New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-05
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY APRIL S, 1888

| was always profoundly interested. AS carry "'
| 1929 he was chosen an Assistant Alderman ior
three years and was afterward elected Alderman.
For several years no was an honorcd Sachem OF
Tammanv Hall. but when that organization b. same
mainly means of promoting private aud selflsh
ends he abandoned it, In 1S49. while its presiding
officer. he made speech which attracted much at
tention on account of its appeal for an honest ad-
ministratiou Of the city government. White
member of the Common Council ne voted l9r tho
taxation OF the city in support OF the puDc scnoo,s
| He was for Twenty-Five years either ono o., tno
school trustees or a member of the Board OF Educa-
| ton Public improvements, when he belleved them
to be conducive to the general good awys tSe
| construction of the CrOton Aqueduct of which he
/ was a prominent advocate. . ., .L
| Mr.. Cooper was nominated for President by tne
! National Independent, or GIeenback party, when
met in convention at indianapolis on May ~
| 1875. The chief articles OF bis ponticai
| creed were q protective tarh ana a
| domestic currency incapable of exploration. ne
! thought the Government should make the currency
legal-tender for all debtssnd Government dues; hx
its value by the interest paid on it when converted
into bonds, prevent over-ssues by strict anu Juss
regulations to the issue of bonds or currency ana
! tive amount of each by an interc0nVertlDie bona.
| When he was nominated at Indianapolis the result
of the ballot teiegraphed to Mr. Cooper out ne
positively declined to accept the noIni1allon, his
reasons we're entirely personal. But after earnest
solicitations from his party friends he at last gave
| a conditional acceptance, based upon the nope
that one OF the two National Conventions then 10 pc
| held would take favorable attitude toward the
| financial opinions held by his party Disappointed
in that hope he at last addressed an open letter 10
| Governor Hayes and Governor Ilden on the SUD
| ject, in which he announced his acceptance OF the
nomination and set forth his reasons he 1elt con,
strained 10 accept. he said, not with the nope OF an
| election. but to vindcate great principle IN INC
management of the National finances. ..,
| The popular vote for the Greenback party proved
| to be small only 81, 1877 in the entire country 10
this city the Cooper ticket poed $50 votes and In
Kings County about 81. The smallness o, the yote
| tha nrfu firth III.
Cooper to the failure of Wallace p. Groom
| TO circulate the tickets and documents as
agreed upon. After the election Mr.. Cooper charged
| Dir. Groom in open letter with having secured
money to the extent of several thous nd dollars Tor
use in circulating tickets and then having failed 10
it Tor that purpose. Mr.. Groom sued Dit. cooper
| for libel laying damages $4,000. The jury dis
agreed at the first trial but on second trial YER
| dict was rendered in favor of Mr. Cooper, 49,.
| After the Inauguration OF President hayes, TWO
| open letters were addressed TO him by Mr. cooper
in regard to the needs OF the country lie proposed
| that the Government give immediate relief TO IN
employed labor by the encouragement OF public I'M
| provements and IN other ways. lie advocated tne
restoration OF the silver coinage as legal-tehder,
| and favored Civil Service reform. Letters were
| sent TO Congress expressing his views, and Dumer-
| GUS tracts and documents were published ny MN.
Mr.. Coopers opinions respecting the hlahciai ques
| lions which have agitated the country III recent
| years were not the opinions OF the majority; but
he was sincere, earnest and most diligen In their
| support The labOring man always found III MIN
friend. He gave aid to labor organizations and
frequently in his speeches, and in other ways took
| up what he believed TO be their cause.
HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.
| Mr. Cooper has been regarded as the patrarchal
citizen of New York. His birthdays recent years
have always been subject of public notice. On
the completion OF hin eighty eighth year, on Febru
airy II, 1879. tho Board of Regents of the Univer-
sity of the State of New-York conferred
upon the aged patron of science
and the arts the degree of Doctor OF Laws
~ IA nth n honor
Cooper said that he did not claim scholastic attain
ments, and his own deficiency in that respect had
been one great incentive to his aiding others. In
1881 he was presented with handsomely Illumi-
mated set of resolutions by the students of Cooper
Union. On ms last birthday there were the usual
number of callers and IN the evening he entertained
"a number of friends at dinner lie attended ON
that day the the funeral Of William h. Dodge VINO
1t had been hoped would be present az
the dinner. Or thc twenty-five guests at Mr.
Coopcrs birthday dinner two years before there
were only eleven alive February II, 1888. lie
said that he could not think of one " his associates
m boyhood who was still living When the hope
was expressed that he would live to see his hun,
drcdth year. he replied e don't want TO stay All
could never be said that all his friends were gone SO
long as New-York remained. Inc explained that he
meant the friends OF his youth ~
A poem reciing his phianthroplc deeds entitled
Johu Banyard. This led to the discus
SION of a proposition made some time
ago to erect monument in honor Of Mr.. Cooper.
lie sad that the idea wasexceedngly distastclul to
him, and that the only monument he desired was
the CONSCIOUSNESS of having done good to hls fellow
10 celebrate his birthday and memento to
his friends, Mr.. cooper presented each one
OF the guests present with copy OF
newly published volume entitled " Ideas
for Science Of Good Government" 1t
contained his speeches and IDEAS on the tarlt,
finance the civil service and other subjects. Ii was
dedicated To has children, grandchildren and the
pupils of Co per institute. Mr.. Cooper mas latoy
OH IA
containing sketch Of his life. with "reminiscences
of tho great men whom hc has known aud the
great events IN which he has taken part.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND HABITS
Few persons among those who live IN New York
City. at least, and who have attended any consid
cradle number of public meetings, will require
any aid to recall the personal appearances of
Mr.. Cooper There have been few meet
iugs especially such were held TO pro
mote Industrial movements, in when his figure
did not dignity the platform. and to the thousands
who have enjoyed tho benefits yielded by his great
philanthropy his every feature was familiar, for he
was always in the midst Of his work In early life, it
IA said he WAS s.l2h OF figure aud delicate OF cOnsu-
tuition Strict living and no stunt OF WORK. however.
developed a strength and ylsor o. when Jhe traces
remained up TO the time OF ms last sickness IN II
strong voice and frame which thong1 stopped IN
DER The burden OF years yet capable vi consld-
cradle endurance. Mr. Cooper WAS tail man. HIS
features were less scanned aud turrowed than
thos. of many men twenty years younger.
and had kind and bonlgnant expression. His fore
head was broad and high and tho lines OF the sides
OF his face iapered from his temples TO his chm.
pair of old-fashuned spectaces with green side
shades covered his eyes and his hair, long and s-
very, hung down 10 his shoulders while a long
fringe OF white beard surrounded the lower
portion of hs face. Ills mInncrs were a ways cor
dial aud simple toward strangers and ho enjoyed
talking with them about his early llIe ana the
economic questions OF tins day Instead of abatlng,
his interest In the Institute grow with his years,
and though he was willing to put aside The claims OF
his business he .row more and moro engrOsSed III
his system of industrial education. lie used 10
visit the Institute every day, unless the weather
was violently stormy. and nearly every one oil tue
attacks of sickness hat came upon him of lato |
years was traceablo directly to exposure to cold
during these visits, or Oyer-taXat0n OF lnlnd
or body To his daughter Mrs. IIewi IT, |
who was the guardian of his health. those dai ly |
Il ~