Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-03-09
REED LANDS JUDGESHIP
FOURTH DISTRICT CANDIDATE WINS
The Long Drawn Out Campaign for the
Appointment of Federal Judge of the
Northern District of Iowa. Ends
on Friday Afternoon.

The most jubilant lot of fellows you
ever saw were very much in evidence
all over the fourth congressional dis
trict last Friday afternoon, and in
fact many in some of the other dis
tricts, when the announcement came
by telegraph that the Iowa delegation
in Congress from the third, fourth,
| fifth, tenth and eleventh districts and
the two Senators in caucus unanimous
| ly decided to recommend to President
Roosevelt the appointment of Hon. H.
I. Reed Of Cresco, Howard county, to
succeed Judge Shiras as Judge of the
| Federal Court, northern district of
Iowa. The wires were kept hot with
messages of congratulation to Judge
Reed from all parts of the state and
nation during the afternoon and even
ing, for everyone felt that great vic
| tory had been won.
AS is we'll known, the contest for
this appointment has been one of the
closest in the history of the state.
Each district presented candidate,
and for months there was a deadlock
in the caucusing. With Allison and
Haugen for Reed, Birdsall for
Longueville, Cousins for Dawley,
Dolllver and Conner for Healy and
Thomas for Wright, the contest hung.
Finally Birdsall dropped Longueville
and went to Healy, and thus it hung
for months. Scores of ballots were
taken with the same result. On
Thursday Cousins dropped Dawley and
went to Reed. On Friday nineteen
ballots were taken with the above
result. 1t was decided to adjourn to
Saturday morning, when some one
suggested another ballot, and it was
taken, Birdsall going to Reed. and the
long suspense was ended Then
Senator Dolliver moved to make the
recommendation unanimous and it was
done. The recommendation was sent
TO the President and on Saturday he
sent the nomination to the Senate,
which was confirmed Monday.
The appointment meets with the
most hearty approval of all, now that
the matter is settled. 1t is the
general opinion that Mr. Reed is best
equipped for the position. A man of
the highest integrity, thorough
judicial ability and fitness, and one
who has had no political entangle-
ments to hamper him in any way. He
will make splendid Judge. an able
successor of the universally admired
and honored Judge Shiras He was
born in Vermont in 1916, and came to
Iowa in 1855, settling with his parents
in Howard county in 1856, where he
has since resided. He was admitted
to the bar in 1871, aud served one term
in the state legislature, declin-
ing a denomination, since devoting
his energies to a large and lucrative
law practice. He has repeatedly de-
clined to be candidate tor public
Office, his ambition to serve as Judge
having at last been realized.
The appointment puts a large
feather in the cap of Congressman G.
n. Haugen. as much of the credit OF
securing his appointment is due to his
untiring efforts in his behalf. He has
lost no opportunity to present the good
qualities of Judge Reed to the Iowa
delegation and the people of the state.
and has devoted much time to the Sc
curing of endorsements of leading at
torneys and citizens of the different
counties. He did not for a moment
entertain the thought or suggestions
of second choice. giving everyone to
understand that he was for Reed first,
last and always. To Senator Allison
the sincere thanks of the district is
also due. He did not swerve from his
belief that the appointment should go
the Judge Reed both from fitness and
location. and staid by him through
every ballot, his wishes undoubtedly
having much to do with influencing
Congressman Cousins and Birdsall,
who have placed the fourth district
under lasting obligation to them. The
good nature with which others of the
delegation take the disappointment
which they must feel and their recog-
milton of the wisdom of the appoint
ment is likewise matter of congratu-
lation.