The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-13
Congressman Cooper Made Matters
Worse by Attempting TO Explain.
Rising in the House to q Question Of Privilege,
He Reed a Statement That Compelled His
Friends to Bow Their Heads in Shame.
Admitted that He Knew His Name Was
Wrongfully Used by Pension Agents,
And Concluded with Cowardly Attack on
Commissioner Raum, for Which lie Was
Called TO Order by the Speaker.
MADE HIS CASE WORSE.

Cooper Makes n Lamo Explanation of Etc
Doings, and Attacks Raum.
Special 20 the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 12.-"Poor Cooper;
the more he talks the worse he gets his
foot into it,"
This was the exclamation heard upon
every hand this afternoon on the door of
the House as Representative George Will
lam Cooper. of Indiana, the author of the
Pension Office investigation. labored. under
q question of personal privilege. To explain
how 1t was that his private secretary was
permitted 40 use the official privile ges aud
prestige of the member frem the Fifth dis
trict to call up pension cases and sell the
information obtained to constituents at S3
apiece. Cooper entered a most earnest de-
NAL that he himself had directly profted
by the pecaiilloes of his clerk. but he made
matters worse whom he frankly admitted
that he had first authorized Maring IL
Slusher. pension agents at his own home.
to use his name to obtain Information at
the Pension Office TO be sold then Henry
Clay Peet, of the same place, and added
that il was with the distinct understand
ing that his name should not be used for
pension cases outside of the Fifth con-
gressional district of Indiana. He said he
thought the agents should be paid for their
services.
AMAZED HIS FRIENDS.
The admission almost startled the Holse.
There was a dead silence. Cooper's friends
looked at him IN amazement. then hung
their heads in shame. 1t was an open adj
mission that he was perfectly willing that
HE name should be used TO extort SO or So
apiece from the soldiers. their widows and
orphans or dependent parents for the infOr-
nation they were entitled TO without ex-
pense. but he was unwilling that his name
should be used for such purposes in pen
sion cases outside of his own district. He
probably presumed that his constituents
would not believe that he would lend his
name for such O purpose. After that an
nOuncement it made ne difference what
Mr.. Cooper said in his own behalf. he had
condemned himself
Although spoken in the most serious
tones. Mr.. Cooper's reference TO Henry
Clay Peet as a personal relative created n
roar of laughter. lie said Peet was not
his relative: that he was his brothers
brotner-in-law. 1t was such n fine dis
tinction without difference that even the
Democrats had to laugh heartily. Mr..
Cooper read his personal explanation from
carefully prepared manuscript. and he had
not proceeded very far until he began a
covert attack upon the Commissioners of
Pensions. charging him with having alb
straeted from the files of the Pension Office
certain letters he himself had sent TO Com
missioner Tanner which would eXculpate
him from any Intentional wrong in the sale
of his political and official influence, or
permit any others to do it.
CALLED TO ORDER.
Immediately Republican members of the
House arose and made point of order
against such a proceeding. They Shove d
that Mt. Cooper was abusing the privilege;
he was not speaking to the subject upon
which he secured the floor. Speaker Crisp
was IN the chair. and he saw the injustice
of the turn Mr.. Cooper was taking. aud
several times called him down" liz was
plain from thc start that Mr.. Cooper could
not satisfactorily explain himself out of
the hole in which he found himself and
turn it TO General Raum. He also incorpO-
rated into his remarks, which he said were
for distribution in his district IA public
document, q number OF letters from his
constituents upon the subject of the use of
Pension Office slips and the sale of informal
ton obtained upon his name. the design
being TO throw around the whole affair such
n halo of mystery to lead the reader to
lose sight OF the main issue.
Mr. Coopers own explanation was amply
sufficient TO have convicted him in the
MINDS of an unprecedented jury. as 10 most
certainly will In the minds of the people OF
his district. The more he talked the worse
he made his predicament. lie labored I'M
der great embarrassment, showed exceed
ing obsequIousness, and reminded one OF q
drowning man grasping at a straw. lie
took number of very unfortunate steps
in his anxiety 10 smirch General Raun,
one beng the introduction of letters from
ex-CommIssiOner Ianner-one written n
day or two ago. which was intended to
show that Mr.. Cooper had addressed LETT
tiers 10 the former Commissioners of PEN
sions on the subject of the improper use of
Pension Office slips bearing his name. In
one of these letters Mr. Tanner stated that
he had himself called Mr.. Cooper's atten-
ton to the rcprehensible practice of using
slips TO help pension agents and had
thrown hundreds of them into the waste
|. basket without giving them any heed; that
1t would be entirely out OF place 10 Get the
printing presses of the country IN motion
to turn out slips TO DO used In that manner,
ana 1t positively could not be permitted.
press dispatch. in descrl bling the scene
in the House. says that Mr.. Cooper was
proceeding TO critlclse the action OF tho
Pension Once when he was interrupted by
A1r. Lind OF Minnesota with a point OF or
der tie said that il was not only had
taste. but against every rule of courtesy
and decency. and against the rules OF the
House. TO discuss an issue which was now
being investigated by a special committee.
1t was out of order for the gentleman TO
take up and review eX parte letters and
statements rejecting on the action of the
bureau. After some little discussion. Mr..
| Cooper was allowed To proceed. but had not
| gone far when he entered upon a criticism
of Commissioner Raum and was called to
order by Mr. Hopkins of Illinois. He
| spoke few more sentences. and made an
alluston TO "spies and creatures OF CON-
missioner Raum and was again called TO
order by Mr.. Burrows of Michigan, and
again by Mr.. johnson of Indiana. Ar.
! Cooper proceeded with his statement. how
m ha nrnceQded "A
! road. At each step be encountered opposi-
| ton. and the Speaker finally said that the
Rentleman's remarks were more largely adj
dressed to assaiiing Commissioners Raum
than to answering any charges made
against himself. Mr.. Cooper was then per-
mitted 10 conclude his remarks without
further interruption.