Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-13
low ANS in MOURNING
Cummings Death Leaves Sadness
Behind.
LACEY WAS ONE OF HIS FRIENDS
Deliver and Henderson Also Very In.
timate-congressman otey of Vir.
ginia, Who Recently Died, Worked
for the Pardon of John HaddoW.
Washington, MAY s.

Washington, May s.
Senator Dolliver, Speaker Hender-
son and Congressman Lacey probably
felt the death of Congressman Cum
mings more kneely than other mem
bers OF the delegation. In fact it is
doubtful if any colleague in the legis-
lative body felt the loss more from a
personal standpoint than those three
Iowa men.
Friends for Years.
There has been a peculiar bond of
friendship between Mr.. Cummings and
the Iowa congressman, running back
for dozen years, and the news of the
death of the noble New Yorker, al
though expected, came to these three
as though member of the family had
been taken
Was Fair Partisan.
Mr.. Cummings was the fairest of
partisans and in his weekly stories
concerning members of the House and
Senate, Senator Dolliver, Speaker
Henderson and Congressman Lacey
/, We're accorded unstinted compliment
and praise by the editor-congressman
who is no more. Scarcely week pas
sed that he did not touch upon the
3 eloquence of Senator Dolliver, the
warmheartedness and never-failing
good nature of the Speaker, and the
genius of Major Lacey, his love of
nature, birds and beasts, all of which
found a responsive chord in the heart
OF Congressman Cummings.
Lacey Close Friend.
Speaking of the dead member, Mr..
Lacey remarked that they became
acquainted very soon after their cleo
ton to congress. There developed a
particularly close bond of friendship,
partly perhaps because it was dis
Z covered that they were the only two
members in the house who had been
sergeant-majors of a regiment during
the civil war. Often the two former
sergeant-majors got together and talk
ed of war times and discussed the
pioneer days, to the great personal
satisfaction OF both.
Helped With Bird Bill.
When Major Layey was pushing his
bill year ago for the prevention of
the slaughter of birds, he found
champion in Congressman Cummings.
Mr.. Cummings made great speech in
support of the bill which was extern
siyely quoted, and Major Lacey has
always felt that the honors in connec-
Stion with the passage of the Lacey
{ bird law should properly have been
divided with his friend Cummings.
1t was most common sight to see
wi h h ic.o ,.y,, hon
the neck of Mr.. Cummings, whisper
Ming some words of pleasantly in the
latter's ear. They We're choice friends.
An Effective Climax.
1t will be recalled that during the
heated discussion of the Porto Rican
tariff proposition year ago, Congress
man Cummings created terrific SEN
sation in the house. He had worked
up to climax; everybody was hang.
ing upon his words. With a mighty
gesture and iii resounding tones Mr..
Cummings shouted, Il will vote for the
Porto Rican bill" He paused; the
democrats sat dumb and a roar OF ap-
plaIse swept over the republican side
of the chamber When the tumult had
subsidized Mr.. Cummings concluded his
sentence-"when the bill is amended
to meet the recommendations OF Pres
ident Mckinley" Then the republi-
cans sat dumb and the democrats tore
the atmosphere with applause. Dur
ing the uproar Major Lacey sat calm
ly in his seat. He knew the trick and
afterwards congratulated Cummings
upon the hit. Major Lacey says
Bourke Cochran worked the same
dodge in democratic national con-
vention.
In his bird speech Mr.. Cummings
narrated how he had taken a wounded
robin, revived the bird with a drop of
brandy and let him go. THAT was a
sublime bit of description" observed
Mr.. Lacey. 81 would ask for nothing
better than picture of Amos feeding
a drop of brandy to that robin"
Dead Congressman Worked for Had
dow.
Congressman Otey, of Virginia, who
died Sunday, was the member who,
with Major Lacey, went to the Presi-
dent and urged the pardon of John
! Haddow of Iowa, and the Virginia min
er who were convicted of violating the
laws, in their efforts to organize min
ers' unions.
Secretary Wilson's Son Receivers.
Jasper Wilson, son of the secretary
of agriculture, who has been seriously
. ill with typhoid fever, has so far re-
3 covered as to be considered out of dan
ger
o'connelI Comes Back to Iowa.
Solicitor of the Treasury d. M.
O1Connell left Tuesday evening for TT.
Dodge to participate in the congress
sional convention which is to be held
in that city next Tuesday Mr..
O'Connell says he always wanted to
be back in Iowa when there was to be
any fun and he. anticipated some pleas
ure upon this occasion.
No Criticism for Shaw.
Secretary Shaw's Pittsburg speech,