The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-29
COOPER ENTERS
RACE FOR GOVERNOR
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leigh, L. Lee Gravely of Rocky
Mount, Lieut.. Gov. w. P. Horton
of P%ittsboro, and Revenue Com
missioner A. ]. Maxwell Of Ra-
leigh. Paul Grady of Kenly anu
Willis Smith of Raleigh, have said
they will announce this week.
Proposes Agreement
Cooper said he would ask all Of
the candidates to sign two agree
ments with him. His proposals
are:
1. That all candidates speak from
the platform in public debates, and
that no campaign speeches be made
except from public debate plat
forms where all other candidates
are appearing.
2. That the high man in the first
primary be unopposed in the second
primary.
II want the boys-the more the
merrier-to meet me on the same
PLATFORM" he grinned.
Governor Hoey has said he
wants a short campaign. I propose
that we shorten it by eliminating
the second primary"
Cooper was born in Mullins, S. c.,
and is Sc years old. He was con-
nected with a Wilmington bank
which failed in 1923, and served a
term in state prison and a term in
federal prison following convictions
of banking Irregularities.
He represented New Hanover
county in the legislature in 1895
and 1897, and was elected mayor Of
Wilmington in 1897. He also is
commissioner of public safety in
that city.
Will Ask For Leave
Cooper said he would ask for q
60-day leave of absence without
pay from his Wilmington duties,
so that he could campaign for gov
ernor. If his suggestion for public
debates among candidates is re-
jected, he will make a sound-truck
campaign of the state.
In answer 10 questions by report
ers, Cooper said the states tree
per cent sales tax should be re-
duced by one-half of one per cent
each biennium, until the levy was
completely repealed.
He said he favored local option
control of liquor, cheaper license
tag fees for automobiles, and high
er salaries for school teachers.
Teachers, he said, also should have
a reasonable retirement or pension
fund, and if I am elected governor
they will receive it, Or I will resign"
He replied as follows to ques.
tons:
Labor-"I stand uneuuivocally
for organized labor am equally
as strong for capital. If I am elect
ed governor it will be my purpose
to see that capital and labor do not
lock horns, but to the contrary
that they lock arms"
Judges salaries-"I am not op.
posed to judges getting a decent
salary, but I am opposed to any
men or set of men getting an in
crease Of $1,000 in pay who does
not need it, when school teachers
receive less than $1,000 a year."
Automobile license tags-"I am
for SIS automobile tags for passen'
ger cars, with 80 days grace in or
der that the poor people who have
spent all their money at Christmas
may have an opportunity to drive
their cars, and also for the benefit
of farming folks, so they can get to
town in the event Of bad weather.
Pensions
Pensions-Pensions should be set
UP for teachers, and also for fire
men and policemen. Nonresident
fire insurance companies should be
taxed to provide retirement funds
for firemen, and nonresident auto
mobile insurance companies shoulo
be taxed two per cent to provloe re-
tirement funds for policemen.
Agriculture-"I think the farmers
have beer hell-hacked long enough,
but how we can help them is a
matter which will require a lot OF
study by a practical farmer. I am
in favor of doing everything e a
sonable to alleviate troubles of
farmers. I was born and reared on
a farm-started blowing when ]
was 10, when my father died."
Liquor-'I am in favor Of each
county's running it's wi affairs.
I am opposed to liquor in all its
forms and do not know Of any man
who has ever been benefited
by use of liquor in any Of its
forms I am opposed to putting
liquor in any county unless the
people say at the ballot box that
they are in favor of it."
! Cooper was asked how he would