Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-01

of the main line of the Burlington. We
were near Villisca and one day 1t rain
ed and we could not go to work. I am
going to take you down to Clarinda,
Waterman said Potter, lust to meet
Colonel Hepburn, and you will meet
one of the great men Of the state.
had not heard much about Hepburn at
that time" continued Senator Water
man. "but went with Potter to see
his distinguished friend. We called on
the colonel in his Office and you may
guess that his Office furniture never
saw Grand Rapids. Mich. 1t consisted
of a plain table in the middle of the
room. piled high with law books, which
constituted most Of his library. A few
chairs with hickory seats and tobac-
co box filled with wood ashes and used
as cuspidor, constituted the rest Of
his furniture We had not talked
long with Colonel Hepburn until con-
cluded that Tom Potter's estimate of
his friend was about right. We had a
delightful visit and we'll remember
what Potter said to him as we were
leaving. He looked at him rather pitt
fully and said, Hepburn, why in thun-
der do you stay in town? With your
ability you could just as well be in a
big city, making dollars in the law
business where you are making cents
here"
II have often thought of that re-
mark" said Waterman, as he paused
to reflect. Hepburn refused to let his
light be hidden, even if he did live In
small town. Just think, he Is one
OF the big men of the nation, and his
name will go down in history in con-
nection with the Isthmian canal pro-
ject."
Congressman Twenty Years.
Colonel Hepburn's advent into poll
tics and his work in congress are mat
tiers OF more recent history. He will
be reelected to congress this fall, and
when he serves out the term he will
have been a member Of that body for
twenty years. He is perhaps stronger
in the affections of his constituents
than ever before. He is close stud
ent, and devotes all Of bis time to his
congressional labors. When he be-
came member Of congress he consid-
cred It a matter of honor to give up his
law practice and devote his entire
time and attention to his work in con-
gress. He has never allowed himself
to be drawn into case since he en-.
tered congress, and he has had to pass
up some very handsome fees in order
to keep the promise he made to him.
self.
| When Tom Reed was elected speak.
er Of the house, he appointed Colonel
Hepburn as chairman of the interstate
and foreign commerce committee. He
has retained the Craftsmanship of this
important committee in each subse-
quent congress. 1t is easily one OF
the most important committees in the
house and it was as chairman Of this
committee that Colonel Hepburn re-
ported the Nicaragua canal bill and
twice secured its passage in the house
Defeated for Legislature.
Colonel Hepburn's first event into
politics was as candidate for the leg
4 islature in Page county. He was de
feated by Wat Webster, who ran on ar
/ Independent ticket Some men would
have become disgruntled and sore, but
not so with Colonel Hepburn. That de
feat had it's lessons and Colonel Hep
burn learned some valuable politica
/ experience from that contest He used
to speak a great deal in sarcasm and
satire, and the men who had been the
| victims of his keen thrus.s invariably
were opposed to him. He took his de
feat gracefully and met all the mer
who had worked against him with g
| pleasant smile. He has since mellow
ed with the passing years, and now
deals in sarcasm very gingerly. The
republicans of his county soon saw
that they had done their distinguished
fellow citizen great wrong by no
gratifying his ambition to go to the
legislature. The next year, con
gresham was to be nominated ant
elected in the old Council Bluffs dis
trict. The republicans Of Page count.
unanimously presented Colonel Hep
burn to that convention as their choice
for congress, Colonel VIM. sapp repre-
sented the district In congress ant
wanted to be renomfnated.
/ The other candidates were John z
Stone and Major A. r. Anderson. TIL
convention lasted for nearly twl
weeks and although Colonel Sapp wa.
at several times within two votes O
being nominated, he could not secur
the requisite number to put him owe
the fence. The convention finally ad
journed without making nomination
and the farmer delegates went HON
to put in their crops. In a few week
more the convention reconvened an
the balloting was resumed, for tim
without results. On the third day o
the convention. while the ballotin
was in progress, Colonel Hepburn sa
under spreading maple tree whit
ting stick and thinking. He was be
coming disguised with politics and h
had about concluded to 90 before tn
convention and withdraw his name a
a candidate. and go home and practic
law and try to earn competency 70
himself and family. While he wa
thus cogitating, one of his politica
lieutenants came rushing to him an
said: Hepburn you are gaining" H
was nominated on the next ballo1
That was one promise he made t
himself that he failed to keep. He ha
been in politics ever since that even
full day in his life and he is still