Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-29
They Want Cousins,

lHe lu-pluleQ ana almost luQlcrOuS an
ti-Cousins movement so stealthily
launched in this city the other evening
by few dissatisfied or over ambitious
republicans and so OPPORTUNITY re-
vealed the next day in the columns of
this paper has met with condemnation
and jeers upon every side. The repub-
Leans of Marshall county as rule
stand firmly. with the republicans of
the entire fifth district in the convic-
l,tion that the Hon. r. G. Cousins is the
proper man to continue to represent
them in the national congress. What
ever, following his opponents can gath
er wall be speedily dissipated by the
activity of his friends, who have al
ready seen the necessity of getting to
work and have done SO.
The proposition to displace Mr.. Cou-
apprenticeship. at Washington and won
place on important committees and
has learned the ropes Of congress
sional usefulness is very short-sight-
ed one, indeed, Especially is it mop
perfume as coming from Marshall
county, which, is just now in posi-
ton to reap the Benefits Of the expe-
rience her congressman has gained.
Marshall county wants a federal build
ing. She ought to have it, but every
man knows that federal buildings are
not handed out at Washington for the
asking. II takes live congressman
who knows the ins and outs of the
business to get the necessary bill thru.
Such congressman is Bob Cousins
and he has taken off his coat with a
determination to get the building. If
he is given time he'll land the prize
for Marshalltown, but it can't be done
in a minute. To swap congressman
just now would be for Marshalltown
vastly more i'll advised than ever was
the proposal in Abraham Lincoln's
ihomely illustration to swap horses in
midstream. To think, too, that this
city's mayor, the guardian and select
ed promoter of the city's welfare,
should be found mixed up in such a
deal--yea, at the bottom of it-surpas-
seth all understanding.
For the district at large the propo-
sition is equally bad. Mr.. Cousins has
worked his way to a position on the
foreign relations committee of the low
er house, which is today the most inn
portant committee of that body. He
is today one of perhaps dozen of the
best posted men in congress on the
great questions in which this nation
has become involved as a result of it's
recent territorial acquisitions. For
the district to fail to send him back
now where he can perform a great
service for it and the nation would be
not only political blunder, but almost
a national disaster. No other man,
however able, could be sent from this
district who could gain this influence
short of years of experience, and the
republicans of the fifth are not ready
to yield the influence in national af-
fairs they have thus gained by contin-
ued loyalty to Robert G. Cousins. It
is the confident prediction of the
Times Republican that the district will
stand solidly for the denomination of
its brilliant and gifted congressman,
and opposition this year in whatever
quarter will meet with only ridicule
and failure. The fifth district wants
the denomination of r. G. Cousins,
Marshall county wants it, yees, Mar
shalltown wants it, both for the con-
gresham and for the desired federal
building. In fact, we would rather
lose our mayor than our congressman.