Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-19
Nebraskan to Open Iowa Demo.
cratic Campaign.
THINK SENATE SEAT A HooDoo
Was Formerly Occupied by Late senat-
or Gear and Now by Spooner of
Wisconsin-New Office Building to
Be Elegant Structure.
[BY H. ]. MAHrN.l

Washington, d. G. Feb. 18.-The
statement that Bryan will open the
Iowa campaign has been received here
with interest. 1t is another assurance
that the next presidential campaign
cannot be run without reckoning with
William Jennings Bryan and his fol-
lowing. Attention is in this connec-
tioon called to the fact that Mr.. Bryan
recently peremptorily refused to at
tend the proposed Jackson birthday
anniversary dinner to be held in Chi
cago March 16. He did not wait to
be asked, but sent word to those in
charge of the arrangements that they
had better not ask him, and that if
they did he would come out with
broad statement of facts that might
not be pleasant reading.
The. reelection of Senator Spooner
of Wisconsin has just demonstrated
that the first seat in the second row
on the main aisle of the republican
side of the senate is not a hoodoo. The
seat was occupied by Senator Gear of
Iowa UP to the time of his death and
| is right next to that now occupied by
Senator Allison. By a long series of
circumstances there has been created
a feeling that the chair followed the
man who occupied it and that some
times it was vacated by death, as in
the case of Senator Gear. Without
going too far back-a dozen years,
say-it is shown that the seat has had
a number of occupants. In the fifty
first congress it was occupied by Hen
ry L. Dawes of Massachusetts. He
was soon to give way to Henry Cabot
Lodge, and when he did so Joseph N.
Dolph moved in, and he held it for two
years, when he, too, was defeated for
Prediction. When Dolph went out,
Fred T. Dubois of Idaho took the seat
and held it for two years, when he, too,
was defeated. AS Dubois moved out
Senator John H. Gear moved in and
not long after was stricken with
death John C. Spooner either never
knew or never cared about the hoodoo
and he succeeded Senator Gear The
| hoodoo has failed to work with him,
but those who assert that there is a
hoodoo call attention to the fact that
there was one time when it looked as
though Senator Spooner never could
be reelected and when he himself
wrote letter saying he would not run
again.
An old negro bootbiack who has a
stand on Pennsylvania avenue and is
much patronized by senators and con-
gresSmen declares that he can tell by
/ the feet of any of his customers what
1 state they are from. The other day
a fine looking gentleman past middle
life got into Rufe's chair can Iowa
foot, Sab" said Rufe looking at him
for acquiescence. The gentleman
smiled and took an Indiana paper out
of his pocket which he began reading
Rufe looked puzzled for moment I'M.
til his customer remarked. Indiana
at present; but l am Hawkeyete
however; just moved to Hoosierdom >
Rufe CLANCY is the old bootblacks
name and he calls his achievement the
Science of Foototomy." First he
. guessed at feet just for fun and his
) guesses only extended to the identifi-
cation of a foot from the north, west
south or east "Den," says Rufe, IL
begin with pickin' 'em by states, ar
soon foun it betteh fun dan pickin
, the pennies. 1t am mos rem a'kable
1 fact, boss, dat de feet of men folks
1 up plSSloCly llhS uS leSI VI OH
ers in the same state" Rufe says
that it is easy to pick out men from
the south from the high instep, light
fancy leather tops, and cheap store
shoes with narrow soles. The gentle
men from the west, he says, wear Gus
; tom made, wide soled shoes, heavy up
pers and differ by states in the man
ner of styles such as lace button ant
congress. The gentlemen from the
far west wear COW hide and heavy
calf uppers and mostly boots "Dey
all hab fiat feet, but no corns,' says
, Rufe.
Congress is going to take hand il
| the premium giving habit and sucf
expressions as save the bands
"send in the wrappers" ETC., may be
come obsolete. The committee OF
ways and means will soon report
bill which provides that no package o
; manufactured smoking or chewing to
$ bacco, snuff, cigars or cigarettes shall
: have anything packed in or attached
! to or in any way connected with /
, other than the manufacturers wrap
pers and labels and the internationa
: revenue stamp. Further provision il
: made that nothing shall be affixed o
!. printed on such packages promisin;
or offering any gift, prize or premium
The bill was framed by the executiv
, committee of the Independent Tobae
< co Manufacturers association 1t i
s urging all tobacco manufacturers t
request their congressman to vote TO
it and are proceeding on the theor
but not the assurance that the Tobacco,
trust will not oppose the measure.
Some time ago, Congressman Come
Of Iowa remarked that he wished h