The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-13

| 1t remained for DIR. Cyrus Thompson
made mad by his own inconsistent politi
cal course and driven to desperation by
| the corruption of the present administra
| ton, to make charges against Capt
Cooke. If Capt Cooke had remained
silent. the charges would not have been
believed. People in North Carolina dc
not change their opinion of a mans char
acter which they have been slow in
forming, because of the detraction of a
politician who has himself never done
ANYTHING to gain their confidence. But
Capt. Cooke did not choose to ask the
abundant evidence that he had been
slandered. The letter we print to-day
gives proof that the confidence of the
people in Charles Mather Cooke has not
been misplaced. 1t confirms all that his
friends believed. 1t confounds the politi-
cal enemies (for he has no others) who
had sought to put a stain upon his name
as an offset for the proven crimes of
their officials. A leading Republican
yesterday said: 1T is conclusive and
meets and demolishes all the intimations
and charges against his official integri-
ty." That will be the verdict of every
honest man in the State when he reads
Capt Cookies full and explicit state
ment.
But bad as it is to try to smirch the
character of a living man, DIR. Thomp-
sons assaults upon the late Col. Will
liam l.. Saunders and Capt. Octavius
Coke, brave and honest men who sleep
the sleep of the just, is worthy only of
a man lost to all sense of manliness and
who has become human hyena. Capt
Cooke shows clearly how it is that
Col. Saunders and Capt Coke could have
collected less money than DIR. Thomp-
son and have turned over every dollar
are sealed. If they were living we have
no doubt that they could take up DR..
ThOmpsonS statement rejecting upon
their integrity and tear the tissue of
falsehoods in pieces just as Capt. Cooke
has exposed the falsehoods circulated
with reference to him. A man who
would make false statements about the
living would not hesitate to go into the
graves of the dead and try to put
and a failing cause. The people knew
Col Saunders and Capt. Coke. Neither
of them cared for money, and both died
poor. No dishonest dollar even stuck to
their hands. 1t may be that they were
not expert accountants. 1t may be that
DR.. Thompson cannot find a record of
every transaction, but any suggestion
that either of them was dishonest is
as false as were the statements about
Capt. Cooke which he has exposed.
We have fallen upon evil days when
mems character is thus wantonly and
maliciously assailed by a man elevated
to the most lucrative office in the State.
The time was when men elevated to
high office were as careful not to reflect
upon the integrity of others as they
were to preserve their own integrity.
1t should always be so. Nobody's char
acter is safe from assault when a politi-
cal hyena is elevated to Il high office,
and from his lofty position breathes out
falsehoods of the living and ISLANDERS of
the dead.
Let us have high standard for our
public officials. Let the corrupt be ex-
posed and the upright feel safe from the
detraction at least of men chosen to
public place. We will have such condi-
tions when men are elected to office
because they stand for principles, and
do not go into office as the result of
bargain, by which they sacrifice their
professed principles and betray the hum
BILE men who trust them.