The state herald., 1890-03-07
GOVERNOR COOPER SPEAKS.
His Statement about the Recent Sale
of School Land below its Value.

/ 'hS SNokOV'Suk a0ouk VIE nCtCIt SatG
of School Land below its Value.
At meeting OF the State Land
Board ut Denver on the first, Governor
Cooper made some remarks In regard To
the newspaper charges concerning the re-
cent sale of land near Denver. He said
81 have an earnest request to make OF
you and have put my words In writing In
order that may not be misquoted In the
| newspapers. You ure all probably cOgnz.
ant OF the fact that the Denver Republi.
can has openly accused me particularly Of
! conspiracy, fraud und corruption In connec-
tion with tho recent sale of public lund by
authority OF this board beyond Argo. II
accuses me also Of falsehood In saying
that thought signed tho Whitford Ger
| ttticate of sale on Wednesday or Thursday
OF last week, the nineteenth or twentieth
| OF February, and alleges my skillful insin
uation that signed II instead on Monday
OF this week, the twenty fourth of Febru-
| ary. As u matter Of fact did not attach
serious Importance at the time tho ques-
tion was asked me to the matter OF when |
signed 1t, only regretted that it had been
signed. But find by the record since this
infamous accusation of falsehood with an
insinuation OF corruption has drawn my
serious attention to the matter, that !
signed IL, us the land oflicc record and the
treasurcr's record will show. on Wedncs-
day the nineteenth. So much TO the ques.
tion of falschood
IL Is assorted by the Pueblo Chiefifdil
OF Thursday, the twenty seventh Of Feb.
runry, that Just previous to the meeting OF
TINS board TO determine on the sale OF this
Argo tract, sent messenger to each OF
you requesting you TO approve tho sale Us
u favor to my friend, Mr.. Lothrop. II this
IS true, gentlemen, you know 1t, and II you
know II to be true desire you to tell 1t
everywhere. AS u natter Of fact, you
know. of course, that 1t is not true, and
YOU Will appreciate my disgust that tho
Chicttidn should allow itself to be made
me vehicle OF such clumsy and idiotic
faisehood, which is only one of many
equally stupid which 1t has uttered against
me. This false statement was copied in.
10 tho Denver RCpublic6n yesterday
morning, US welcome addition to its own
budget OF falschoods and insinuntions in
the same line.
Now, as TO tho Argo sale and my signing
of the Whtlord certificate. The sale took
place on tho lith, as You know. thought
IL WAS perfectly regular, and indeed 1t
proves TO have been. But fear we were
not sufficiently watchful of the interest
committed TO our charge in not having 1t
moro extensively advertised. The price OF
tue Ian would certainly have warranted
q more liberal expenditure for advertising,
Out you know how much we leave those de
tails to the register. He seems to have
complied with the law and to have done all
lie had right to do without special in
structions from the board. I attach no
blame to him. The blame we must share
among ourselves, and | accept my part OF
1t,
signed the Whitford certificate on
Wednesday the 18th. The Republicans
first attack on the sale was made in the is
sue OF that morning as | reccllect. ! had
glanced at II but did not read it with care
and received tho impression that it was
mainly continuation of the chronic war
fare between the Republican and the
Times, Subsequently | discovered tAat
the matter seriously concerned the board
and made an effort to recall the Whitford
certificate from the register but was too
late. From the first moment that my ser.
ious attention was called 10 the limited cir
cu!ation OF the Weekly Times was OF the
opinion that we ought to rescind tho sale
on the ground that the advertisement was
not sufficient. In the line of that purpose
refused on the 10th TO sign the Baker Ger
lihcate when II was presented to me and
have not yet signed it. The Goth was
Thursday, the day following that on which
signed the Whitiord and four days prev
ious to the date on which the Republican
charges that signed the Whitford ccrtih-
cate IN defiance of public opinion.
Now. gentlemen, though from the first
have stood ready TO advise and ap-
prove the resembling OF the Argo sale, aud
am still OF the opinion that 1t should b.
rcscinded, since SO important and
influential u paper as the Republican has
charged me personally with falschood,
iraud, corruption and bribery in that con
nection, decent self-respect aud n proper
regard for the opinion OF the people who
have confided their highest trust TO my
charge, us well rs respect for the wide and
raI In AI el... a..l.
next to the public schools. | look upon,
when wisely and honorably conducted, as
the most benignant influence in our gov
crnmcnt-these conditions compel me to
ask you 10 with hold any action on that
Argo sale until II can be determined, 10 the
entire satisfaction OF nil reasonable citi-
zcns, whether or not any unlawful or im
proper influence was brought to bear In tho
transaction, and especially whether or not
the chief magistrate of the State is guilty,
rs charged by the Republican,, of false.
hood and OF corruptly trading upon the
public property Of the State for political
influence. Any public servant guilty OF
the ofcnscs charged upon me by the
Republic ~ should be indicted and con
victcd, whether he be Governor, Prcsi.
dent or the humblcst officer to whom u
public trust Is committed.
In the conduct NJ my administration
have spared nu ~ un--docr against the
Government, but n..,u faithfully cndeav-
orcd, according to ny modest ability, to
fulfill tho obligations OF the oath took TO
see that the Jaws OF the State shall be i'm
partially enforced upon all. To those laws
and TO tho public opinion which gives
them force acknowledge myself us fully
amenablc as the humblest citizen OF the
State, and therefore request YOU TO sus.
pend action on this Argo matter till the
accusations OF tho Rcpiibiindn against my
integrity have been settled TO the satisfnc
ton OF public opinion.
do not regard this, gentlemen, as u
question purely personal To myself. II is
matter that concerns the honor and ma.
tcrinl welfare OF tho State, that goes deep
into the question OF moral securities. The
influence OF the press Is powerful and can
not be safely Ignored. For good or evil, II
Is with us and must bc recognized rs well
when u condemns Us when II iattcrs. II
allowed TO disseminate among the people
the notion that public life Is wholly cor
rupt, then II will inevitably create u cor.
rupt public life by encouraging the belief
that corruption is the only road TO success,
which hold TO be false always and every.
where.
owe much To the prcs' Of Colorado, l be
licvc In the general rec; t,idc OF Its motives,
value Its good opiulon and ask this de-
lay In order TO put these accusations on
trial before Jury Of the press. and let my
aecnscr or me stand or fall by the truth.
shall invohellcxactiy the Judgment OF
that public opinion, 10 determine between
me and the Rcpubiicdn In this matter,
which that paper claims condemns my
action already. Aud confess natural
curiosity TO see II II win have the honesty
10 confess its error after the outrageous
iaischoods u has uttered when the verdict
Is rendered"
II was proposed that the sale OF the land
be rcsclndod, but action was deferred until
the NTH.