Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-06-22
CHURCH DIRECTORY
Congressman Pounds Retirement.

would no doubt be returned if he so
desired, but, as will be seen by his
letter to Gen. Ginty of Chippewa
Falls, given below, announces his de-
termination to retire from congression-
al life. Mr.. Guenther, it is thought
will be returned. Gov Bragg will
have walk over, and Mr.. Deuster, of
Milwaukee, will make a strong race
and may be nominated and elected.
The following is the letter Gov. Pound
alluded to above:
House of Representatives, Wash
ington, D. c., June Ia. My Dear
General-Your esteemed favor of the
9th inst, is at hand and your kind and
Aattering illusions to my public career
are fully appreciated, The impression
that seems to prevail, as [ infer from
several press comments which have
come to my notice, and from friends,
that [ am a candidate for renomina-
ton is erroneous 1t might have been
inferred from my silence, my only i'm
preston on the subject having been
that under no circumstance would |
strive for a fourth term. 1t is due
my friends, as we'll as the worthy. gem
tlemen who are announced as candi-
dates for the Republican nomination
in the new Ninth district, that my
position should be made known. The
persistent demands of such friends, an
earnest desire to push several import
ant measures now pending in congress
to complete success, and not I'M
natural inclination 10 continue and
retire with the present administration,
have only deferred the announcement
which for some weeks | have been re-
solved to make, that [ am not in the
field for denomination. My business
interests, which suffered severe injury
about the time of my entry on the field
of duty, demand my undivided atten-
ton. The representative of district
of such area Of territory and diversity
of interests demanding federal legisla-
ton and personal oversight, can faith
fully discharge public duties only at
the sacrifice of private interests. Mine
have long suffered from neglect, which
attention to official duties has imposed
1t is probable furthermore, that the true
INTERESTS OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.
may be better subserved by a change
of representation. This suggestion,
proceeding from sitting member may
seem anomalous, but it is prompted by
the fact that my most earnest and, |
think meritorious efforts to advance
the interests Of my constituency and
State have been prejudiced. if not re-
tarded by the imputation that I was
actuated rather by motives of personal
ambition than patriotic desire to sub
serve the public good. Such imputa-
lions have been conspicuous, touching
my unremitting efforts to promote the
reservoir system for improving the
navigation and regulating the volume
of water flow OF the Wisconsin, Chip
pewa, st. Croix, and upper Mississippi
rivers, and also with reference to my
efforts to secure another trunk line of
railway across our state. While such
mistaken reflections do me little harm,
they tend to divert public attention
from the real Importance Of these en-
terprises, and thus deprive them of |
the benefit to be derived from a strong
and earnest public sentiment. My re-
tirement would relieve these and other
important projects now we'll inaugural |
ed of this suspicion that I am not in
downright earnest. My purpose is al
SO strengthened by the pertinent sug-
gestion that a good reason for change |
of representation is furnished by the
peculiar geography of the newly formed |
Ninth district which takes in more
eastern territory with whose interests
my immediate section is not identified, |
and eliminates several western coun-
ties common in interest with
MY HOME COUNTY, CHIPPEWA.
However faithful and we'll the en-
tire district might be served, local
jealousy may be evoked to magnify
home work and belittle efforts for re-
mote neighbors Having entered On
the field of public duty during the
critical period impending resumption
and finding the interests of northern
Wisconsin quite neglected in the ma
tional legislature. [ can retire with |
the gratifying consciousness that my |
course on all questions of public policy |
has been indicated by time and result |
and that the manifold interests of my
district, including more than half the
territorial area Of the state, which |
have been my special solicitude, were
never so prosperous and promising as j
now. Identified with this section of |
my State for more than quarter of
a century, my interest and effort in its
progress shall not cease or lag with my |
retirement, and the reflection that dur
ing long and unmarried public service
| have uniformly enjoyed the conf |