Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-14
FEDERAL BILL
TO PASS HOUSE
WITHIN A WEEK
FRANK w. SIMMONS GIVES HIS
VIEWS AFTER CONFERENCE
WITH SENATORS coNcERING
OTTUMWA BUILDING
TO RESTORE MAIL
BOX TO STREET CARS

Mr.. SIMMONS GIVES PERSONAL
IMPRESSIONS OF SENATOR AL.
LIsoN -IoWA's SENIOR sENA.
TOR coNFERs WITH PRESIDENT
Frank w. Simmons, who has just
returned from Washington, where he
went as the representative of the
Commercial association of this city in
support Of the bill for new postoffice
and federal court building in Ottum
wa, was interviewed, by a Courier re-
porter this morning. Mr.. Simmons re-
turned from Washington last night,
and speaks encouragingly of the pros
poets of the bill and says he has no
doubt that the bill will pass the house
and within a week or so become a
law. AS chairman of the senate COM
mittee on appropriations, Senator Alli-
son was able to assure the most care
full consideration of the bill in commit
tee.
Within short time the mail boxes
will be put back on the street cars in
Ottumwa Mr.. Simmons took this
matter up with Senators Allison and
Dolliver and through this an appro-
priation covering this department Of
the local service was provided.
Mr.. Simmons made report of his
trip to the local committee at the
headquarters Of the Commercial asso-
citation this afternoon.
In answer to inquiries Mr.. Simmons
said:
"Most of my time in Washington
was spent In and around the capitol,
and was with Senator Allison daily
during the week I was there. What
saw Of the activities of Senator AL
lison can be verified by any one who
will observe for himself. / refer 10
his great influence for the state Of
Iowa, and in the councils of the law
makers Of the nation. And also to
his unimpaired mental and bodily Wig
or which enables him to perform his
work. What impressed me most was
the ease with which he considers and
disposes of business.
President Calls Allison Into Conference
He sees the point at once, and acts.
His advice and counsel are sought by
members of both Houses of Congress,
and even by both political parties, be-
cause more than any other man IL
congress he, Is always ready. He
commands the respect of all because
of his candor. During my few days
stay Senator Allison was twice called
by the president for council, and
have seen his room crowded almost 70
over-fowing by other senators and
members Of the house waiting to get
advice from him They were not slow
to say that their mission was to get
advice, and they did not seem to
think that the interests of the nation
would suffer by Senator Allison's re-
| tontion in the, senate. What they
could not understand, and such was
| the expression of Democratic con-
gressmen, also, was how the state Of
Iowa could give a thought of losing
the services of its most influential
representative In congress.
The special correspondent in
Washington of one of the leading Chi
cago newspapers, who had called to
see Senator Allison at his committee
room in the capitol, said to me: Sen
ator Allison has the greatest mind for
retaining facts that l ever knew. He
will tell me what 1 want to know,
and it will be the truth
Allison a Hard Worker.
There has Deen much talk about
the impairment Of his abilities. Such
talk is INDUCED in because the
speaker does not know the truth, or
else it is given currency for political
purposes. AS he took me by the
nand to say goodbye he looked fresh
and bright, and seemed eager for the
arduous work of the great committee
of which he is the chairman.
His committee was just taking up
the consideration of the Sundry Civil
Service bill as it passed the house
900 Of expenditures. This committee
bred purposes of the bill, and it will
require hours upon hours of work
day and night. AS another member
tor Allison will be found in his place
as chairman all the time that the bill
Is under consideration. He will be
there working, not talking about his
own succession. but working. Work
and the nation as he has worked for
forty years, rot playing to the gal
leries for the plaudits Oh men, but hon
oring Iowa by his work as Iowa has
honored him.
Says Others Must Speak for Him.
"Thus I was able to appreciate II
when he said to me that if any talk
ing is to be done in his behalf Others
would have to do it, He said thai
his duties in Washington are just now
pressing upon him and upon the com
mittee of appropriations. And he
, said that he could not leave those
, duties even to defend the record
, which he has made, and which, he
said, was about the only asset he had
When he parted his face seemei
tlighted up with smile of con6dencs