Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-28
TRUCE IS OVER
Lines Now Drawn Closely in
the speakership Contest.
CANDIDATES. ARE PAIRED
A Vote for no wen I. Vote for Gear;
Likewise a Vote for Eaton Is Ono
for Cummtns-Gear's Friends
Loyal to His interests

If 3
Des Moines, Dec. 27.-Thc speaker
ship situation as it opens up immedi-
ately after Christmas is about as fol-
lows: The lines are now so closely
drawn in the speakership contest that
Il vote for Bowen is considered a vote
for Gear and vote for Eaton vote
for Cummins. The members who have
thought that they could locally stand
by Senator Gear and at the same time
vote for Eaton have modified their
opinions. They say that the senatorial
contest has assumed a new form since
the speakership campaign was begun,
and that they connot now support Mr..
Eaton without damaging the prospects
of their choice for senator. Those who
E are pronounced in their choice of SEN
ator Gear affirm that they would be
placed in a false and awkward attitude
were they now to favor or encourage
Mr.. Eaton's candidacy. The effect of
this natural and fair view of the situa-
ton is that Gears friends and support
ers are solidly lining up for DR.. Bowen
and will certainly support him for
speaker. They say that this is their
only course to relieve Them from the
suspicion that they are not honest
friends of Gear and that they cannot
afford to take chances of being misun-
derstood by their constituents, who
have well defined and positive wishes
as to the senatorial choice. Members
are aware that their constituents are
vitality interested in the senatorial is
uue and that they must represent them
by every act, including their vote for
speaker.
A Cummins Petition.
Marshalltown, Dec. 27.-The senato-
resentatives in the legislature
new feature. Yesterday canvass
sers were sent out with petitions in IA
yor of Mr.. Cummins. So far as could
he learned there is no effort yet of this
kind being made in Senator Gears be-
half. ri
The Cummins petition asks that Sen
,ator Classen and Representative KIM
ball vote for him, and is, it is said, re-
ceiving many signers. Just what
weight such document will have with
the legislators is problematical,as there
10 no time in which to make a canvass
of the 5000 or 1000 voters of the colln-
try. Many express the opinion that it
is last desperate struggle on the part
of the Cummins men.
Burlington, Dec. 23.-The Hawkeye
This morning prints the following edi-
torial in regard to the senatorship CON
test:
The testimony of Hon. Charles T.
Hancock, ex-chairman of the republic
ca state central committee, as to the
active efforts of Mr.. Cummins' support
ers to defeat his election as state SEN
ator from Dubuque county comes as
a startling revelation to the republi-
cans of Iowa. They were aware Of Mr..
eummins' early prediction to bolt
'sarty nomination and to aid their po-
litical opponents, but that bad record
had been SO zealously apologized for
and excused on one ground and an
other that repetition of such fragrant
disloyalty to party was hardly antici-
pated. And yet there can be no doubt
of the fact. No one who knows MI,
Hancock will dispute his personal in
tegrity and his honor as gentleman.
And he has spoken now only after the
most thorough investigation of all the
facts bearing on the election in Du-
buque, and not until, painful as is the
revelation, he is compelled by over
whelming evidence to admit that
his defeat as the republican nominee
is attributable directly to the active
interference of Mr.. Cummins' mana
a gers.
Mr.. Hancock did not seek the nomin-
alton. On the contrary, as was well
known at the time, he repeatedly re-
Jected the suggestion that he stand for
the senate. and refused to permit the
use of his name in the,convention. But
the republicans We're insistent. Du-
buque county is normally a democratic
stronghold, and it was urged upon him
that he was the only republican who
could be elected. Mr.. Hancocks bust
ness and social relations are such that
he has hosts of friends among DUBUQUE
county democrats, who voluntarily as
sured him of their support if he would
be a candidate and pledged his election
by large majority. So popular is Mr..
Hancock with the people of Dubuque
and vicinity, so extensive his business
connections and social relationships
that 1T was quite generally conceded
that if he were to make the race he
would assuredly be elected. The pop
uiar estimate of the majority he would
have was from 1000 to 1900.
Notwithstanding his election was re-
garded as a certainty, Mr.. Hancock
still declined to be a candidate because
OF pressing business and personal in
terests that demanded every moment of
his time. 1t was not until the friends
of Senator Allison added their plea
that he yielded. Mr.. Hancock's atten-
ton was called to the fact that the SEN
atorial term of four years would make
him one of the hold-over senator's who
would vote in 1902 for Senator Allison's
successor, and that it was his duty to
accept the state senatorship in the in
terest of Senator Allison; and also in
the interest Of Dubuque, which
has a justifia BILE local pride in the dis
tinguished Dubuque citizen. who is the
recognized republican leader in the
United States senate.
Mr.. Hancock had not announced his
preference for successor of Senator
Gear, but he was decidedly in favor of
Senator Allison's reelection, and for
his sake, and because of the urgent So
licitation of the Dubuque people he
finnlly consented to stand as the rem b.