The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-07-18
THURSDAY, JULY Is, 1918.
The Man VINO Stood Still.

preventative OF the FlTSC W1SCOuolH LIS
trict is getting on. All over the Dis
trict organizations opposed to his re-
election are being formed and the peo-
pie are taking little time to study
the record Of Mr.. Cooper as their re-
preventative and it is the study of this
record that is going to convince them
that Mr.. Copper has been in Congress
too long already.
If the voters read this record care
fully they are going to be convinced
that Mr.. Cooper is entitled to the dis
tinction of being "The Man Who Stood
Still -
Much is being said of the record of
Mr.. Cooper in the stirring two years
which have just passed. His warped
vision as to the part that the United
States should take in war for hu.
manity and his narrow vision and lack
Of foresight in grasping the real idea
Of Prussian aggression but we fail to
find in this wobbly record anything
different than is to be found in the
record of Mr.. Cooper ever since he first
landed in Congress with the right to
add the letters M. G. to the signature
of his letters.
The patriotic feelings which have
been aroused by our own boys fighting
in Europe and dying in France has
caused people to look more critically
at the official records of men. Were
it not for that fact it is improbable that
the action of Mr.. Cooper in the last
two years would have attracted any
more attention among the "home
folks' than it has in the other twenty
four years that he had been in Con-
gress. Initiative has not been strong
in the career of Mr.. Cooper in Con-
gress. After twenty six years in the
lower house he is no more of a nation
al figure today than he was when he
walked down the aisle Of congress
twenty six years ago in the blush of
young manhood ITO become representa-
tive of the District
Search the records of Congress as you
will, use a magnifying glass or a fine
toothed comb and you will not find any
where that Cooper has initiated any
great constructive lAgislation. He has
always been thSS %Man who stood
still" He has bSasa pretty regular
follower Of party orders. He has kept
himself regular" for the most part.
Once when he was peeved because he
failed to gain the recognition he had
expected in his party council he fiared
up. 1t was however only the whizz
and sputter of fire cracker with the
fuse pulled out and it brought nothing
either to Cooper or to the First Dis
trict.
He has insisted that his COMPRESSION
al career has been dwarfed ON account
of the fact that he was "ignored by
Joe Cannon" and "side tracked by
Champ Clark but it must be remem-
bered that Mr.. Cooper has been in Con-
gress almost as long as Joe Cannon and
infinitely longer than Champ Clark.
We submit to any fair minded man
that q man with the abilities of Mr..
Cooper should have established himself
and his influence so that it would have
been impossible for Joe Cannon to
ignore him or Champ Clark to side
track him. Lack of influence of a man
so long in Congress is due to either
one or two things-lack of ability or
the lack of energy to assert that ability.
The lethargic Mr.. Cooper is admitted
not to lack ability.
Friends of Mr.. Cooper may argue
that he has looked after the first dis
trict. That there has been the usual
appropriations for post Offices and har-
bors out 1t can be said that the "pork
barrel' habitues know no political di-
visions and that men who have votes
TO give for appropriations in other
parts of the country find it easy to
secure appropriations for their own
districts. Appropriations for harbors
and post offices count nothing in sizing
up the value of representative in
Congress.
Any Congressman can secure such
concessions if he is good trader.
Many of them have secured infinitely
more concessions for their district than
Mr.. Cooper.
His colorless record, devoid Of any
suggestion of great national leader
ship is the greatest argument for his
retiremnt and the sending to Congress
Of man who has red patriotic blood
in his veins and the ability and energy
to make thiscount not only for his dis
srict but also for his state and his
sation.
There has been no haste in the judy
ing of Mr.. Cooper. He has had twenty
nix full years in which he could as
'ert his claim to state and national
leadership and with record of not
me single piece of constructive legis-
alton to his credit he must be adjudged