Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-01
Washington qa) Boy Wins Out
Against Politician.
WAS DISCHARGED AND RE-INSTATED
Was "Fired" Because Spanish War
Veteran Wanted His Place But
Proved to Be More Competent Than
the Later Applicant.
Washington Bureau the Courier.
Wo chs,rkN~ T,,,.> 90

somewhat peculiar case has Just
been decided by Attorney General
Knox. 1t appears that young man,
from Washington, Ga.,) has been hold
ing position in the census office for
some months. About six weeks ago,
without stated reason he was dismiss
ed from the service and was succeed
ed by another young man from his
home town. The latter was a veteran
OF the Spanish war. Some complaint
was made and the case came before
the attorney general. He decided that
all other things being equal veterans
of the war were entitled to preference
in the matter of government appoint
ment. The matter was again gone
over by the director, whereupon the
Spanish war veteran was dismissed
and the young man first dismissed was
reinstated. 1t was pointed out that
all other things were not equal" that
the first clerk was the more efficient,
hence his retention.
Col. Realty Transferred.
Col. Keatly, who has been working
in the office of the auditor for the war
department, has been transferred to
the office of the auditor for the post
office department.
Conner Has an Opinion.
Judge Conner asserts that the
speech of Congressman Lands, upon
the Philippines proposition was by all
odds the finest speech he has heard
in the house during his service.
New Postmaster for Sioux City.
Congressman Thomas has finally
taken up the Sioux City postofice
question and it is confidently antici-
pated that he will name the new post.
master within few days. 1t is now
believed that Ed. Heller has been lost
in the shuttle and that either one of
the two remaining candidates or a new
man will be named
Quay and His Marbles.
Senator Quay did not press his
statehood bill as indicated at the out
set. He had no thought Of doing so.
He has probably less interest in that
bill than any other senator, but he
wanted something which the senators
in control would not concede to him.
Therefore he hit upon the statehood
bill as the most available for supply
ing trading timber, and when the SEN
ate saw he had the whip row they
gave in to Quay and he ceased to be
SO enthusiastic for the state bill.
iowa Holds Banner at West Point.
Congressman Cousins, of the fifth
district makes the claim that his dis.
trict holds the banner in records at
West Point and Annapolis, from the
view point of consecutive eXtraordi.
nary high rank attained by represen.
tatives from that district to the mill.
tary and naval academies of the Unit.
ed States.
Mr.. Cousins says this is not mat
ter to be guessed at or supposed, but
proposition capable of demonstra,
ton, and is matter of comment on
the part of the instructors in these in.
situations.
Beginning with Horton w. Sickle,
of Jones county, years ago. down to
the present time, the boys sent by the
fifth district have all given splendid
account of themselves y and ranked
above, even, the coveted standard at
STARS"
3' A Case in Point.
Horton Sickle had the stuff in him
of which great men are made. He pos
sessed no advantages, yet pushed his
way to great success. The nearest
school was six miles, and to this he
rode horseback each day He studied
nights and borrowed books and at the
competitive examination for the West
Point cadetship, passed most extra
ordinary rating, his papers showing
h tN hou I, ,o al
petitor 16 per cent. Sickle showed
great aptitude for mathematics, being
far and away ahead of all other ca
diets. and ranking third in average in
q class of several hundred. He be.
came an expert engineer in the army
service. He is now performing spe.
cial duty i'll the Philippines.
Cedar Rapids Boy Pushes to Front.
st. Clair Smith, of Cedar Rapids,
went to Annapolis. He was an excep.
tionally bright boy and stood very
near the top, graduating just in time
to get into the Spanish war. He had
charge of six-inch gun battery at
Santiago and achieved special sue
cess.
Other Examples.
SdueC LyllCu, VI bldlTSCOWn, RANKS
away up at West Point and will grad.
uate next June. His superiors consid-
er him one of the finest cadets ever
turned from that great military
school.
w. w. Smythe, of Marion, was
few days ago named as the star" man
at Annapolis. He was among the first
half dozen in class of nearly 200
having made an average insall studies
of over IS per cent. Considering the
rigid methods of marking such an av,
erage is very extraordinary
Cousins Proud OF Record,
Congressman Cousins is very proud
of the great record made by fifth dis.
trict young men at the military and
naval schools and hopes the record
may be maintained.
Iowans at Washington.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles ]. Seeds. of
Manchester, are in Washington for
few days guests of Mr.. Seeds broth
err, Judge Seeds, deputy auditor for
the war department. Mr.. and Mrs.
Seeds are enroute to Europe for a
leisurely trip of several months. Mr.