Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-07-05

upon the SOQu VIII ana judgment OF the
Republicans Of this county, such as few
men ever obtain. His election to the
Senate from Democratic strong hold,
as Dubuque county is cited as evidence
Of his strength at home; and his friends
promise that, should he be nominated,
his popularity will be again attested by
the vote he will receive. A more init
mate acquaintance during the past two
years gives us confidence in this claim,
and has increased our belief that he can
serve the district in Congress ably and
capably."
Friend Bailey, to put it mildly, is very
appreciative of Mr.. Cooley's speeches in
the campaign of 1876, and is disposed to
place value upon them slightly in ad-
vance of the estimates in other locali-
ties where they were delivered. He
seems to think that it was most bril-
liant and powerful performance for
Cooley to come up into Mr.. Burdick's
own county, and to make speech
in his behalf that delighted Mr..
Burdicks friends and neighbors. Judg-
ed by the enthusiasm Of audiences
thus composed, Mr. Cooley's reputation
for power on the stump was cheaply
won. But has it ever occurred to our
friend Bailey to apply test of the val
ue of Mr.. Cooley's labors in that cam
paign in a field where they ought to be
effective if anywhere own coun-
ty. Now, if, as Mr.. Bailey seems to as
sumo, Mr.. Cooley's services in that
campaign. were so valuable, that they
can only be rewarded by his nomination
to Congress-irrespective of all his in
| firmities Of character and record-why
was it that no effects of his power were
seen in Dubuque, where the Democratic
majority for Griffith was the largest ey-
er known in that county? Here % was
field where Mr.. Cooley copla~1aye dis
played conspicuogRsslfy his ability to help
e.ss to victory" field where, accord
ing to his friends, all the conditions
were favorable to him, and yet his
strength at home" was not sufficient to
keep the Democratic majority down to
the usual proportions. Or, to save Mr..
Cooleys reputation for power" are we
to accept as true, the charge made by
Republicans in Dubuque, that Mr.. Cool
ey wanted big Democratic majority in
Dubuque, SO that he might urge the ne
cessity for nominating Dubuque Re-
publican for Congress in 1878?
The Republican takes up the plea,
already worn threadbare by Mr.. Cooley's
Dubuque henchmen, to the effect that
five years since he was elected State
Senator from the Democratic strong
hold, Dubuque county," and argues
therefrom that he will receive large
vote from the opposition, if he should
receive the nomination for Congress.
There is nothing in the circumstances
attending the election five years ago, or
the present situation, that warrants
such conclusion. Let us see. Mr..
Cooley was elected Senator on an indie
pendent ticket, composed of men of
both parties. 1t was popular protest
against the abuses of the Democratic
county government, and had no sort of
connection with general politics. In
that election Mr.. Cooley's majority was
smaller than that of any other can
didate, and several hundred less than
the majorities received by other Repub-
licans on the same ticket. Here are
the figures:
VIM. Coates Rep. for Supervisor 1880
Vi. Williams, Rep. for Treasurer 897
+. Mclaughlin, Rep. for Auditor 652
d. N. Cooley, Rep. for Senator 4S9
1t has been the constant aim of Mr..
Cooley's supporters to make it appear
that his popularity secured the victory
in that election, whereas the facts are
just the contrary. Mr.. Cooley was,
himself, carried to success by the pop
ularity Of the other candidates and the
impulse of a popular movement against
Democratic maladministration. With
this movement he was not identified
until the last moment, and then, despite
the fact that the Democratic candidate
opposed to him was the most unpopular
on that ticket, and despite too, the Law
ish use of his money to fee the saloons,
the result, as the above figures indicate,
showed him at the very tail of the
ticket, 1913 votes behind Mr.. McLaugh-
lin, a new man in Dubuque politics and
never before candidate. Even were
Mr.. Cooley as popular in Dubuque as
his friends claim, the conditions under
which he was elected Senator, do not
now exist. Then, the Democracy were
discordant and divided; now, they are
harmonious and compact. Then, an
element of the Republicans that had
always opposed Cooley's aspirations,
were burying the Ratchet with him;
now, his perversity and corruption COM
pels them to dig it up, and hundreds of
them will refuse to to endorse him I'M
der any circumstances. These are the
real facts concerning Cooley's Wanted
strength in Dubuque. If our friends in
the north are supporting him under the
delusion that he has any chance of cleo
ton, if nominated or that he will make
any impression upon the Democratic
vote of Dubuque county, they are max
ing grave mistake, and will see it be-
fore the canvass is half through.
The Republican says that it would
accept Mr.. Donnan after Cooley, and
says:
He is known in all parts of the dis
trict, and made creditable member.
His record is undimmed by any act, save
one-that of finally accepting the sal
airy grab" This single act would be
harmless in Democrat, as the nomina-
ton of Hendricks for Vice President,
and the reelection of Sam j. Randall,
and bis elevation to the third Office
Y