Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-03
LECISL, ARE
SLt'' GATHERING
ELIMINATION OF CONTESTS IN
ORGANIZATION OF ASSEMBLY
is THE REASON
No Opposition to Senator Dolliver is
in Sisht-speaker of the House Of
Representatives is Selected Practi-
calIy by Common Consent.

IS Isl
the legislature will begin to gather in
Des Moines this week. By next Thurs
day practically all of the members
will be here prepared to settle the var
ious organization problems with dis
patch.
If there were any kind of a real
fight on anywhere along the line the
members would have been here before
this. OF cours the legislature meets
this year at the latest possible date,
January IA. This brings the time for
the members to begin to come in much
later than ordinarily. Nevertheless, :f
there were such a fight on as in 1900
when Cummins was beaten for senator
the members would have been there
for week.
AS it is no one can be found who
will stand sponsor for the suggestion
that Dolliver will have opposition.
There are plenty of politicians who
insist that he ought to have opposi-
ton but they insist that some other
fellow ought to shy the first rock. So
that. it may be set down thta If there
Is fight against Dolliver it will arise
mighty sudden. The senatorship is
the most important thing which a
legislature can settle in the line of dis
tributing public Office, and the distribu-
tions of honors is the thing which
attracts the members to come in early.
There being no fight on the senator
ship this year, the early congregation
of the members is not expected.
Especially in view Of the fact that
the speakership, also, has been dis
posed Of, to all intents and purposes,
by the seemingly common agreement
that Nate Kendall of Monroe county
shall have it. This removes another
cause for the early arrival of mem
,bers.
Newman Senate Secretary.
And there are no fights in regard to
the chief places in the organization
of botn houses. There is DR.. G.. A.
Newman who will be reelected secre-
tary of the senate, without doubt. He
was bitter stand patter and has been
one OF the most consistent and in
fuential opponents of Governor Cum
minis, but no effort will be made to dis
turb him in his place. His first assis-
tant is George Wilson, son of James
Wilson Of Adair county, also a stand
patter, and no one will attempt to de-
feat him for reelection. Journal
Clerks Cecil Dixon and G. S. Irish will
be reelected without opposition, as
will Miss Inez Black, the enrolling
clerk Of the senate. On second assist
ant and engrossing clerk there may be
some mild contests.
In the house there will be little
fighting. The speakership has been
settled, to all intents and purposes, as
explained, and the chief clerkship
will be given to Rush Benedict, again,
a recognition of merit and good ser
vice. The reading clerkship will go to
A. E. Kepford without opposition. So
that even in the house there are only
immaterial offices over which to fight
This is additional reason for the de.
lay of members in coming to Des
Moines
Organization Is Curious.
incidentally, curious thing about
the senate organization will be the
fact that the stand patters will abso.
lutely control it from top to bottom
and this leads the politicians to won.
der if, after all, the Cummins men can
substantiate their claim to having
from ten to twenty majority in a re.
publican caucus.
The thing that will bring most OF
the members here early next weeE
will be the committee assignment pro
blem. At the last session, the mem
bership Of the houses being Identical
with those Of 1904 the organization
and committee assignments remained
the same as in the thirtieth general
assembly. This was announced By
Speaker Clarke and the lieutenant gov
ernor at the time of election, so thai
the memebrs were not speculating as
to the matter. Now, however, there
is to be complete new deal and in II
every member has a vital interest
The real fight of the organization is il
the assignment of members to commit
teeships.
Little Change in Situation.
There is little change in the situa
ton as reported in this correspond
ence a few weeks ago. 1t is pretty
we'll understood that Weeks, Jones
Meredith, Teter and Conn are SLATED
for the five big committees of judi
ciary, appropriations, railroads, ways
and means and insurance, in ths
house. In the senate it is believed
that Maytag, Smith, Hopkins, Whip
pie and Dowell are slated for the ap
preparation, ways and means, rail
roads, insurance and Judiciary com
mittees, respectively.
There may be a shifting of these
men and possible elimination OF on,
in the house, for it may occur to tbs
new speaker to put Jones at the heat
OF the insurance on account O. collabov
alton on the minors -ey report of the
Legislative insurance commission, bu
generally speaking tdese assignment.
ST.. stand though always subject {,