The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-06-27
EX-CONGRBssMAN COOPER on
THE DRIFT OF SENTIMENT.
BOTH PARTIES WILL DECLARE
FOR IT WHETHER OR NO.
No Strengthening of the Populist Likely
General HarrisOn's Chances Are
Very Good for Nomination by
the Republican Party.

ed in this city this afternoon from hi:
home in Columbus. Mr.. Cooper is one OF
the prominent Democrats of Indiana who
has stood firmly for sound money and the
policy of the administration, while the
great free silver tidal wave has swept
over the country, and he is today as firm
ly welded to that policy as he was when
he voted for the repeal of the Sherman law
during the last congress.
1T is really a symbol of thoughtfuness
and intelligence" said Mr.. Cooper this
afternoon, "for a man to favor sound
money This may sound somewhat ego
| tistical, but / believe it to be fact In
Indiana | know hundreds of men who
have been free silver men, but who have
declared themselves for sound money.
In my home | meet such men daily. On
the other hand, / cannot recall one in
stance in which a man has favored sound
money and has then gone over to the free
coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to l
without any restriction as to an interna-
| tional agreement.
| 'There is another element that. | am
sorry to say, is showing itself in this sill
yer debate. 1t is hard on silver men to
say that they are influenced by dishonesty
III wanting free coinage, but only short
tlme ago in my own town a speech favor
| ing free coinage was made by man who
| admitted that he was deeply in debt. that
he thought 30 per cent of the people of the
| entire country were in debt, and if they
would have free coinage they could pay
off their obligations in a currency less val
| liable than that under which those obliga-
tions were contracted. That speech was
gwen out for publication, and that argu-
ment was looked upon as an important
one. If that is not dishonest. | do not
know what dishonesty is.
But, as | have said. believe the drift
today is very much in favor of sound
money. SO far as the Democratic party
is concerned in its national platform, it
has always stood for an honest policy
and a sound currency, if we except the
platform of 1869, which was in favor of
paying off the national debt in greenbacks,
or in other words, paying off debt with
another debt. Of course it is unfortunate
and am sorry to have to say that the
Democrats of the country are not so well
schoOled on the financial question as are
the Republicans.
During the long term of power of the
Republican party that party had to carry
out q financial policy, while the Demo
Gratis campaigns We're chiefly carried
through criticism. do not believe that
at any period if the Democrats had come
into power, and if they should come into
power in 1897, whatever should be the
platform on which they had gained sue
cess, that the administration would have
the rashneSS to actually leap into unim.
ited, independent free coinage of silver
at 16 to l. 1t is well enough for horse
to balk and rear when it has 10 load on
its back, but when it is loaded the situa-
ton is different. With the responsible
lty on their shoulders, no president or sec
rotary of state, and no administration
would actually put such policy into exc
cution. The results would be too disas-
trOus.
But | firmly believe that the Demo-
cratic party, as well as the Republican
party, will adopt a sound money plat
form in its national cOnvent.bl. What :
more, | believe that the silver democrats
will support the nominee of their party.
l find in Indiana that, while the free sill
yer sentiment has been so general. many
Democrats are caused to come into sup
port of the administration and of a sound
money policy by the abuse that is being
thrown on the president and Secretary
Carlisle. The party feeling among Dem
ocrats is very strong and while men will
tight for certain principles when it comes
to giving up their party they hesitate.
1T is for this reason that | do not anti
cipate any great strengthening of the Pop
pists from either the Republican or Dem
ocratic ranks. The Populists have no
leaders that the country would place con-
hdence in. 10 be sure a man may get
great nOtoriety and be talked of in the pa
perS of the United States by not wearing
his socks, but when it comes to having
the people of the country place the admin
istration of public affairs in the hands of
men who have gained nOtOriety in various
ways, it is a different matter.
II think there is no danger of the peO-
pie of this country giving their support
to Jerry Simpson, to Mr.. Sibley to PEI
fer or to others who might be named in
connection with them. To be sure, these
gentlemen have good qualities. and / do
not wish to speak too harshly about them,
hut they are not the ones with whom To
place the responsibility for administering
the affairs of a great government. This
is an off year, and politics cannot be seen
in its most serious light at such a time.
| believe that We're Il vote To be taken to-
day on free coinage of silver the South
and the West, regardless of parry lines,
would favor free coinage. But we have
before us year in which to educate the
voters, and by the time the national con-
ventions meet the serious people of the
country VIII nave seen lldl Nee cOlluSe
is not Il practical measure"
How do You regard Mr.. Harrison'S
chances for denomination? was asked.
81 believe that Mr.. Harrison will be
nominated by the Republican party. | be-
lieve that Indiana will favor him. When
left Washington, upon the adjournment
of congress, l thought that Mr. Harrison
had no chance whatever. The opinion
was. perhaps, formed because of my as
ISOLATION with men who favored Mr.. Reed
and Mr.. Mckinley. But since then l have
seen such overwhelming evidence of Mr..
Harrison's strength that l am convinced
that he will he renominated. Mr.. Harri
son cannot be blamed for the Sherman
law by any of the leading Republican can
didates. Mr.. Mckinley voted for it, and
Mr.: Crisp assisted in its passage.
The Harrison administration must be
pronounced a good one by al these Re
publican leaders, and then there is SEN
timent throughout the country in regard
to Mr.. Harrison because he was defeated
by Mr.. Cleveland"
REPORTS UNFOUNDED.
Washington. June 24.-AIiniste- Dupuy
DE LONE says that the killing of Captain
CampOS. said to be the son of General
Campos, is without foundation, as is
also the report coming via Tampa that a
Sanguinary battle was fought on the 18th
IN which many We're killed.
Il am surprised" said he, Fat the sys-
tprn1 +ip Donupr j., which +bis ,,roro Io