Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-12-16
MR.. COOK AND GOV. STEPHENS.


Mr.. Cook says: SIN his interview
Stephens assumes that those
who favor cooperation OF
the silver forces in this State are in
favor of a division of the State tick
Is this assumption a violent one, Mr..
Cook, on the part of the Governor?
Are you willing to deny that you are
not now engaged in the work of at
tempting to split the State ticket in
Missouri next year and two years fol-
MIR. Cook states further: "In tax
ing this position Governor Stephens
echoes what the gold Demo-
cratic press of the State has been re-
peating for the last several weeks"
Such rot! Such demagoguery! If
he has no better argument with
to weaken the Governors po-
why attempt to do it by shak-
ing the red flag? The Governor has
been a free silver man too long to be
by such puny efforts. He
has the confidence not only of the
free silver Democracy, but of all the
in Missouri, and he is known
to be courageous and honest in all
and at all times.
Further on NH. Cook says: sIf
this means anything at all it means
that when Governor Stone, with Can
didate Stephens approval, undertook
70 ,nifo tho optf.onId fCrooa in Mis-
souri, last year by having a represent
alive Populist placed IN the Demo-
cratic State ticket, he was simply at
tempting to buy Populist votes. 1t
that when later the Chairman
of the Democratic State Committee,
with others deeply interested in the
of the State ticket, in the
special interest and at the urgent re-
quest of Candidate Stephens, endeav-
ored to effect a more perfect union OF
Populist nominees on the Democratic
State ticket,it was a barter of prin-
ciple for office"
Perhaps some efforts were made to
get one of the nominees on the DEM
ocratic State ticket to surrender his
and give it to a Populist.
Mr.. Cook should have profited by the
lesson that experience taught him.
How many candidates on the State
ticket were willing to yield his we'll
earned honor to the Populists? This
is the position Governor Stephens
now takes. A three-story brick house
does not have to fall on him to teach
him something, and the especial in
terest" Mr.. 8. B. Cook speaks of hav-
ing taken in Governor Stephens will
be news to the Democracy generally
of Missouri who rather suspect the
Chairman took special interest in
nothing but the national ticket and
very little in the head of the State
ticket.
Mr.. Cook says: "We do not regard
dishonorable the action of the
nominee for Supreme
Judge in Nebraska in accepting a
place on the State ticket with the
and silver Republicans, o
did the Populist and silver Republican
sacrifice any principles in
accepting positions with the Demo-
cratic candidates"
Mr.. Cook has forgotten that the
in Nebraska are in the
minority, while in Missouri they are
in the majority. No Missouri Demo-
crat is Directing to the fusion in Ne
braska, but when a Populist, a silver
Republican and a Democrat appeared
the same ticket in Nebraska vas it
called a Democratic ticket, a Pop
ulist ticket, a silver Republican ticket,
what? The Missouri Democrats do
not propose to compromise their
every other year with war
ring factions in order to quiet them.
Mr.. Cook says: SIT will also be
difficult for most Democrats to COM
prehend by what sort of reason Gov
ernor Stephens reaches the conclusion
that fusion in counties, judicial Cir
cults, congressional and senatorial
districts is proper, but that fusion on
the state ticket would be buying the
Populists with the Democratic nomi-
nation"
Col. Cook ought to have read the
Governors interview the second time.
The Governor favors fusion, as he
says plainly, in places where it requires
the coalition of Populists, Democrats
and silver Republicans to defeat Re-
publicanism. In some counties and
districts in Missouri this is the case,
but it is not the case in the grand old
state of Missouri. The
position is a proper one
and it is endorsed by ninety-nine per
cent of the silver Democrats, Pop
ulists and silver Republicans in the
state.
Mr.. Cook says again: "As a mat
ter of fact, there has been no advo-
cacy of a division of the state ticket"
Then why are you yelling? If there
is not, you should endorse the position
taken by the Governor and should not
attempt to place him in an improper
light before the Populists land silver
Republicans and to accuse him of
inconsistency.
Mr.. Cook says: "Whether or not
t Is best from a standpoint of party |
interest to consider fusion at this time
8 a question upon which intelligent
differ"
In this instance Mr.. Cook is correct
that is, if he refers to a fusion which
means the splitting OF the state DEM
'cratic ticket. If he thinks that the
Democrats differ as to
usion in the Republican counties and
districts he is mistaken. The Dem
'crats will win a grand victory again
lext year, and two years from now, if
hey r true to their principles.
the last campaign they were
'nabled to secure the confidence of
he people by throwing overheard
he deadbeats, camp followers, dema-
'ogues and traitors. To win again 1t
nay be necessary to throw overheard
few more Of this class who are under
uspicion.
Chairman Cook closes his illogical
eply to Governor Stephens by say
ng: "Sincere Democrats everywhere
7ill regret that the Governor of the
Democratic state in the Union
hould unnecessarily antagonize the
'olicy upon which MIR. Bryan made
is wonderful campaign in '96 and
pom which he will be elected in 1907
The only trouble about this closing