The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-12-28
Murderous Bullet Upholds
Prohibition Amendment

Iditt was pay SN Dul4S'iAi III wa NoOA
er would be either wealthy man or
dead broke.
Somebody raised. Without Ticking
an eyelash Cooper nonchalantly push
ed stock of chips toward the center
OF the torn green cloth-and yaWned.
Some one called.
Cooper threw his cards down care
lessly.
You win, Dune a hoarse voice
said.
Chips worth thousands OF dollars
passed to Coopers side. One player
owed S17j. j.0O0-and didn't have a
cent left with which to liquidate his
Indebtedness.
Il own the controlling stock in the
Nashville American-it's yours he
said. or words to that effect.
And that was how Col. Duncan
Brown Cooper became the publisher
of one of Tennessee's most prominent
dailies.
Cooper had already served in the
state legislature. But he found more
fun in pulling the string that made
political puppets dance than in being
a puDpet himself. He became a po-
litical boss Of gigantic power, his pa
per his chief instrument.
Prestige of Family.
lie had not only the prestige that
Went with influence but also that Oh
family. His vile was cousin OF
President James h. Polk. One BROTH
er, Edmund, had been private secre-
tary to Andrew Johnson; another,
William, was Chief Judge OF the
Tennessee Supreme Court, and Harry
Cooper was also prominent in politics.
Cooper knew the intricacies OF the
counting room, but he was no man OF
the study. The American, flourish
ing daily, needed new blood to enllVen
it's editorial pages. Some one showed
the colonel a few editorials written
for a paper by country lawyer, Ned
Carmack.
Cooper was quick to spot talent in
them.
Get that man on my paper,' he
ordered.
Up from Columbia came the gaWky
lawyer, clad in homespun. That was
in Sc. His editorials attracted atten-
ton. So did his clothes. 4 brother
worker gently limited one day that the
man who could write such powerful
editorials should dress the part ac-
cordingly. So Ned Carmack went to
tailor, and under careful tutelage
soon fowered like the lily of the field.
Cooper and Carmack became boon
companions. The older man admired
the mental traits of the youngster,
who was beginning to ripen. Carmack
also had served a term in tha legisla-
ture. and his tongue was running his
pen close race for laurel wreaths.
Cooper became a national figure in
inner political circles. He spent much
of his time in Washington, where he
was admired by President Cleveland
and Democratic leaders, who realized
the power he held down South. The
years were beginning to tell on the
cavalier. His locks began to thin.
Duncan Cooper was Becoming bald.
Carmack was blossoming into virile
manhood. He had learned the ways
of the world. In 1883 he founded the
Nashville Democrat, and when it was
merged with the American he became
ed;tor-in-chief. In 1892 he was made
editor of the Memphis Commercial
Appeal.
Carmack was another Henry Wat
terson-with a bit more vitriol in his
ink bottle. and less of the milk of hu-
man kindness in his bosom. Where
Cooper was the suave cavalier, Car
mack was the dominating master OF
men, Cooper let other men carry out
his wishes. Carmack began to carry
out his own.
Wins Congress Seat.
In 1896 Carmack defeated for con-
gress in the 9th Tennessee Congress
sional district Josiah Patterson, an
other famous old warhorse of the re-
construction period. Carmack's flights
of oratory made him famous through
out the state. But where Cooper made
only friends, and those the kind that
clung to him with tentacles Of steel,
Carmack made friends who would die
for him--and enemies who would
rea div have killed him.
The wheel Of political fortune turn
al ovid rorn,ocl; was sent to the T-ni-