Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-17
WELCOME
Senator Allison's Room is the
Mecca of Hawkeye Visitors.
PLEASURE In MEETING MR.. DAWSON
Secretary of Veteran Iowa Legislature
is congeniaI and companionable
Person-Hepburn Has Support in
Contention for Good Roads.
[BY H. ]. MAHIN.1

BY H. ]. MAHIN.1
Washington, D. c., March 12.-Al-
though the big capitol building is rath-
er de5olate at present there is one
room which Iowa visitors will still find
with open latch string on account of the
extra session and that is senator Alli--
sons room. This handsome room sit
uated in the northwest corner of the
capitol is the mecca for all Iowans at
Washington. No man hailing from the
Hawkeye state no matter what his
condition or walk in life, fails of a
hearty welcome here No matter how
busy the senator is he is always ready
to shake hands and if he must hasten
off to the senate chamber immediate.
ly afterward he never fails to call
back merrily over his shoulder: LET
this room be your headquarters and
make yourself at home here"
A. F. Dawson, Senator Allison's pri.
Vate secretary is still hard at work
and will be for couple of months to
come. If the senator is not in, one is
sure of hearty greeting from Mr.
Dawson and meeting him is next in
pleasure only to his chief Mr.. Daw.
son has the wonderful and valuable
faculty OF remembering faces and
names, and not only that but initials
and places of residence, together with
other facts about the chance caller
Very seldom is Mr.. Dawson at loss
for the name of the Iowan who may
enter the room, provided he has ever
met him in previous years.
Few people realize the duties and
responsibilities of a private secretary
and in fact few public men have piled
SO much onto their secretary or honor.
ed him with such implicit confidence
as has Senator Allison with Mr. Daw.
son. AS a result Mr. Dawson's list OF
interesting experiences would fill a
large book and the experience
and distinguished acquaintance gather
therefrom would be past the lifetime
or the average man. Yet Mr. Dawson
Is only in his early thirties. Mr.. Daw-
sons knowledge of the ropes" at the
capitol is proyerbial. Men who have
been themselves in the building for
years consult him and he is never
found wanting in the proper sort of
advice. Mr.. Dawson is a born gentle
man and ne is naturally favorite
with the senators associated with
Senator Allison as well as his many
other distinguished friends, to say no.
thing of being regarded with true affec-
ton and pride by all Iowans who have
the privilege of his acquaintance. 1t
is undoubtedly this feature of Mr.. Daw-
sons life and personality that caused
his frJnn6c. vNli1nt n INV ~,
answer Dawson" when it was asked
after election last fall, "Who can re-
deem the second Iowa district to the
republicans" Mr.. Dawson continues
to be reticent when his candidacy is
urged, only remarking that it is yet
a little early to talk of such matters.
Associated with Senator Allison in
his committee room are two other ex-
ceedlngly pleasant and popular gen.
tlemen. Mr.. Cleaves, clerk to the
committee, is one of the fixtures at the
capitol. The appropriations committee
would be lost without him. He has
been their clerk for some twenty odd
years, and what he does not know
about the details of the committees
Ah'si iSceeS WI ~ uhhSSSSSdly
ton. Mr.. Cleaves has known person
ally all of the leading men of the Uni
ted States senate for many years. Mr..
Mcclure, the senator's messenger. is
an Iowa boy and typical, admirable
product of the Hawkeye state. The
unVarying courtesy and kindness that
begins with Senator Allison and per-
vades his entire force extends on down
to Mr.. Mcclure and is exemplified in
him to the degree that makes him ex-
ceedingly popular at the capitol
Another Congressman besides Col.
Pete Hepburn, who is very much inter-
ested in good roads legislation is Con-
gresham Brownlow of Tennessee. Mr..
Brownlow had a bill in this last session
which was referred to the agricultur-
al committee and that committee
failed to report it. 1t provided for
work on the roads of the country much
as work is now done on the rivers and
harbors. Among other correspondence
Mr.Brownlow received a letter the other
day from Judge Thayer of Clinton who
expressed some pertinent opinions in
this matter. Judge Thayer was the
presiding officer at the first good roads
convention held in this country.
The convention was held at Chicago
in 1892 and he made a speech which
was much in line with Congressman
Brownlow's IDEAS He is especially
determined that the national govern
ment shall contribute money toward
the work and thinks that Iowa deserves
it more than any other state. He
says:
"The constitution provides that con-
gress shall have the authority to es-
tablish postolIices and post roads. It
has appropriated millions of dollars on
the public treasury for establish
ing postoffices, but in the last half cen
fury it has appropriated practically
nothing for the establishing of post
roads. There is not an inhabitant of
Iowa but what is entitled to have his
mail to his house, no matter where
he lives in the country, or in the city.
1t is gratifying to know that the free
delivery system is being extended but
the postmaster general states that any
thing like universal free delivery will
have to be postponed until there are
better facilities for communication
through rural and sparsely settled dis