Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-01

entered as second class matter Oc-
tober II, 1908. at the postofica. Ottur-
wa. Iowa. under the Ac. OF Congress OF
March 3. 1879.
COL. HEPBURN's ENEMIES.
The Creston American, democratic.
declares that Col. Hepburn is serving
his last term in congress and that if
the progressive republicans" cannot
defeat him in convention the demo-
Gratis will elect their man at the polls.
When man is as prominent in the
affairs of the nation as is Col. Hep
burn 1t would naturally be expected
that the people who live in the district
he represents would be glad to ac-
knowledge their acquaintance with
him and their participation in his cleo
ton to congress, but in many cases
Col. HeDburn's being an example, it is
fact that added greatness abroad
means added enmity and lack of appre-
citation at home. Col. Hepburn is one
of the big men in congress. He is great
among the great. He is easily among
the very ablest members of the lower
house of congress and his presence in
that body lends to it dignity and
power and reflects credit upon the
people in the district from which he
is chosen.
But Col. Hepburn is not politician.
Like all other men in public life he has
his enemies, but he would have fewer
of them in the eighth district if he
were made of less stern stuff. Gruff,
outspoken, he has none of the wiles of
the professional vote getter and prob
ably no man in congress is an easier
mark for the enemy who tries to pre-
JUDGE his constituents when the con-
gresham is absent from his district
But with Col. Hepburn's people it is
hard to maintain that prejudice when
he returns home from Washington. No
better illustration of this fact is needed
than was given at Corning last year.
Henry Wallace of Des Moines and a
few others, by assertions and innuen-
dos, built up a wall of opposition
against Hepburn because of his action
with regard to the legislation debate.
Henry Wallace was engaged to go to
Corning on the occasion of the farmers
institute there and deliver an address
to the Adams county farmers But
Mr.. HeDburn's friends heard of the
little game and wrote to the congress-
man. He asked for hearing before
the same audience that should listen
to Mr.. Wallace. The request was
granted, though with no great readi-
ness.
The farmers institute was we'll at
tended by the eighth district voters.
Col. Hepburn arrived in good time and
went to the little hotel. Mr. Wallace
was there also and was met at the
train and taken to the hotel by his
admirers. He entertained many visi-
tors, held a regular levee, in fact, but
Col. Hepburn sat almost alone. Wal
lace went to the hall in the afternoon
surrounded by enthusiastic supporters.
Mr.. Hepburn was accompanied by two
newspaper men, to whom, in converse
ton at the hotel and on the way to the
hall, he talked not once of politics but
OF the art preservative and of his life
in Chicago many years ago.
At the little hall where the meeting
was held Mr.. Wallace made speech
in which he scored Col. Hepburn
soundly, saying by innuendo that he
was not a proper representative of his
district and that he was a servant of
the railroads. He was cheered long
and loudly and when Col. Hepburn
rose to reply only a few struggling
admirers through the audience gave
him welcome. But he began to talk
in his straightforward di-
rect way, and before he had half fin
ished he was being interrupted by APP
plause When he read the letter in
which the attorney general and Presi-
dent Roosevelt himself acknowledged
his splendid unselfish work in behalf
of railroad legislation in accord with
the Presidents message, Col. Hepburn
could not proceed for a few minutes,
SO great was the applause. Mr.. Wal
lace left the platform and when he
came back it was to ask to be allowed
to speak again. The permission was
given and he took about ten minutes
to eXolain that he had intended no dis
respect to Col. Hepburn and regarded
him as an able man, etc. But his apol-
ogy was disregarded, for the audience
was for Hepburn.
The change after the meeting was
SO great that it was commented upon
by scores of people. Mr. Hepburn,
who had come to the hall attended
only by his two newspaper friends, was
stopped so often by enthusiastic admir-
ers and constituents that the round of
congratulations kept him an hour on
the way to the hotel-two blocks. He
was accompanied to the train by
scores of people and on the station
platform was surrounded by friends
among whom were many who, in the
morning, had openly sneered at him.
Meanwhile Mr. Wallace, who had been
lionized in the morning, stood apart
from the crowd, backed up against the
rough wall of the depot, silent-be-