Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-20

days" A single incident, in which an
Iowa man was the applicant, will il
lustrate Talbert's regular methods of
action. 1t may be said, in passing,
that Talbert is from South Carolina;
was an officer in the Confederate SER
vice, and if words and actions count
for anything is as unreconciled today
as he was in 1866.
Seldom e. Whitcher of Crawford
| county, was shot in the foot during
the war and at the present time is
helpless and physical wreck as the
result of the wound and subsequent
complications. He has been receiv-
ing pension of Sc month. The bill
proposed to pay him $40. When the
bill was called up, Talbert arose and
spoke as follows:
Mr. Chairman, | also desire to call
attention to some parts of the report
in this case. Here is a soldier who
has been pensioned at the pension de-
| partment as far as the disability from
which he suffers will allow, and has
been given pension of Sc per month.
| The committee came in with report
recommending an increase from Sc to
$40 per month. AS the bill was first
! introduced it was to make the increase
to $50, but they have cut it down $40.
He was hurt little on his toe. Now,
they come in here. because they can
| not get any other excuse-because
they have no pensionable status at the
bureau on which they can give him an
| increase-and he comes and shows
this committee that he has a little
scratch on his toe and works on the
sympathy of the committee and they
| recommend that his pension be in
creased from Sc to $40 a month.
submit that that ought not to be. |
just want to call attention to that fact
and see if someone will not have con-
science enough to object to such pro-
ceedings.'
Congressman Rumple of the COM
mittee and Conner, who lives in the
same county with the applicant, at
once replied and explained fully the
case and the extreme nature OF the
wound and it's consequences.
Mr. Talbert replied as follows: Il
would just like to say to the gentle
men that while the other disabilities
referred to may be attributable to
army service, the origin of this little
limp is that he hit his toe against
something in running out of fight
somewhere"
However, the bill was agreed to and
Mr. Talbert subsidized, for the time be-
ing.
Protest Against Parcels Post.
Iowa senators and representatives
are receiving numerous petitions from
retail merchants associations protest
ing against the enactment of house
bill No. 657S providing for the estab-
lishment of parcels post system. Inc
bill was introduced by Mr.. Henry, OF
Connecticut, author of the oleo bill re-
Gently passed by the house, and the
section in this postal bill to which OBJ
lection is made, is as follows:
"On second-class matter, sealed or
unsealed, not requiring special rapid
transit in parcels not over one pound
in weight, one cent; one pound, not
over five pounds, two cents; over five
pounds, not over eleven pounds, five
cents; over eleven pounds, not over
twenty-five pounds. ten cents; over
twenty-five pounds and not over fifty
pounds. fifteen cents over fifty pounds
and not over seventy-five pounds,t TWEEN
ty cents: ever seyenty-five and not ov-
er one hundred pounds-half barrel
twenty-five cents; and in larger par
cells, for each additional twenty
pounds, or fraction thereof. five cents.
If not prepaid the rates of postage
shall be doubled. and if any deficiency
in payment of postage the charge will
be double the amount Of the deticien-
|cy."
The claims are set forth in the petit
tions that the passage of this bill
would be equivalent to the govern.
ment going into the merchandising
business; that it would work to the
great advantage of the great depart
ment stores in the large cities, and
eventually crush out the local bust
ness concerns in small and medium
sized towns.
In this connection it may be said
that there is no likelihood, whatever
of this bill or any bill of similar i'm
port passing congress at this session,
or within the immediate future, to say
the least
Iowa Congressional Fight.
G. B. Pray. of Des Moines, has been
in Washington few days on business
before the interior department. Mr..
Pray when asked as to the status of
the congressional contest in the sew
-enth district, said it was the bitterest
fight the district had ever known on
congressional lines, with the result
very much in doubt He, remarked
that it seemed more strenuous. even
than tile fight between Governcr Hull
and Mr.. 3arryhill years ago, from the
fact that Indications pointer to the
adoption Of the personalities" and
mud singing" methods rather than a
campaign lased upon records and
PRINCIPLES. Frank j. Stiimln.
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g OBITUARY. 81