Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-21
LOOK FOR GAINS.
Democrats Expect to Augment Mem
berS in House.

Democrats Expect to Augment Mem
bers in House.
Des Moines, July 1S.-It is said the
,, democrats expect to make some slight
gains in the house at the election this
fall though it is certain that they will
lose in the senate. 1t is possible that
they may make many gains in
the house, where they at present have
ever, they are likely to gain ono from
Scott, one from Dubuque, one from
Crawford, possibly one from Iowl, and
possibly one from Jackson counties.
They may gain two or three members
in addition to this, but they will lose
One from Lee, and one from Des
Moines on account of the state teing
redistricted. They will also lose one
from Keokuk and one from Union,
in all probability. The chances
therefore, are against them gaining
more than two or three members at
the most.
If they fill up the Cherokee strip
they will do well. The Cherokee strip
be it understood. is the section of Sc ats
in the northeast corner of the house
chamber 1t received this name some
four years ago when there were just
10 democrats in the house. There are
10 seats in thisisection so that,the mi.
nority party had section of the house
to itself.
Last session there were only 16
democrats in the house and two re.
publicans had to sit in this section
The third seat was vacant, it being the
speakers seat. In the house the-mem-
bers draw their seats by lot and. there
fore many members do not get just
the seats they would like to have.
There is always a great rivalry for the
best seats. in the senate, the old SEN
ators have the privilege of retaining
the seat they had the previous session,
which they generally do, as man gets
accustomed to "a place and dislikes to
give it up.
Lacey is Strong.
Politicians from the sixth district
who have been in Des Moines during
the past few days say that Congress-
man Lacey is stronger in the district
than he has ever been. They are of
the opinion that any one who opposes
him for the nomination next year will
have rather rock road to travel There
are few congressman who work hard
er and do more for their constituents
than Congressman Lacey has done He
does not talk a great deal. At Washing
ton he is generally to be found in the
committee room and he seldom makes
a speech on the floor of the house. On
the other hand when the campaign
commences, there is no speaker in the
field more constantly than Congress
man Lacey. He usually gives large
proportioY of his time to the state
commiteS and even last year when il
was thodght that he would have seri
Gus contest in his own district he
made number of addresses in other
districts, in fact going into every dis.
trict that was considered doubtful. The
manager of the speakers bureau, in
variably depends on Major Lacey fol-
good deal of assistance during the
campaign and he is never disap
pointed.
Assessments.
1t is not probable that the Findings
of the executive council with relation
to the railroad and other assessments
will be made public before the last O.
July or the first of August though the
| work was practically completed il
July. The republican convention met
the later part of July and the mem
bers Of the council, two of whom were
candidates for denomination, did MOI
have time to complete their work be
| for the convention.