The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-24
Congressman Jameson Makes
Statement.

In the last issue of his paper, the
Shenandoah World, of last Friday, Con-
gresham Jameson prints the following
statement in regard to the contest:
have been notified that there is an
gress to which place was elected by
majority of the voters of the Eighth dis
trict on the third of last November.
This notice was served on me Tuesday
afternoon Of this week, and is printed
in full on the first page of this paper.
This means that an effort, or pretense
OF an effort, will be made to have Mr..
Hepburn maintained as long as possible
to the position of attempting to get, by
some hook or crook, the place in con-
gross which the people of this district
said he should not have. But he and his
partisan and office holding friends will
not be able, and do not even think
they hope to be able, to take this seat
away from me, unless. they defy and
thWart the will of the majority in this
district and absolutely steal the place.
While the lower house Of congress is
the absolute and antocratic Judge Of it's
own membership and can throw out any
member on any preteXt whatever, If it
SO desires, and while it is the court of
last appeal, yet | have confidence
enough in it to believe that it will not
commit such an atrociousy wicked Of
tense against the people of this district.
Who is responsible for the bringing
of this contest?
You will note that this notice of con-
test is signed NJ. l.. Temple, attorney
sin fact This means that MIR. Hep
burn turned over to Mr.. Temple the
authority to act in the matter, and that
Mr.. Hepburn appears, or pretends to
appear, Pontius Pilate-like in washing
his hands aud saying that he is limo
cent OF the blood of the just people of
the Eighth district. lie has been FREE
quently quoted as saying that he did
not favor the contest, and that he
thought it was mistake and all that.
Bat a short time ago number Of his
standpat partisan friends and benefc-
iaries met at Creston. Among them
were postmaster Armstrong, of Lenox;
postmaster Anderson, of Lamont; post.
master Clark, of Bedford; treasurer
Lundy, of Clarinda: postmaster Hassel
quist. of Charlton ex-postmaster Mar
win, of Shenandoah, and a partner of
postmaster Deater, of Shenandoah;
postmaster Stiles, of Sidney; postmaster
GRAY, OF Corning, postmaster Haines, Of
Centerville; postmaster Skinner, Of
Creston; district attorney Temple, of
Osceola; National Bank receiver Jami-
son, Osceola: pension DR.. Bailey, of Mt.
Ayr; Deputy U. S. Marshal Bryant, of
Creston; bookkeeper in national house
Stranahan, of Mt. Ayr; committee clerk
in the national house Stipes, of Clarin-
da; and a few moro Office holders and
9TH ,Nl l<x, al I,o
long to what is known as the Hepburn
into details of the situation, they re-
solved that a contest should be institut-
ed. They appointed sub committee of
three of which district attorney Temple
was chairman, to further arrangements,
and thus the contest was brought. So
feel that am justified in the belief
that this contest brought by lot Of
federal Office holders who want to hold
their positions.
Why do they bring this contest?
Purely from a personal and selfish
motive. They are afraid Of losing their
positions and they cannot bear the
thought of letting loose. They have all
been bitter anti-Cummins men and now
that Cunmins is in the senate, and Mr..
Hepburn is defeated in this district
they are afraid that Senator Cummins
will have much to do with the distribu-
ton of patronage in this district.
Knowing they have been bitter and I'M
fair in their fight on Senator Cummins,
they are now afraid when the opportun-
ity presents itself, he will dismiss them
from their positions and appoint some
of his own friends. This is strikingly
true in the case of district attorney
Temple, who is mostly responsible for
the bringing of this contest. These
federal Office holders feel that if this
contest is brought, that until the case
is decided against Hepburn, he will
still have sufficient influence to keep
them in their positions. In my judg-
ment. this is then ub Of the whole thing.