Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-06-23
For Congress.

The following correspondence was
written at Lancaster, Wis, and pub
lished in the Chicago Times of Sat
urday last:
To superficial observer tour
through the Third congressional dis
trict of this state would reveal an ap-
parently complete apathy to politi-
cal matters on the part of sovereign
people" Comprising as the district
does an almost purely agricultural
section the general public undoubt-
edly now has more interest in the
growing grass and the sprouting
rows of corn than in the subject of
successor to Congressman Hazelton.
But a truly rural section is pro-
verbally a petty politicians para
disc, and this district is no exception
to the rule. However, not altogether
insignificant are the men who are
devoting time and closest attention
to the weighing and measuring of
the abilities and characters of the
candidates fo- congressional honors.
The political annals of the state dis
play the names of many able honest
men who have gone up from this
district to the councils of state gov
eminent, while occasionally there is
seen the name of an imbecile feather
brain who, through force of ques-
tionable army record and the influ-
ence of some corners or cross roads,
has gained a seat in legislative halls.
But whether able, and in a true
sense patriotic, or blindly devoted to
the service of one man, the politi-
clans Of the district are now awake
and active for the congressional cam
paign.
The Third district previous to the
enactment of the apportionment bill
of last winter consisted of a reasona-
bly, compact section, comprising the
counties of Grant, Crawford, Rich
land, Iowa, Lafayette and Green.
Thus constructed, Grant county,
through q large excess of population,
practically controlled the district.
The Price apportionment bill, which
for so-called partisan measure was
very equitable, took away from the
district the counties OF Crawford and
Richland and added the county of
Dane, leaving the district still COM
pact.
1t is an open secret that this change
was made against the wishes of Con-
gresham Hazelton, and was bitterly
distasteful to him. The reason is
plain to one acquainted with Mr..
Hazelton's record and the nature OF
the change in the district. Dane
county, the new addition, in which
is situated Madison, the capital OF
the state, contains population enough
to give her great weight in a district
convention, and-alas! for Congress
man Hazelton-has not felt the re-
filming and Christening touch of his
patronage. Furthermore, Dane coun-
ty can present to the people of the
district men who are infinitely supe-
rior to Mr.. Hazelton.
1t will, perhaps, be not uninterest-
ing to recall to the readers of the
Times the circumstances connected
with Mr.. Hazelton's three elections
to represent the Third district in con-
gress. He was first elected to the
forty-fifth congress, having received
the nomination after a bitter contest,
and so little trusted was the man
that he almost suffered defeat in a
rock-rooted republican district. Re
nominated for the forty-sixth con-
gress, he had for his opponent Owen
King, greenbacker. At this cleo
! ton there is no doubt that Mr.. King