The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-10
RIVAL CONGRESSMAN
Have Not Dared to Leave the House q
Moment During Its Sessions.
Il

From the Net0 York Herald
WASHINGTON, Oct 7.-One of the fun
NEST things of the session of congress now
drawing to close is the contest between
Congressman Nelson of Minnesota, and
Congressman Haugen of Wisconsin. The
two gentlemen represent districts in their
respective states which are separated only
by the waters of Lake Superior. The
juxtaposition of the districts with their
rival interests, has placed their representa-
tives in congress in a position antagonistic
to each other.
Several months ago Mr.. Nelson intro
duced bill to bridge the canal entrance to
the harbor of Duluth. Mr.. Haugen
promptly sought to defeat the measure on
the ground that its passage would be ruin
GUS to the interests of Superior City,
Wis, directly opposite. The commerce
committee, however, reported the bill ia
vorably. 1t was placed on the calendar,
and quiet poll of the House made by Mr..
Nelson satisfied him that enough members
were favorable to it to secure its passage.
The effect was the raising of Mr.. Nelson's
spirits to the seventh heaven of delight,
while, as may be readily understood, Mr.
Haugen was correspondingly depressed.
he REMAINS ON WATCH.
But the fates had not entirely deserted
the Wisconsin representative. AS the SEES
sion heightened the members kept dropping
out, one by one, until less than a quorum
remained. Here at last was Mr.. Haugen'S
opportunity. Under the rules of the
House no business can be transacted with
out the presence of a quorum except by
unanimous consent. A single objection
will defeat any measure. Mr.. Nelson knew
this, and his constant study for the last
sixty days has been to perfect plan by
which Mr.. Haugen could be lurel from the
House long enough to enable him to get up
his bill But Mr.. Haugen refused to be
| lured away, and, as a necessary result, he
has been for the last four months in his
seat every day from the fall of the speakers
gavel until the adjournment. 1t was ter
rible punishment to sit there DAY after day,
| while the mercury was dancing among the
| nileties, and not dare to pass beyond tn Q
confines of the cloak room, but Wiscon-
| sin man did it, while a symp thizi ng CON
stituency at home looked on approvingly
Meanwhile, Mr.. Haugen has been making
it very uncomfortable for his Minnesota
rival. He, too, had bill, upon which the
commerce committee had reported favor
ably, to bridge the Mississippi river at
Alma, Wis. Mr.. Nelson decided to defeat
that bill in retaliation for Mr.. Haugen's
opposition to his Duluth measure. In order
to accomplish this Mr.. Nelson has been re-
quired to remain in his seat quite as steadily
as Mr.. daugen has. And SO the little
comedy has been enacted, month after
month, to the great amusement of every
body except the two gentlemen themselves.
REVENGE is COSTLY.
At last accounts, however, Mr.. Nelson
had scored one point to his rivals disadvan-
tage. While the bridge fight was still on,
Mr.. Nelson asked unanimous consent to call
up bill to reinstate one of his constituents
at Wadena, Mimi, who had accidentally
destroyed four United States $50 bonds.
Mr.. Haugen promptly objected, and the
bill failed to pass. 1t appears that the
beneficiary of the measure was a Nor
wegian, who was so incsnsed at Mr.
Haugen's course that he has stirred up
quite an opposition to that gentlemans
| election among the Norwegians in
| Haugen's district. Meanwhile the demo-
Gratis have placed \ strong man in nomina-
ton against Mr.. Haugen, and the latter
ought to be al home looking after his inter
| ests, but he dares not move None of his
| friends in the House will agree to do his
| oojecting for him. and so he is compelled to
stay, leaving clear field to his competitor
at home. Mr.. Nelson, on the contrary, is
| hugely enjoying Mr.. Haugen's embarrass-
ment, inasmuch as he is not candidate for
reelection, and has no incentive whatever
to leave Washington until the close of the
| session.