The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-08
SHOCKED BY COOKS
OF NATTER.

Ut MAI 1ESn
O.: Representing the Fair Associations
A.: Eyes, SIR"
O.: Mr.. Ripley. Secretary Of the Stats
Board Of Agriculture?'
A: IT don't remember. but I would not
be surprised"
O.: Putting 1t In a comprehensive way.
as you view the matter. when you came to
| sign the bill 1t seemed to be supported by
the representative agricultural interests of
| the Slater"
A: yes. and by the st. Louis Fair As
ISOLATION. which was possibly a benef-
ciary."
| O.: You knew at the time that Mr.. Cook
was not a State Official? Mr.. Cook was
also the editor of the Mexico I~ntelligencer.
was a resident Of Audrain County. and was
also president Of the Audrain County Fair
Association. or whatever the organization
was called?"
A: 1.-The Fair Association Of Mexico was
practically defunct at that time. I don't
know whether Mr.. Cook was president or
not
O.: DO you recall that the State Fair.
which has since been established ut Sedalfa.
was being agitated?"
A: "The State Fair was established on
a recommendation I made to the Legislature
a year after"
O.: "Had it not been q topic Of discussion
in the newspapers at that time?
A.. very little. i 10 not Ee"e"UcE. HI
never came to my attention II 1t was"
O.: You know that when the question Of
the State Fair and its location became
acute. Mexico was one Of the contestants
for the location?"
A.: Yes. sir"
O.: MFR. Cook never offered you n i'm
proper inducements for signing the bill?'
A.: mo. sir"
O.: "And you would have resented sueh
Inducements"
A.: Eyes. SIR"
O.: 'And you never made any statement
with respect to his connection with the bill
until in your interview or perhaps In mat
tiers leading up to that Of last weekT'
A.: "Oh. frequently. but not publicly"
O.: There was nothing that you regarded
in your duty as a public man to announce
on this sub1ect?'
A.: 'well. he was the only man who told
me that he was being paid for . thing OF
that sort. I was a little bit shocked re-
garding the statement Of his connection
with it."
O.: when was that?'
A: II don't know. I might have signed
1t that day or shortly after"
O.: Did It a any impression upon you
averse to the bilT'
A.: mo, sir: I signed It upon its merits"
O.: Are you prepared to tell the amount
which Mr.. Cook said?"
Before the question was finished. MI.
Stephens replied: INC. sir. I think 1t was
five thousand. but I am not sure
O.: That he told you he would get whsn
the bill was signed?"
A.: "Yes. sir"
O.: Did not Mr.. Cook tell you that Tho
of that bill would be Of great
benefit to the Mexico Fair Association"
A.: 81 don't remember. He might have
So"
O.: WAS he not urging upon that
pO:nt?"
A.: NO. that had nothing to do with II.
could not help the Mexico Fair Associa-
O.: "You made 10 public announcement
in regard to the bill?"
A.: NO. sir"
DID not REGARD BEER BILL
As "sANDBAGGlNG' MEAsCRE
,ou were Governor, passed both houses. and
you signed it?' 2
A.: YES. SIR"
O.: Ibid you hear arguments on that
rom interested parties?'
A.: "Yes. SIR"
O.: Brewers, and others?" J
A.: II don't think that brewers called
lpon me-"
O.: .Persons representing them-law-
A. Eyes. sir. lawyers" :
O.: You also got briefs and arguments
rom the Attorney General?'
A.: Eyes, sir" 7
O.: H entertained that view that the
ill was unconstitutional"
A.: YES, SIR"
O.: but you did not follow his advice IN
NATTER"
A.: mo. SIR"
O.: HAD you heard Of any corrupt innu-
.nces which secured the enactment Of that g
,ill?' d
A.: NO. SIR" =
O.: Had you heard anything to the ef.
ect that the brewers had been told that il {
hey would pay $4,000 the bill would be de. =
Gated and If not It would be passed." :
A.: mo. SIR" 5,
O.: Never heard IN any public places I
n the lobbies of hotels or around the legiss
alive halls-any suggestion of sinister I'M I
luences pushing that biIl?' !
A.: mo. SIR"
O.: Are you familiar-I mean as a mere
natter OF speech-with the phrase sand. :
agging.' as used in the newspapers and !
pplied to certain bills?' /
A.: Yes. sir"
Q.:.'Did you hear at any time during that I
ession or before you signed the bill thof (
rat was a .sand-bagging' bill?' !
A.: mo. sir. I favored the bill and did an
cold to put 1t through after Senator
'aris Introduced It."
O.: "l our Office as Governor In 4, sh> :
ame builctng with the legislative baIlsfe. 4
A.: Yes. ..ir."