacy. Without their sacrifice this study would not have been completed. March 28, 1944 Born - Springfield, Missouri 1966 B.A., Southwest Missouri State College, Springfield, Missouri. 1966-1969 Active Duty United States Navy; Gradu­ ate Administrative Assistant in Forensics, C. W. Post College of Long Island University. 1969 M.A., C. W. Post College of Long Island University, Greenvale, New York. 1969-1972 Instructor in Speech and Director of Forensics, Southwest Missouri State College, Springfield, Missouri. 1972-1975 Graduate Administrative Associate, Exe­ cutive Director, Ohio High School Speech League, The Ohio State Uni­ versity, Columbus, Ohio. PUBLICATIONS "Anglo-American Rhetoric and the American Revolution; Peter Oliver," Ohio Speech Journal (1974). "The Rhetoric of John Witherspoon: Clergyman - Teacher - Patriot," Indiana Speech Journal, September 1975 (co-author": G. Berquist) . Editor, Ohio Orations, 1973-75. Editor, Ohio High School Speech League Newsletter, 1973- 75. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field; Rhetoric and Public Address Studies in British and American Public Address Professor Goodwin Berquist Studies in Nineteenth Century History Professor Warren R. Van Tine Studies in Rhetorical Criticism Professor William R. Brown Studies in the History of the American Revolution Professor Paul C. Bowers TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............. ..... ii VITA ..................................... iii PREFACE .'.......................................................................................... V CHAPTER I. AMERICAN ISSUES: 18 80-1920. 1 II. TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY ORATORY ... 51 III. DEFINITION AND CIRCUMSTANCE ... 89 IV. RHETORICAL EFFECTIVENESS ......... 165 APPENDIX A ..................................... 195 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................... 205 PREFACE * * * * * * * * * This study grew from Dr. Goodwin Berquist's sugges­ tion that I read a portion of a recent biography by Ralph Martin. He noted a specific portion of the biography was devoted to Winston S. Churchill's oratorical training.^ My initial interest was specifically limited to Churchill's friend and tutor/ Bourke Cockran, and how their oratorical relationship approximated the classical rhetorical concept of imitation. Preliminary research soon broadened to in­ clude Cockran's own remarkable career. From that limited focus, I developed a genuine interest in both Cockran and the more expansive concepts of the nineteenth century in general. From the Civil War to the turn of the century, this nation developed and changed rapidly. Such growth always breeds complexity both at the time it occurs and later as historians and rhetoricians seek to understand the events of change. Historian Paul H. Buck viewed the post-Civil War period as one of reunion, a time when the disparate social, economic, and political forces were brought into harmonious balance.2 Ralph G. Martin, Jennie; The Life of Lady Ran­ dolph Churchill, vol. 2, The Dramatic Years, 1S9 5-I'95T (New York: A Signet Book, 1971), pp. 37-48; 72-89. ^ Paul H. Buck, The Road To Reunion, 1865-1900 (Boston; Little, Brown and Company, 1937), pp. 299-307. v In contrast to Buck's view, Richard Hofstadter judged the interval from Bryan to F.D.R., a slightly later period, as an age of reform. His revisionist view suggested that turn-of-the-century Americans reacted with paranoia as they witnessed the destruction of the agrar­ ian myth in favor of commercial realities.3 Interpretations differing from both Buck and Hof­ stadter are presented by Dobson and Weinstein. For example, Dobson labeled America's reconstruction era as a gilded age of machine politics. He contended that development of a middle and upper-middle class gave rise to civil service reform via the power of socially elete Mugwumps and Independent Republicans.^ Weinstein con­ tended that the growth of corporate power between 1900- 1918 established the corporate ideal. His position was that corporate power had so influenced governmental action that radical social reform techniques were de­ clared illegal and only the more conservative reforms, those acceptable to the giant corporations, were deemed acceptable avenues to social j u s t i c e3 . 3 Richard Hofstadter, The Age of Reform (New York: Vantage Books, 1965), pp. 60-82. ^ John M. Dobson, Politics In The Gilded Age: A New Perspective On Reform (New York: Praeger Publica­ tion's, 1972)7 pp. 187-190. 5 James Weinstein, The Corporate Ideal In The Liberal State, 1900-1918 (Boston: Beacon Press, 1968), pp. 117-214. vi Although historical interpretations vary, certain key issues of this period can be identified as falling into America's mainstream of concern. The growth of giant corporations gave rise to doubts about unbridled industrial power, trusts, and the formation of labor unions. As labor and management argued about their respective rights, women at last gained the right to vote. The influx of immigrants and the development of metropolitan concentrations brought to the forefront not only the question of limited entry but the first real attention to urban problems such as mass transit, public utilities, and municipal ownership. The emergence of "have" and "have not" elements in a newly urban America ripened conditions for machine politics which pork barrel1 ed for both rich and poor. On a broader scale, America's divergent economic practices brought into focus the issues of protective tariffs, and the gold versus silver money standards. But not all of the contested issues were isolated within America. The Spanish-American War and disposition of the Philippine Islands produced a debate over imperialism. The luxury of isolation was gone by 1916. It was in the context of these turn-of- the-century issues that William Bourke Cockran was acclaim ed one of America's finest orators. Cockran was born at Rock Lodge, Carrowkeel, near the city of Sligo, Ireland on February 2 8, 1854. Bourke was the third son born to Martin and Harriet White Cockran. Martin Cockran was the son of Tom Cockran, "big man" in Ballinacarrow. He held this title because he operated a large farm and held substantial business interests. Tom Cockran's status as landed aristocracy allowed Martin the social and financial wherewithal to pursue almost any course and career he wished. Martin was not known to shy away from the taverns; he loved to ride to the hounds; and frugality was not one of his g stronger points. Martin Cockran met Harriet White on the eve of a most important legal battle. The following day Miss White's financial standing was to be determined by court decision. Prominent and well-educated, she had taken matters into her own hands and was attempting to regain ancestral land that had been confiscated during the reign of William the Third (1688-1702). By virtue of a favor­ able court decision, Miss White became wealthy overnight. After a one-week courtship, Martin and Harriet were 7 married. 6 James McGurrin, Bourke Cockran, A Free Lance In American Politics (New York; Scribner's 1948), pp. 1-10. ^ Ibid. Vlli• • • Bourke Cockran was but five years old when his father met a violent death.