Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-24


clustered about Speaker Henderson's
head since his withdrawal from poll
tics last summer, but they seem to be
dropping off one by one, and he will |
down the gavel and put aside his pc |
litical robes in little more than a |
week one of the most popular men in
Washington.
Judge Conner again demonstrated
the fact that he was one of the most
effective members of the public build
ing committee Iowa ever had the other
day when he secured appropriations
trict and Mason City in Congressman
Haugens district. There is, as was
predicted in this column some time
ago, to be small omnibus public
building bill reported yet this session
if possible. 'If possible" is added be-
cause there is a rumor abroad to the
effect that Speaker Henderson is not
going to allow the bill to be reported.
1t only carries $5,Oo0,00O or $4,000
600, one million of which goes to Chi
cago. In the bill Webster City and
Mason City are each provided with
feel that too much money has already
been appropriated this session, and as
a large public building bill went
through the last session he opposes
| this small one.
| Senators Allison and Dolliver have
| decided to recommend to the President
| the reappointment of John Campbell
a CT OF
county This is in the second district
and was one of the appointments which
Congressman Rumple did not have
| time to make before his sad end came.
| 1t is understood, however, that he
would have reappointed Mr.. Camp
bell, following the custom to give two
terms to a postmaster, unless serious
charges were preferred against him.
There We're signs of contest at Belle
vue recently, but they seem to have
died away, or at least did not gather
strength enough to be effective, as
the senators have decided that Mr.
Campbell's showing and backing arc
Overwhelming.
Congressman Conner did not forget
Muscatine when he was working with
the committee to get recognition for
| Iowa. 1t is sad to relate, however,
that whenever he mentioned Musca-
1 tine and its claim for building his
| remarks were greeted with amused
fgrins by Chairman Mercer and the
rest of the committee. The commit
1 tee has learned to know a good deal
of Muscatine. She jumped into prom
/ inence in her contest with Iowa City
i for the building last year, and in the
subsequent winning of a site under al
lmose unparalleled circumstances.
Judge Conner has been keeping the
matter before the committee at every
opportunity, but Muscatine has sprung
into prominence before the committee
in another way, and that was by being
in the district which sent the only
4 democratic congressman from Iowa
this year. Judge Conner has been I'M
able to get any member of the COM
mittee to consider Muscatine's claims
seriously. 1t is generally understood
that the question of securing a post
Office was even carried so far as to
be used as local issue in the cam
paign and that the people voted
against it. If anybody could get a
public building for Muscatine it would
be Judge Conner, but he acknowledges
himself beaten.
Every member of the Iowa delega--
ton in the house is to deliver an ell
logy on Captain Rumple in the house
tomorrow. The house will meet as
usual at twelve o'clock, but there will
of course be no business transacted
and the entire time will be given to
eulogies on Iowa's lamented congress
man from the second district. Major
!, Lacey will probably speak first, as he
has to a large degree had charge OF
the arrangements for the day. 1t is
probable, however, that he will give
way to Col. Hepburn, who is the rank.
ing member of the delegation in the
house. The Iowa congressman are
taking an earnest interest in the
proceedings, and it will not be the
J matter of form that characterizes
some occasions on which enlogies are
given on deceased members. There
. was a tender place in the heart of each
one of his colleagues for Capt. Rum
pie, and they will express their sor
row and respect in touching words
tomorrow.
This is the time of year that con
gressmen and senators send out thou
sands of packages of seeds to theil
constituents. These seeds are watched
i ha