Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-19

pe carried Into tnes caucus, Tor the Gear
people say they have no intention of
quitting until the end On the other
hand, if DR.. Bowen wins out, as the
Gear people are so confident he will
do, predictions are that there will be a
landslide for Gear which will carry
everything before it.
Hon. c. S. Grouse, member-elect
from Adams county, was in the city
last evening for a short time ON his
way to Dallas Center, when interviews
ed at the Iowa hotel, he said: "All this
talk about Eaton and Cummins getting
votes in the eighth congressional dis
trict, outside of Dr.. Prentiss, is moth
ing but absolute rainbow chasing. A
large majority of the republicans in
our county are for Gear. am for him
from start to finish as well as for DR..
Bowen, who is now the recognized
Gear candidate for speaker. had
hoped that the speakership contest
could have been conducted on lines
other tnan senatorial, but the Cum
minis Des Moines managers pushed Mr..
Eaton to the front as their candidate
and practically compelled us to meet
them with a candidate. Since this con-
test began Ihave often wondered what
the readers of the Dss Moines Cum
minis papers will think when they find
that they have been entirely mislsd as
to the status of the senatorial contest.
Our senator, Hon. L. l.. Arfhaud. of
Taylor county, is instructed for Sena-
tor Gear and has announced publicly
several times that instructions TO him
were unnecessary as he will carry out
the wishes of his constituents. stating
shat the sentiment. of his county is
very strongly for Gear
Hon. ID. ii. Bowen, OF Waukon. AL
lamakse county, upon whom the Gear
forces have united as their candidate
for speaker. was found in his room at
the Savery hotel.surrounded by num-
ber OF his prominent political friends,
who are also identified with the Gear
interest. He said that heshad hoped
the speakership question could be set
tied without reference 10 the senatori-
al fight, but that the early combina-
ton of the Eaton and Cummins forces
had compelled the Gear men to decide
upon a single candidate That before
the withdrawal of Col. Dows, of Linn,
and Hon. NJ. L. Temple, of Clarke, he
had the positive pledge of majority
of the votes in the fourth congression-
al district which is also the home dis
trict of w. L. Eaton, the Cummins can
didate. That since the withdrawal of
the other candidates known to be fa-
vorable to Mr.. Gear, he had received
such assurances from the members
heretofore in the support of Mr.. Dows
and Mr.. Temple that his success is
practically assured. There will be 81
votes in the caucus and we are conf
dent that we will have 81, not counting
the doubtful ones, Al votes being ma-
jority.
There is beginning to be considera-
bic talk over the approaching conven-
|tions. both state and national, which
will begin with he approach of spring.
There is TO be melting of the repub-
lican state central COMMITTEES of Iowa
in Des Moines some time in January or
February, at which time it will be de
citled when the convention to select
Iowa delegates 10 the next national
convention, is TO be held. The nation
al convention is slated for June 10, and
it is being talked that the state conven-
ton to select delegates for this state
will probably be located in April some
time, at least not later than May.