Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-19
Contest Over Statehood Will Be
Renewed Next Winter.
OKLAHOMA WILL TRY ALONE
Corners Fight for Public Buildings
Measure Secured to Iowa All Appro-
priatons Asked-Peope Get Wrong
Idea About Pension Bills Passed.
IBY II. ]. MAHIN.l

finally swept off the boards in the last
congress it was tacitly understood that
statehood would be granted the terri
tories next year-at least in the case
of Oklahoma This is according to the
statement of Delegate Flynn of Okla
homa whose term of Office ended
March 4. During the last session the
three territories stood together, but it
is generally understood that they will
~ it alone next year. Oklahoma real
ICES that she was handicapped by the
other two territories this session and
that had she tried for statehood alone
she would undoubtedly have gotten it.
Mr. Quay must be reckoned with, how
ever. He is more anxious for state
hood for Arizona and New Mexico
than for Oklahoma on account of per
sonal interests he has in those states
and will probably find way to push
their interests next winter. Although
he is more responsible than anyone
else in the senate for the extra session
he is not attending, but instead is on a
fishing "trip in Florida, while the other
senators talk over the treaties in the
capitol.
Great credit is due Judge Conner for
the final passing of the public buildings
BILL and The including therein of appro-
priations for Webster City and Mason
City sites for postoffices and an in
crease for Council Bluffs Judge Con
ner worked night and day on this
measure the last week of the session.
and while many items were dropped
and many congressman lost coveted
prizes, none of Iowa's were touched.
In fact 1t is learned from private
source that the original allowances for
Webster City and Mason City were
only $4,000 each and that Judge Con-
ner secured $4,000 more for each.
Judge Conner is one of the calmest
and most dignified men in Washington,
but his friends were amused to see
how dangerously near he came to an
ger over this postoffice site question.
He was especially anxious to get the
Webster City site. There seems to be
a certain element in Webster City that
Is determined to discredit Judge Con-
ner in every possible way-a feeling
which is said to come from certain
soreness over appointments. When
the public building bill seemed doomed
tllis element got out its largest trum-
nets and blew them loud and long to
the tune that Judge Conner could not
accomplish that which his constituents
wanted the most. While the judge
does not pay much attention to such
things ususally. there is no doubt that
this prejudiced proceeding put few
more strong props into his determine
ton to win.
The unprecedented record time in
which Mrs. Rumple's pension was got
ten through congress seems to have
had bad effect in one way at least
1t has given certain Iowans wonder
fully wrong idea as to the speed in
which pension can be secured. An
Iowa man wrote Senator Dolliver just
before the end OF the session, and laid
out nice little program for his pen
sion claim. The letter reached the
senator on Monday. According to the
plan, he was to present the bill thai
morning, have it referred to the com
mittee, and the committee to report ii
Immediately. Then to have the house
pass it at once, rush it across the
capitol and have it presented in the
senate that same afternoon. have il
referred to the senate committee and
reported, have it passed by the senate
before 4 o'clock and then rush it tc
the President for his signature. The
gentleman did not add that check
for the first month should be mailed
him that night, but that could be in
ferred. II constituents could only
watch some of the laborious methods
that are necessary for following up the
pension bills, they would understand
such questions better. Even in the
case of Mrs. Rumple's pension which
the entire delegation were pushing, it
was three weeks from the time it was
first presented, that it was signed by
the President. There is an infinite
amount of detail to attend to besides
an endless program of urging, wire
pulling, etc. to get the pension taken
up by the committee and reported in
precedence to hundreds of others
Those who expect to get pensions
through in a days time will be dis
appointed about a month or two at
least.
Nearly every day Secretary Shaw re.
ceives amounts of various magnitude
which are consigned to the conscience
fund. The money usually comes with
no name attached and usually without
explanation though occasionally the
sender remarks that he owes the mon
ey to the government and can not rest
until it is paid. There seems to hay
been an epidemic of such contributions
recently. There has been much said
about them in the newspapers and this
may have aroused the consciences o.
some people that would have otherwise
remained dormant The other day. q
check for $4.S76.50 from an unknown
man in New York. was received II
is one OF the largest contributions the
conscience fund has ever received. Ii
contrast, six cents in postage stamps
came not long ago from Philadelphia
man who must have had an exceeding
ly tender conscience. The amounts
are mostly supposed to be those which
senders have at some time or othe
held out on customs officials.
@i-ious disappointment is in stor,
for world fair visitors in the absenc
ol The proposed Philippine exhibit
The insular government sci apart TN
sum of $3.50 900 the expectation bein,