Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-01
Federal Judgeship Said to Rest Be-
tween Two Candidates.
HON. WIN. n'NE17, OF o11UMWA,
Is One of Them, aud Judge Towner, of
Corning, the other5Candidacy of
MIR. McNett being Vigorously
Pushed by John F. Lacey.

washington, Feb. 1.-(Special to
the Des Moines Leader. THE report
that Judge Towner would be named
for judge of the United States courts
for the southern district of Iowa, sent
out from Washington Monday, was
premature. 1t has developed that the
Iowa congressional delegation has not
so much as caucused on the appoint
ment, altho it is not improbable that
it may do SO this week. It is also evil
dent that the delegation is anything
but harmonious and that the congress-
men from the southern districts of the
state are anything but agreed on the
candidate. All seem to have particu-
lar candidates and as result it will
probably be some time yet before the
president will nominate successor to
the late Judge Woolson on the bench
in the southern district of Iowa. There
are at least six candidates in the field
for the place. The judicial district
comprises the congressional districts
represented by Mcpherson, Hepburn,
Lacey and Hedge, with counties from
the districts of Lane, Cousins and Dol
liver. The three latter have no candi-
dates to present.
Mcpherson is supporting Judge
Smith, of Council Bluffs; Hepburn pre-
sents the name of Judge Towner, OF
Corning, and Lacey that of Judge Nc
Nett, of ottumwa. Hedge is loaded
down with candidates, no less than
three appearing from his district. They
are eX-Congressman M. A. McCoid, OF
Fairfield; Dewey, Of Washington, and
Davis, of Keokuk. 1t seems to be the
concensus of opinion that the eastern
candidates residing in Hedges district
may be eliminated and that the race
lies between Smith, Towner and Nc
Nett. !.
Judge Towner is here and has Great
ed very favorable impression among
the members of the delegation who
have met him. Messrs. Mcpherson,
Hepburn and Lacey will get together
and eventually determine whom they
will jointly support. The final selec-
ton will rest with the senator's, of
course, and they are not saying word
until they hear from the members.
The indications seem to favor the final
selection of Towner or McNett, but
each OF the four representatives with
candidates to present will doubtless
stand up to the last for his individual
choice. When the process of selection
shall have proceeded far enough to
have eliminated all but one or
two candidates, there will be confer
ence or caucus Of the entire Iowa dele
cation and the man whose name is fl
nally sent to the senate by the presi-
dent will have the delegation behind
him solidlv.
The situation in the First district is
embarrassing because there are three
candidates-McCoid, Dewey and Davis.
McCoid was former member of con-
gress and Dewey is district Judge.
Objection is made to McCoid on ac-
count of his age, he being about 60
years old at the present. time. He has
not been in full touch with the politi-
clans for number Of years. Dewey is
in the prime of life, but it is not
thought that his candidacy is at pres
ent serious. Davis is from Keokuk AN
able lawyer, but has never held any
judicial position. If either one of the
candidates from the First district had
the solid support of Hedge and Gear
he would undoubtedly be winner.
Hepburn is hanging tenaciously to
Towner and it is now probably a race
between Towner and McNett.