Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-17
Contest For Seat In
Blackhawk County

Contest Committee of Legisla-
d ture Will Decide---Reading
i of Message on the First
Day an innovation.
/ ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Des Moines Bureau Of the Courier.
Des MoInes, Jan. is, 1907.
i Much interest Is manifested in the
contest of George S. Norm against
j Guy Feely for the seat in the house
of representatives allotted by law to
Blackhawk county
The committee on contest of the
house has been named by Speaker
N. q. Kendall, as follows: Meredith
OF Cass, chairman; Hacker of Web
ster, Bascom Of Dickinson, Lee Of
Emmet, Clary of Chickasaw, Wolfe Of
Clinton and Sparks of Wapello. 1t was
intended that the committee should be
composed of five members, as that is
the usual size, but it was named as
seven in the resolution and after it
had gone through there was no use Of
changing it. Three of the members
are democrats, Clary, Wolfe and
Sparks. This Is the rule on such
committees and it is assumed that
the committee will bring in majority
and minority report, as 1t did in the
case Of Youde and Whitmer from
O'Brien county last year.
Feeley was sworn in, however, AMI
will act as the representative Of
Blackhawk county until the contest
committee reports and the house UNI
seats him. OF this he has no fear.
If it does, Mr.. Morning will take his
place on the committee.
or course, on account of the con-
test which the Cedar Falls people are
making Mr.. Feeley will, be at dis
advantage and can do much less than
he could were. he not compelled 10
bear the burden of the fight at home
but already he is popular among his
4 fellow members and 1t is believed
that he will be able to achieve much
more for the normal school than any
representative from BlackhaWk coun.
ty for many years.
i In the senate no one took to raise
the point Of disqualification of Senator
De Armand of Scott county. He holds
a position as city councilman in Daven-
port of the republicans and democrats
il alike want him to keep 1t while he is
in the senate 1t is now thought 70
i one will raise the4point Of disqualified
n ton against him. There are no other
contests.
4 An Innovation.
i Reading the governors message on
! the first day of the session Of the leg
4 islature was unprecedented. Last year
when there was what amounted to an
extra session. the message came in
on the first day naturally, but in no
former regular session did the legisla.
ture attempt to lear. the message on
Monday of converting. .s
4 Speaker Kendall was responsible for
the innovation. It is said to be an in
dication of the policy which he ex-
poets to follow throughout the whole
session. He will insist on the house
working hard and getting its business
\ out Of the way. AS chairman of the
4 jurtciary committee Of the house he
4 was always hustling the business
along with dispatch. But despite has
services in this direction In five or
j six sessions of the legislature 1t al
ways adjourns about the same time.
| And it Is predicted that it will do SO
this time too. But this sort of policy
5 of pushing owrk ahead will mean the
enlargement of the Journals to two
4 volumns and the passage Of scores Of
. useless acts. All that saves the PEG.
pie from 800 laws being passed at n
session of the legislature lis the fact
4 that work on the consideration of
measures does not begin, ordinarily,
till the middle of the session.
No Fight on DoIliver.
1 The gossip about the United States
senatorial succession continues to be
heard in the Hobbies, but politicians
agree that there is nothing to it. There
1 are stories about conferences and Of
fers, etc., but when they are run down
they are found to emanate from per-
sons outside Of the legislature who
would like to see fuss in the body
over this question.
i 1t is true, without a doubt, that the
Il Cummins members could start some
4 thing If they would negotiate with the
stand patters who have sfgnfied de.
j sire to get Cummins out of the way
j of themselves in 1908 and 1909, but
/, the Cummins men are not even enter
| tanning propositions!
| 1t is believed here today that there
will be no fight against Dolliyer. Cum
. minis is the only man who could start
it. He will not be candidate.
Inauguration Thursday.
Today's session of the assembly was
4 taken up almost exclusively with can
wasting the vote for governor. Before
six o'clock the official record will con-
| tain the intelligence that Cummins
was elected governor and Garst lieut.
enant governor on November s. Then
the two will be inaugurated Thursday,
! the lieutenant governor and the speak