The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-04
CREATES SENSATION.
Band Wagon Axles Creased and Pro
cession Begins to Move.

CREATES SENSATION.
Band Wagon Axles Creased and Pro-
cession Begins to Move.
DIR. Bert l.. Eiker, representative.elect
from Decatur county, will support SEN
ator Gear and DIR. Bowen. This Pm.
nouncement made to-day, is one of the
most sensational that has yet been
sprung in the present political campaign
and is all the more significant in that it
comes as the senatorial fight nears its
last round and indicates conclusively
which way the issue is trending. Added
to this is also the important fact thatit
has only been few days since the local
Cummins organs announced with much
blowing of horns that DIR. Eiker would
support MIR. Cummins and MIR. Eaton,
a fact which is bound to make the an.
nouncement of to-day react upon the
Cummins forces in way which is likely
to cause panic in their camp, for DR..
Eiker's declaration is looked upon by
politicians as simply the beginning of
band-wagon movement which will carry
everything before it by the time the real
crisis is reached, and only emphasizes
the truth of the claims which the Gear
and Bowen forces have been making for
some months past. 1t is the first card
played in the important developments
which the Gear people have been
promising to the public for several days
past, and it is one which will throw
more light on the real inwardness of the
senatorial situation than anything
which has yet reached the public ear.
That it has caused alarm in the Cum
minis forces is evident from the hurrying
and scurrying that has been done to
and from their headquarters in parlor
f of the Saverv, the whispered consulta-
tons and other manifestations of con-
Germ that have been evident siAas~ DIR.
Eiker's declaration becatAe
of discussion in the lobbies.
The announcement of DR.. Eiker and
the apparent change of font on his
part, which it carries with it, is easily
explained. From the first DIR. Elker
has manifested disposition to carry
out the will of his constituents in the
senatorial matter. He has made every
effort from the first to secure the fullest
expression possible from his people re-.
garding the senatorial matter and the
speakership. The statement he made
on the 2lst of last month, that he
would support Cummins and Eaton,
was based upon the showing in his dis.
trict which had been made up to that
time. DIR. Eiker did not feel chat he
had full expression of his constituents
but great pressure was brought to bear
on him for some expression, and so
with only partial canvass of his con-
stituepcy, and feeling that perhaps he
was too hurried in his conclusions, he
was led to make the statement of few
days ago. A further canvass has led
him to believe that his premonitions
were only too correct, and he has come
out manfully and acknowledged his
error, declaring that he now feels assur.
ed that he was misled and misintormed
as to the prevailing sentiment of the
republicans of Decatur county, that he
believes the unmistakable wishes of his
constituents as they have now for the
first time been made known to him, are
| favorable to Gear and Bowen and that
he will consequently vote accordingly
| In this connection it will be remembered
that on last Monday evening the News
reprinted an editorial from a Decatur
county paper, in which DR.. Eiker's at.
tention was called to the fact that per.
haps be had been misled as to the will OF
his constituency. This editorial was a
: part of the agitation which led to the
bringing forward Of the convincing state
ments which DIR. Eiker refers to. Or.
Eiker has many friends who will admire
his manly conduct in acknowledging his
mistake after being unwittingly drawn
into misleading expression of opinion
| Eiker's Statement.
Leon, Jan. 2.-Hon. b. l.. Eiker
epresentative-electf from Decatur county
issued the following statement to-day
He has maintained the position all the
time that he desired to ascertain and
carry out the wishes of his constituents
regardi ng the senatorial matter. Some
4 canvass of the situation was made
and as great pressure was brought to
bear upon him to declare himself or
December 81, when in Des Moines, the
doctor was induced to issue a statement
that upon the showing so far made il
appeared to him that the republicans
of his county desired to see Mr.
Cummins elected. That statement
was made, however, without full
showing regarding the wishes of his
constituents, but it was such to leaC
him to think at that time that he would
be representing the wishes of his con
constituents in such action by voting
1 for Cummins and Eaton. immediately
upon that statement being made public
the republicans of Decatur county APP
peared to be very much surprised at III,
DR.. g attitude, and assured him that h,
was mistaken regarding the matter
4 They have since SO beseiged him Will
petitions, containing the names of owe
500 active republicans who desired Sen
ator Gears reelection, and by letter
land personal interviews that he has be
come convinced that he was mistake,
| regarding his earlier impression whicl
was favorable to Mr.. Cumtnins. and tina
the real sentiment Of his people espec
tally of the republicans Of Decatur coun
/ ty-=is verv strong for Senator Gear an,
j pr. Bowen. The doctor had the manli