Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-16
4 ARE AGAINST CHANGE.
Iowa congressman do Not Want State
Redstricted.
washington, D. c., Ja1

washington, D. c., Jan Is.
If the Iowa legislature, which con-
venes today, consults the desires of
the Iowa delegation in Congress there
will be no redistricting of congression-
al reservations this winter
+ The present congressional arrange
ment seems to be entirely satisfac-
tory to all present representatives, al
though it is rumored that in certain
quarters would-be congressman and
prospective candidates. if the states
shall be carved afresh, would hail such
action with great joy. 1t may be said
.authoritatievly that not a single mem
Der Of congress from Iowa desires to
lose a county in his present district or
to gain one not now in his "pre-
serves"
Two of the delegation, Mr.. Hepburn
and Mr.. Lacey, who would naturally
be the ones, if any, to ask that there
might be little arithmetic practiced
along the line of addition and subtrac-
ton, are not clammoring to lose or
gain any counties. They are willing
to stand pat and take their chances.
Speaking of the matter, Mr.. Hep
burn said he hoped there would be no
tltlGllpI iHdue W IeulSlIlCl luS Stdtt.
He admitted that his district was very
close. in fact the democrats had lit
tie the best of it, he believed, if they
had the organization and the candi-
dates and their voters would all get
out to the polls. But these things
never materialiZed all at one election
and from majority of handful five
years ago the figures had increased to
thousands in 1900. If the people in
his district desired him to again stand
as their candidate he had no appre-
tensions as to the verdict at the polls
at any rate he was willing to take his
chances.
| Mr.. Hepburn pointed cut that it was
a great advantage to n congressman
| to know his people. those whom he
represented in the house of rapresen.
tatives and something of an advantage
to the people to know the man who
represented them. In some respects
it was similar to pastor and has
parishioners. The pastor in the course
of few years became acquainted not
only With all his flock, but knew al
the little peculiarities and eccentrici
/ ties and special needs of his member
ship He was manifestly better able
to minister to them than he would be
to & membership entirely or partially
unknown to him. The flock, on the
other hand. came to know the pastor
in all his ways, with the net result
chat the best results were obtained
the condition being normal, of course
In every county within the district
of every congressman in Iowa there
were certain interests in the hands o.
the congressman, unon which he was
at work, pensions, postnffice matters
rural mail routes, federal appoint
i rents public buildings. some lant
case, or one Of hundred matters. ant
! in time he came, TO have a clear lgrasl
of the whole situation having every de
toll of every case at his finger tins
The interests of the people were bet
Ter subseryed by man familiar Will
these propositions than they possibl,
could be in the hands Of 9 new man
In fact the ultimate success of impor
tant interests MIGHT he seriousl,
Iieopardized by shifting the matter IL
new. hands. Tt may be said that al
this occurs when one representative