Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-14
He IS NAN OF TIE PEOPLE
Secret of the Popularity Of Ex-Governor
Gear Among the Hawkeyes.
HE KNOWS AND WELCOMES EVERYBODY
Caught Ills Rivals Mapping In the Race for
the Senatorial Position and Will Very
Likely BE the Choice of
the Caucus.

DIES MONIES, Jan. 13.-TSpecial Telegram
to The BEE. In the senatorial contest
Gear has caught his rivals mapping.
From the very hour that it became known
that James f.. Wilson would retire Hon.
John Gear has had his eye on that senatorial
seat. His son-in-law, j. w. Blythe, was
early taken into his councils and through
him Chairman Blythe of the state central
became interested. The Blythes
never do things by halves. In winter, while
his rivals nave complacently toasted their
shins by the fire, Gear has patiently sawed
wood. In summer, while the whole Gear
contingent has been making hay, his would
be competitors have been snoozing in the
shade and have only seemingly awakened
as the frosts of early autumn come to wither
and destroy their political ambition. A
member from the far northeast was asked
why he supported Gear. He said: "Aly
people nearly all want Gear. They know
him. Why, he has tished in nearly
every creek in my county, and can
call half my constituents by name" That
seems to be the secret of Gears great popu-
larity. He is a great sportsman. Donnlng
n hunting suit, with dogs and fishing tackle,
he has plunged through the forests and
fields of northeastern Iowa, sleeping on the
ground and boarding with the farmers, until
his name has become n household word in
all that vast rek ion. Whether his designs
against the finny tribes were successful or
not his angling in that region has certainly
resulted in a good catch of votes.
Then Gears well known personal habits
have been a source of much strength. AS u
handshaker he is unequaled. When you
enter his rooms and look around IN q half
ran nod ,ztn, ~ hn mo ,irhf ont tn Vnn with a
broad smile on his face, grasps your hand,
draws you up to him aud says: II am the
man you are looking for. How do you do!'
and you capitulate unconditionally. Then
he remembers names. Chow are YOU, John.
IT is nearly ten years since | have seen you.
How are the folksf' is q familiar greeting.
These are some of the reasons way, in
spite OF IL. locality being against him., III
spite of his age and in spite of the threats
against Allison, in the event OF his success,
that after Il few complimentary ballots for
favorite sons the majority of the republican,
legislators, in Joint convention assembled,
will honor the Des MONIES county statesman
with Il unanimous nomination and bestow
upon hln the senatorial mantle so long
worn by James f. Wilson.
stones Committee Appointments.
The Gear men are in the saddle by the
grace of Speaker Stone. The anti-Gcar ele-
ment has been almost completely ignored in
the makeup of the house committees. EX-
Speaker Mitchell of Adams, a Hepburn man,
who is the only real lawyer elected, is dis
placed from the Craftsmanship of the judi
ciary committee and the position given to u
man who is classified as a farmer and who
withdrew from the race for speaker in Stones
favor. Van Glider of Warren, his leading
opponent, is placed at the head of the
committee on schools. OF the hfty-three
chairmauships the Gear men get fully one
half, including many of the more important,
while the second choice Gear men get eight
or ten more. The railroad committee OF the
house has only two or three pronounced anti
monopolists out of sixteen members.
Conceding Gear the forty votes already
gotten he will lack only fifteen more. When
Lacey's forces go TO pieces he expects TO get
Senators Waterman of Wapello and Con
away of Mahasku. and Representatives Jay
of Monroe and Blanchard of MahasKa
from Hepburn, Senator Jameson OF
Clark and Representative loudes OF
| Shelby, and from Comm, Sessions of
Kossuth, Young of Calhoun, Brooks of
Boone and hangen of Worth. Should Per
kins drop out Of the race Chassell of Ply
mouth, Myerly of Emmett, Cornwall OF
Clay ana the whole delegation from Wood
bury are confidently expected TO jump on
the band wagon, But without any help
from Perkins Gear would be only four votes
short, and these could easily be secured in
the general break up and rearrangement of
lines on the part of the opposition.
Declared Against Gear.
Il. l.. Tisson of Jones comes out strongly
for John Y, Stone, Representative Cooper
of Montgomery. counted for Gear for second
choice, has declared for n western Iowa
man. Harton Of Keotuk, a Lacey man, will
vote for u soldier first, last and all the time.
Only two votes have been surely won by
today's work, SESSIONS Of Kossuth and