Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-21
THESE IOWA JokERs.

Speaker Cannon likes joke; no one
likes one better. He has well devel-
loped sense of humor and can
appreciate laughable situation
as we'll as any man living.
He must prepare for good laugh,
LOT there is a joke-an Iowa joke-in
store for him to be opened up with his
mail some of these bright November
days. It will come in the form of a pc
tltlon, bearing the names. no doubt, of
some of the eighth district democrats
and possibly a few republicans, just to
make it good. 1t will be a petition
for the removal of Col. w. P. Hepburn
from the house committee on interstate
commerce for the approaching session
of congress.
mat is really fact. Someone out
in the eighth district, the district Col
Hepburn has represented so we'll for
many years, has prepared and is circu-
lating paper that reads like. this:
Hon. Joseph g. Cannon, speaker Of
the house of representatives: The
undersigned, republicans and residents
of the eighth congressional district of
Iowa respectfully request that Hon. w.
+. Hepburn, our present representative
- SOAiSoiS Go, NC llOI dppOlHlSu W SSlNS
as chairman of the committee on in
terstate and foreign commerce for the
sessions of the fifty-ninth congress, for
reasons as follows:
We are earnestly in favor of the
policy of President Roosevelt, as an
nounced in his message and speeches
for the government control of freight
rates by charging the power of the
interstate commerce commission that it
may declare rate or practice unreas-
enable, after full hearing, and substi-
tute therefore reasonable rate or
practice to be at once effective.
I'VE deplore the fact that Hon. w.
P. Hepburn is not in sympathy with
the policy of the President We be-
lieve that as chairman of the interstate
and foreign commerce committee
he would use that position
to SO change, recast or emas-
culate in favor of the trusts and
corporations, any measure which
would effectively produce these results
as to render it abortive and useless SO
far as carrying out the intent of the
/ President to remedy real evils by a
sufficient and real corrective.
1--WE therefore request that Hon. w.
P. Hepburn be not appointed to the
head OF your committee which deals
with this great and important ques-
ton"
Yes, there will probably be at the
bottom the names of some men who
if the primary law were in force,
would cast ballots in republican gath
erings. OF course it will not be hard
to get democratic names, and the pc.
tition by tie time it reaches Washing
ton will look like an overgrown declar-
alton of independence. And "Uncle
Joe" will look at it, if he has time,
read it part way through and allow one
of those old fashioned Cannon smiles
to light up his rugged countenance
tail the joke to them
There are many good reasons why
Mr.. Hepburn should be continued at
the head of the committee. He is one
of the strongest men in congress, one
of President Roosevelt's right hand
men. His advice is sought and acted
upon by men who are considered wise.
There are no good reasons why he
should not be re-appointed. Surely
the fact that Henry Wallace and a few
more jokers out in Iowa don't like him
is not good reason. Neither is the
fact that he hasn't been able to pass
misunderstanding and other favors
around to every dissatisfied man in his
district. And Mr.. Cannon has already
stated in no uncertain language that
Col. Hepburn will be reappointed.
If there were need of any other rea.
sons, Mr.. Wallace Of Des Moines
might remember one very good one for
keeping Mr.. Hepburn where he is in
congress. Mr. Wallace can no doubt
call to mind that afternoon in Corning
not many months ago, when he told
Mr.. Hepburn's constituents, largely
democratic ones, that they were being
grossly misrepresented. And If Mr..
Wallace can call that occasion to mind
it shouldn't be hard for him to re.
member that Col. Hepburn made lit
tie talk in the course Of which he
used letter from Attorney General
Moody commencing his (Hepburn's)
WABASH TIME TABLE.
Mo- Arrive, Time.