Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-26
BILL IS IN DANGER.
Measure to Control Liquor Traffic
May Not Pass.
DEADLOCK MAY CAUSE ITS DEATH
Public Building Omnibus Bill Opposed
BY "Uncle Joe" Cannon-Hepburn
Trying to Get Appropriation for Con-
struction of Commerce Building.
IRY II i MAHIN L

struction of Commerce Building.
BY H. j. MAHIN.
Washington, ID. c., Feb. 23.--There
is every indication that the dead lock
in the senate is going to crowd out
the Hepburn bill for the control of
the liquor traffic in prohibition states.
The tatics of the opponents of the bill
has been delay and it appears that
they are going to win their fight. |
Senator Dolliver, who is on the COM
merce committee to which the bill
was referred has encountered dis
couraging amount of opposition and
what is worse lack of interest in the
measure by the members of the COM
mittee. 1t was expected to take UP
the bill last Friday and refer it back
to the senate with favorable recon.
mendation 1t had been held off in
the committee meeting the week be-
fore and the opposition succeeded in
taking up the one hour which the
committee had with other matter last
Friday SO that it was again neglect
ed. The committee has only one
more meeting, which is next Friday
and within few days before the adj
journment of congress. There is
little prospect that the bill can bel
brought out then and even if it was
could hardly be gotten before the
senate, and to the president before
March a. AS has been before stated
the bill was formed to prohibit the
sale of liqour through the mails and
by express in prohibition localities.
Another measure that contained
much of interest to Iowa has also been
lost in the shuttle. That is the
public building omnibus bill.
The committee of which Judge
Conner is member, prepared a.
small bill carrying about S6,000,000I
which they hoped to get through but
1t is understood that "Uucle joe"
Cannon has set his feet down and
declared that he will fight the
measure if it is brought up. That
settles the matter. Mr.. Cannon is
chairman of the committee on ap-
preparations and all powerful in that
regard. He is often termed the
watch dog of the treasury" and is
said to oppose the bill on the ground
that this congress appropriated
enough money for public buildings
last session. The defeated bill con-
tanned the items heretofore mention.
ed, for Iowa including sites at Webster
City and Mason City, and increase at
Boone and Council Bluffs.
The bank of Colfax at Colfax, Iowa
in Mr.. Lacey's district will probably
be refunded the large sum of SIS ere
long by the government The sum was
paid in 1901 as penalty by reason of
delay in paying special tax. AS
bank this institution must pay the
government a specific annual tax of
$3.50. If this is not paid within the
month that it falls due penalty OF
fifty per cent is prescribed by the law.
1t seems that the cashier of the Col.
fax bank left suddenly on account of
the illness of his wife and instructed
the assistant cashier to pay the tax
at the proper time. The latter failed
to do this and the fifty per cent pen.
atty of SIS was assessed. The law
allows leniency in case of illness and
this refund will be made under this
condition. The bill passed the senate
last week.
Congressman Hepburn has been
looking into the matter of securing an
immediate appropriation for NEW
building for the new department of
commerce and labor. Mr.. Hepburn
has been greatly interested in this bill
from its inception. His committee
handled it and his personal influence
had much to do with getting it through
promptly and successfully. At pres.
ent the department is scattered all
over town. The branch departments
that were put under the new head have
not yet been moved from their respec-
tive locations, while Secretary Cortel-
you, the head of the department, is
situated in rather questionable quar-
tiers, in the Presidents new Office
1t does not look as though the appro-
priation can be secured before the end
of this session, though Col. Hepburn
may yet be able to accomplish that re-
suit. Governor Cummins of Iowa call.
ed at the White House just as the
cabinet met on Friday and had
the pleasure of greeting Secretary Cor.
telyou at his first cabinet meeting.
The cabinet sits around long. OBJ
long table, the President at the head
and the new secretary, Mr.. Cortelyou,
at the foot, with the other members
four on each side. Secretary Shaw
sits directly at the Presidents left.
Iowans who have enjoyed the bene-
fits of the rural delivery system will
be interested to learn that the success
of the project in this country has
caused Canada to contemplate SINH.
lar system throughout the Dominion.
During the past few days the secretary
of the Canadian postoffice department
has been in the city under instruction
from his postmaster general to make
an exhaustive study of the subject.
Every facility has been placed at his
disposal by by the United States gov
eminent. There is no state in the
Union that gives better evidence of the
success of the service than Iowa,
which surpasses all other states in
the number of routes established.
Washington. D c., Feb. 24.-Iowa's
4 executive who has been in Washington
for several days, continued his recu
0gDerating tourney to Florida Governor