Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-13
Expected That Appointment
Will be Made This Week.
M'NETTs GOOD CHANCES
Ottumwa Man Seems to Increase In the
Strength of His Candidacy-About
Senator Gears Health-The
Eiker Exemption Bill.


spondence.) Ut is expected now that
the appointment of federal Judge
will be announced this week. The pre-
vailing opinion here is that the fight
has narrowed down to three possibil-
lties-Towner of Corning, Davis of
KeokulS, and McNett of Ottumwa. Of
these McNett and Towner seem to
stand about an equal chance. The
friends of Mr.. A1cNett have been work
ing hard the past few days, and claim
to have secured recommendations, and
received assurances that places their
candidate in better light than hereto
fore. Judge Towner's friends still
claim their candidate will be selected.
Smith, of Council Bluffs, is now con-
sidered out of the race, because of the
meaning involved in the tender of the
position to Congressman Smith Nc
Pherson. This action was interpreted
as meaning that Mcpherson was the
only. man in the Sixth district who
could receive recognition. Some of the
politicians in Des Moines who claim
to be on the inside of the question say
the possibility of the delegations fail
ure to agree will result in the selection
of Congressman Lacey, and others
make the same claim for Congressman
Mcpherson. Representative Temple, of
Clark, has been considered in line for
the federal ,udgeship appointment, bur
is now thought to be out of the race.
No one has been able to discover for
several weeks just how sick Senator
Gear really is. There have been several
rumors that he had been stricken with
paralysis. Representative Buchanan,
of Wapello, says he has heard directly
from Washington that Senator Gear
merely has a severe cold, and has not
been seriously ill at any time. His
complete recovery is expected before
the close of the week.
1t now looks as tho, the legislature
is not thru with the Eiker exemption
| bill. The ways and means committee
of the house reported the bill for in
definite postponement. but the minor
ity has submitted a report recommends
ing it's passage. The mercantile or
CARNATIONS of the state has sailed
down on the assembly. and says it
will stay until something is accom-
plished. The labor people drew off
their forces when the bill was unfav-
orably reported, believing the fight to
be over. Not SO with their opponents.
They are still in the city, and are
working with the minority portion of
the committee. Foremos5 of the or
CARNATIONS pushing the Eiker bill is
the Retail Grocers' association. This
organization has repudiated the allie
CATION that it does not represent much
strength when it comes to voting, and
has even gone 50 far as to threaten
the members who vote against the bill.
They claim state membership OF 5000
and say they can directly control most
of the 1000 retail grocers of Iowa.
They have combined with the hard
ware dealers association, and the doc
tors and dentists societies, and claim
| TO represent over 10000 votes. They
have seized cudgel, and gone into
the fight for blood. 1t is claimed by
them that they will secure the name
of every man who votes against the
Eil<er bill, and will place it in the
| hands of merchants in his home town
and district. to be used against him
| the next lime his name comes up for
consideration as legislator. The
combined strength of the merchants,
doctors and dentists, is claimed to rep
| resent more votes than all the organi-
cations of labor in the state. 1t is sX-
pected the EiSer bill will come up
| for discussion in the house early this
| week.
| 4 r