Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-05-29
WHY HAUGEN WINS.

Mason City e-GaZette-When
Hon. d. d. Murphy, high minded
man he is, declares that he would
not accept seat in congress unless
! it was conclusively shown in the con-
test that he had received a real ma
jority of the total vote, it was writ
| ten right then that Congressman
! Haugen would not be unseated even
| by congress with a big opposition
majority. During all the talk of the
contest Mr.. Haugen never gave it a
single moment of worry because he
knew from his colleagues in both
parties just what attitude the COM
mittee On elections would take and
that he had the votes. The result
of the contest is not surprising to
anyone who has been to Washin gton
and has learned the high regard in
which Mr.. Haugen is held by his col
leagues, and the result OF the contest
will make him Immediately stronger
in his districe this year than ever,
and his friends viii not be caught
mapping as they were two years ago.
| Every two years some newspaper
man with crouch or some one who
has just come on the scenes of action
and sees visions of an easy thing tells
about how Congressman Haugen is
going to be defeated, but he still
holds his seat in congress and the
confidence of his constituency. And
there is a reason for it. The Rockwell
| Phonograph this week recites an in
! stance which reveals one source of
| Mr.. Haugen's strength with the rank
Land file of the party. 1t says:
Through the efforts of Congress-
man Haugen at Washington, w. A.
| Grummon and C. w. Harris of this
place, Halle Geer, the blind, de-
pendent son of the late Fl. P. Geer,
civil war veteran, has obtained
pension of S12 per month. This case
has been pending for more than a
year, and required a special act to
get it through. Congressman Haul
gen is entitled to much credit for
his part in getting the bill through
the various committees and both
houses and its final approval by
! President Taft. The pensioner is
certainly deserving and this month
ly allowance will keep him from want
during the remainder Of his life. The
! Photograph is only too glad to ex-
! tend its ngratulations.
That is why Mr.. Haugen is strong
with the common people, and that is
where the majority Of the votes lie.
! He is an interchangeable worker, and
while others are talking he is, with
painstaking details, looking after ev-
cry request of the humblest citizen
and pushing through their just
! claims. Congressman Haugen has Sc
cured dozens of such favors for the
men who faced the hell of war for
| their country but he has never pa
raded his accomplishments, but the
people have appreciated the favors
and have told their neighbors and
that is the reason that neither abuse
nor Misrepresentation has been able
to accomplish his defeat.
When the margarine manufacture
ers, who. it will be remembered
were the subjects of investigation by
Uncle Sam, looked over the agricul-
tural committee they rubbed their
palms with much satisfaction at the
prospects of the easy thing they had
j in the disposition of the oleomar-
garine tax on the colored substitute
for butter. But there was one man
whose measure they had not taken
and he was Gilbert n. Haugen. Sim
gle handed and alone he fought the
packers and the committee to a
standstill and as result the farm
ers who are quick to appreciate their
champion and the dairymen, who do
not propose to see the fruits of a
lifetime turned over to Chicago
packers who want to sell a product
not for what it is but as counter
felt, will rally to Mr.. Haugen more
strongly than ever in June. What
they must do however is to go to the
primaries and record their approval
of Mr.. Haugen's splendid fight for
them and not take it for granted that
their neighbors will furnish enough
votes to make the nomination decis-
i've.