The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-07-21
Cooper the Man.

"Ol1 cdo Gu0 SGduu tu0 NOWS uno UcShOh
on the question of Congressman from
the first district, We feel called upon to
state, though briefly, our reasons for
supporting Mr.. Cooper as against o.
NJ. Petit, the Racine Journals candi-
date from this city. For Mr.. Petit
personally the News has the utmost re-
spect. He is gentleman IF pleasing
address, high education and marked
abilities, especially as an executive.
His candidacy for Congress is, in our
opinion, however, at the pre- .ent very
i'll timed.
Mr.. Pettit's candidacy is the out
growth of purely local and personal
opposition on the part of the Racine
Journal to the present Congressman on
grounds so notorious that restate-
ment is unnecessary. 1t is not in sym
pathy with the public sentiment, nor
does it receive the support of even
considerable minority of the Racine
county voters. Indeed, the santi-
Cooper faction has confessed a great
lack of faith in the election of Mr.. Pet
tit, and acknowledge their ultimate
end to be the defeat of Mr. Cooper, If
that can be accomplished, at whatever
cost to the lake shore district.
81. A. Cooper, on the other hand, has
at present the undivided support of the
entire district. But should the OppO-
sition led by the Racine editor, develop
sufficient strength to threaten the
chances of the Racine Congressman
then Walworth county, now in SYM
pathy, will put up candidate who
would eventually draw enough from Mr..
Pettit's support to make his election
impossible, thus sacrificing wholly the
paramount interests of the lake shore.
Mr.. Cooper, moreover, is and of
right ought to be the representative of
this district in the House of Represen-
tatiYes. He has for three consecutive
terms been elected to that position,
and why? Because he has by his serv-
ices merited it. By hard work and
constant effort to serve the best in
terests of his country and his district,
he has gained significant recognition
of his labor as we'll as his ability. By
dint of arduous endeavor he has raised
himself to position which makes it
possible for him to render to Racine
and Kenosha the greatest possible
service Speaking of this the Milwau-
kee Sentinel says:
Representative Cooper is member
of the conference committee on rivers
and harbors, the first time in many
years that member from the North
west has attained this rank on this
important committee. His member
ship on the rivers and harbors'commit-
tee during the last session of Congress
was very beneficial to Wisconsin, as
we'll as to the whole Northwest"
The Importance of this position as
member of the rivers and harbors con
ference committee is scarcely realized
by the public. A rivers and harbOrs
bill must first be proposed by the rivers
and harbors committee and pass the
House. 1t then goes to the Senate,
which body frequently makes the most
radical changes in it. Then it comes
back to Jethe House, which refuses to
concur in amendments and requests a
conference. The conferees on the
part of the House are under invariable
practice, No. l on the rivers and
harbors committee, 9 the chairman;
No. 2, at present Mr.. Cooper, of Racine,
and the first Democrat on the list, at
present Gen. T. G. Catchings, of Mlssi-
sippi. They meet an equal number OF
conferees on the part of the Senate.
Now the vast power acquired by a
conferee lies in the fact that he can
hold all of his own items in the bill
regardless of what they are 1t is a
position OF the greatest Importance ana
as the Sentinel says, "No other mem
beI from the Northwest has reached it
in many years"
This position Mr.. Cooper holds today
All the powers and privileges of it are
his to use to the benefit of this and
Racine county. For a new member
to take Mr.. Cooper's place in that re-
spect would be impossible at least
before the lapse of several terms if
new representative would be so fortu-
nate at all.
For these reasons and because Mr..
Cooper is a true man and true
Republican found always on the side of
rirht apd national intouritV the