Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-10
DEMOCRATS TO
GAIN SENATOR.
DEATH OF STEPHEN 3. ElkINS
LEAVES VACANCY TO BE FILL
ED BY THAT PARTY.
COMMITTEE POSTS VACANT
Late West Virginia Senator Had I'm
portant Assignments Which Now
Will be Distributed Among
Other Mem bers.

washington, D. c., Jan. 9.-(Special
4 Correspondence.)- has wrought
havoc again and again in the senate OF
the sixty-first congress The passing
away of Stephen Benton Elkins, while
not unexpected within the past re"
4 weeks, is nevertheless shock 10
! those who recall his vigorous activity
last session.
Senator Ellxins first appeared in
public life in Washington in 1879 as
forty sixth congress. He made one
speech in that congress, and it was for
the admission Of the territory as
state. Senator Ellsins' career in the
senate has been conspicuously devoted
to study and work upon commercial
1Iquestions coming before congress, his
greatest distinction having been
achieved as chairman Of the commit
tee on interstate commerce in it's dea.-
lings with railway rate issues.
The death Of the West Virginia
senator leaves vacant the chairman
ship of the interstat e. commerce COM
mittee and his places on commerce,
al preparations, rules, printing and
geological survey. His term ran 20
March 4, 1918. and his death is loss
to the republicans in the senate, re-
ducing it's majority to in the next
congress.
AS the West Virginia legislature
which is in session, is strongly demo-
cratic, that party will elect two sena-
tors, the election to be January II.
An early report and an expeditions
passage Of the rivers and h ma, OH
is expected in the senate. The agGrc-
/ gate sum of the senate amendments is
S2,SOO,OOy and it Is not likely that the
bill as it came from the house with the
senate additions will amount to much
more than s26,000,000.
I With the unexpected balances for
number Of projects provided for in the
river and harbor bill Of last June rea-
sonable provisions has been for water
way Improvement until the next reg
ular congress undertakes to pass bill
1t Is expected that something like
$50,oo0, bill, in accord with the
policy Of the national river and harbor
congress, will be passed.
y The little American contingent Of
sailors and marines occupying the is
land of Gaum in the middle Of the Pa
cific will have to wait more than
month for their Christmas remem
ORANGES from home which should have
reached them on time. Just at the yule
tide the transport Logan, with cargo
of Christmas trees and goodies Of all
kinds was drawing nigh the island
when it was discovered that an en-
listed soldier bound for the Philippines
had smallpox. Nothing was allowed to
Hand, and the ship was forced to pro-
coed to Manila. The Christmas con-
signment had to be shipped back to
the United States and thence it will be.
reshipped to Gaum, on the first trans
port sailing eastward.
1t will be just year on January 10
since the Ballinger- Pinchot investiga
ton was authorized by congress. Agi-
tators for test vote on the three re.
ports of the committee, the majority,
the minority and the Madison report
expect to get vote by February l.
The bureau of manufactures, depart
ment of commerce and labor, has a
communication from an American bus
mess house which states 1t has been
purchasing drinking-straws abroad,
but would like to make purchases in
the home market.
The 10Th OF January will be no.
table day ir these parts. 1t will be the
day for the meeting Of the national
board Of trade. whose membership
represents business organizations in
all the cities Of the United States, the
day congress votes on the Panama eX-
fposition question and the date Of the
caucus Of the house democrats of the
sixty-second congress. 1t Is the COM
mon understanding among the demo-
Gratis that the first thing to be done
will be the election Of the democratic
or majority contingent Of IL members
of the ways and means committee the
early action being taken in order that
the committee may get to work on the
democratic tariff bill
Friends of Senator Charles ].
Hughes Of Colorado, state that the
! condition Of his health is so precarious
that it Is not at all probable that he
Twill ever be able to resume his duties
as senator. 1t is expected that he
Twill resign.
Champ Clark confesses that he may
have some French blood in him. His
name was originally James Beauchamp
Clark. the middle name being for his
mothers family which was of Hugue-
not strain. The future speaker of the
house. Of mis- own notion. cut out all OF
his name but the Champ
| The battleship Arkansas, to be
launched at Camden. New Jersey at
the yard Of the New York Shipbuilding
Co, jan 10 will be the largest warshp
900 tons and carrying more
high power big guns than any other
warcraft on the seas, having in tur-
rets twelve 12-inch breech loading
rifles and Fl five-inch rapid fire rifle
cannon for broadside battery, to say
4 nothing of numerous quick firing auto
matte smaller rifles. She will have a
crew Of 1912 officers and men.
! E. c. Snyder.