The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-04-19

was an active participant in the busi-
ness, in the philanthropy, and in
the politics of the day. Rarely in
any country, and least of all in ours.
does man at that age show the vir-
ility of body and the viyor of intel +,
lect necessary to De candidate for
the highest public Office in the gift of
the nation.
THE CABLE AND THE COOPER UNION
The two great works with which
Peter Cooper's name will always be
connected are the Atlantic Cable
and the Cooper Union. In the former
he was the associate and firm sup
porter OF such men as Marshal o.
Roberts, Moses Taylor, Wilson G.
Hunt. and Cyrus w. Field; of the
latter-ol!e Of the grandest works
ever devised by any private person
he was the sole originator and found
er.
Whel. Mr.. Cooper was about sixty
five years old he was President of the
North American Telegraph Compa
ny, owning more than ~one-half the
lines then in use in America, and he
was then elected President of the
New York, Newfoundland & London
Telegraph Company, which company
intended laying a cable across the
Atlantic Ocean. The innumerable
difficulties encountered bv this
company at first would have dis
courayed any put the most determin
ed men. Mr.. Cooper personally SUI
perintended the laying Of the cable
across the Gulf of ST. Lawrence to
Newfoundland. and owing to the ig
norance Of the captain Of the steamer
he first cable was lost. When the
second was lai,l successfully, Mr..
Cyrus W. Field went to England to
'ger subsc:ip,i' MS for the Atlantic
cable, anc this cable was also LAID
successfully. Only about 400 mes
sases passed through 1t. however.
Isince its construction was faulty.
Then followed the failure of 1866,
the success Of the next attempt, the
recovery of the second cable. AMI
since then a general encirclirg of the
earth with a network OF tele2raphic
wires ALI these great results were
largely due to Mr.. Choppers practical
aid in money and business ability.
The institution which will hand
Peter Cooper's name down to a Srate-
ful and appreciatin2 posterity is the
Cooper Institute. Early IN life he
had felt the difficulties that young
people meet in seeking education in
art and science. He determined to
aid those who should come after him
BY placing within the reach of any
one in his native city the means OF
getting such education as each per
son might mo need. The building
for the Cooper Union was begun in
1855. on its present site at the june
ton of Third and Fourth avenues
and Eighth street. The first cost
amounting to more than S60O.OO0-
and all the expenses of the Union.
have been betrayed by MI. Cooper.
The plan Of the Union is based large
" upon the working OF the Polytech
mic School of Paris. There are free
schools for instruction in the asthet-
ic and industrial arts and in scientific
lie artme nts beyond the teaching
given in the public schools. There
are regular courses of lectures On
subjects of art, science, political and
social economy, and literature, and
more than twenty professors and in
structors are employed at an annual
expense of $4,000. This grea: ex
4 pense is met by the endowment be
slowed by Mr.. Cooper and by the
rental of business stores in the build
ing. which is. of course, equally his
) Gift Nowhere in the, world, can s
finer monument to any man 8 memo
ry be found than this unostentations
building in the midst of thlcklA
settled city, in which thousands nov
Iliving and thousands yet to come
will always bear in grateful remem
; brance the name of the henefacto
who helped them to educate them
selves and lay the foundation OF tbei
success and happiness.
MIR. Cooper had six children OF
whom four died in childhood. The
two who grew up are Ed"ard Cooper
cx-Ma, or of t:,is city, and Mrs. Sasal
Amelia Hewitt, wife Of Abraham S
Hewitt.
NIr. Cooper was never a politician
and, except a. Alderman of New
York city, he never held any publi
office.
II S POLITICAL CREED.
} Mr.. Cooper was an enthusiasm
) supporter OF the puternat theory i
!. gov rnment. He believed that tn
;. National Government ought to pro
:, vide for the comfort and prosperit.
5 of the whole population, so that ther
should be no more suffering and want
He favored the encouragement OF ln
e migration by Government grants o
money and land. and he believe'
e strongly in the wisdom Of public III
v provements OH a large scale At Gov
Y ernment expense.
4 His financial theories were founde
h on what IS called thu. fiat doctrine
: namely. that the Government coui
n create money by simply printing