The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-09-27
OLE HANSON, TYPE
|. Of WESTERNER
Tells Daily World How He
Was Induced to Make
Race for Legislature.

when | announced my candi-
dacy two years ago for the legisla-
ture the politicians thought it was
a good joke said Ole Hanson to
a reporter of the Daily World in
the lobby of the Elman Hotel Satur-
day evening.
my district in Seattle contains
more brewers, saloonkeepers, gam
blers, criminals and bad women
than any other in the state. No Or
ganization was behind me and my
avowed purpose in entering the race
was to fight and kill the race track
bill. That bill had more friends in
my district than in any other sec
ton of the state The politicians
laughed. | was to be the one easy
mark When the votes were count
ed, the election was no near unani-
nous it was not thought worth while
to doctor the returns. The men
who fought my election the hardest
turned around and voted for me.
and I did not make a promise to
anybody except that l would fight
the race track evil to the death.
The battle in the legislature, the
attempts to eject me from the floor
of the House by physical force, the
final winning of the fight, are now
matters of history. When | return
ed from Olympia, they gave me a
reception. On the platform among
the speakers who were there to ad-
dress words of welcome and con-
graduation, sat side by side a sa-
loonkeeper and DR.. Matthews,
pastor of the Presbyterian
church. 1t all goes to show that
the people ask no more of their rep
resentatives than to be absolutely
honest and fearless"
ole Hanson was surprised to find
himself in attendance at the state
convention of the Press Association.
He made a big fight during the re-
cent campaign in support of Poin>
dexter. He had gone to Scenic Hot
Springs for rest. While taking
things easy there, train bearing a
bunch of newspaper men was stalled
few hours at Scenic. The boys
would listen to nothing else than
for Ole to join them on the trip to
| Red Apple Town.
Il see you have a dry town." re-
| marked Mr.. Hanson. How will it
go at the next election?"
A bystander volunteered that the
"drys'' would win in a walk.
THAT is to be expected of an irri-
gated section" was the unequivocal
statement of the Seattle man. in
! nearly all irrigation districts the
citizenship is of a high order. The
people are Independent, read, think
| for themselves and are not afraid
to take a stand for the right.
"Wenatchce is another Riverside.
| The California city has orange Or
| chards instead of apples, being the
principal difference. About all that
| is needed to make the parallel COM
plete is for you to plant boulevard
to some palms and magnolia trees.
You have an advantage in the beau
| tiful river, but the surrounding
hills are almost identical in skyline
with the view at Riverside. That
city is dry as dust and it is growing
| with wonderful strides.
How did you vote on the local
option question:" Mr.. Hanson was
| asked.
Il voted for it, fought for it and
helped to write the BILL" he re-
piled.
Did you represent the sentiment
of your district by such course?'
NO, did not, and / don't pre-
lo0Q TO represent NY ulSlflCt L
went to the legislature to represent
the entire people of the state. My
duty was to find out the truth and
vote right. When my own consci-
ence was satisfied. | did not ask
anybody else what they wanted, for
| didn't care. That is the safest
way. anyhow. The brewer, Adolph
Hemrick, was no acquaintance of
mine. Shortly before his death he
wrote me saying that he understood
| had some stock for sale in GER
tain real estate proposition; that he
enclosed a check for $4,000 which
| | might put into the deal for him
| if | would say that it was alright:
| that if | could not say it was all
| right. return the check. Brewers
| like an honest man even though
fighting his business