Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-12
EPPS' CANDIDACY
Ottumwan in Race for State Com
mitteeman Attracts Attention.
SIXTH DISTRICT is BEING WATCHED
Successor to r. w. Clayton as Member
of Central Committee the Question
e. L. Dotson of Jasper County
Mentioned for the Place.

From Wednesdays Daily.
The candidacy of w. w. Epps of
this city for membership on the
republican state central committee is
attracting much attention not only
in the sixth district, but throughout
the state, according to reports from
Moines. In speaking Of the
political situation in the sixth district
the Des Moines correspondent for
the Hawk-Eye says:
Politicians who have been through
the sixth congressional district recent
ly say that more interest is being
manifested in politics there than is
generally supposed. The subject of
interest is the election of a member
of the state committee to succeed R.
w. Clayton of Oskaloosa, the present
member. 1t is generally thought that
the Cummins men will make a strong
effort to secure control of the district.
Their candidate will probably be e.
l.. Dotson of Jasper county. At least
Mr.. Dotson is understood to be a can
didate, and it has bene stated that he
will be the candidate of the Cummins
forces. 1t may be that they have
some other candidate in view, and
that Mr.. Dotson is merely being used
to draw the fire of their opponents.
w. W. Epps of Ottumwa, is also a
candidate and his friends are greatly
interested in the outcome. They be-
lieve that Mr.. Epps will be elected and
they are certainly working energetical-
ly to that end. Wapello county starts
out with the proposition that it is en-
fit1o1 III tho m on, hn,ehir ~ {LN oo-,
mittee. Many politicians are willing to
concede this for Wapello, although the
largest county in the district has, not
been selfish and most of the offices
have gone to the other counties. The
republicans of Wapello feel that they
are entitled to some recognition, and
they ask that Mr.. Epps be elected to
the state committee.
Mr.. Epps is one of the leading re-
publicans of the county and district.
He is a conservative politician and is
inclined to be very fair to all factions
on all occasions. His election would
undoubtedly be entirely satisfactory to
al the republicans in the district if fac
tionalism could be left out of the ques-
ton.
However, it is said that the politi-
$500
clans of the northern part of the dis
trict are less interested in the election
of Mr.. Dotson than the republicans of
Wapello county, and that part Of the
district are in the election of Mr..
Epps. Some of the leading Jasper
county politicians are opposed to Mr.
Dotson, for Jasper is by no means
united. When it comes TO factionalism
it is about as closely divided as
any county in the state. Mr.. Epps
may not have everything his own way
at home.
1t is also said that the Keokuk and
Poweshiek county republicans are fav.
orably inclined to Mr.. Epps. Keokuk
county has a candidate for state
superintendent in the person of Prof.
j. F. Riggs of ~Sigourney, and mas
much as Prof. A. w. Stuart of Ottum.
wa, has been talked of as a candidate.
Keokuk county will be likely to sup
port the Wapello county candidate
for state committeeman. in return for
the Wapello support of Riggs for state
superintendent. This may prove an
important point If the fight grows very
hot.