, 1923-08-22
Good Old C. R.

A child cannot be held responslolc u LIN ham"
,.l.cted for it to wear throughout life by its par
ants. any more than it can be blamed for the loca-
ton they choose for its birthplace In fact a child
has very few rights, parents or anybody else are
hound to respect until said child is able to stand
I'M and assert said rights, and at the same time
point to the provisions of our glorious constitu'
ton as the basis of establishing them
Therefore when Graddus R. Hagens, in the
puise of a little Godsend from Heaven, appeared
at an Iowa farmstead on the last day OF February
1880, he meekly accepted the Christian name hand
ed him and set up no howl about 1t, although he
howled about other things in plenty. As time
wore on a great attachment sprung up between
himself and his name. They became inseparable.
And TODAY you could not induce him to change 1t
for all the Bills, Johns and Georges there are.
Some Iowa neighbor advanced the theory that
since there were ten children in the Hagens fam
ily and names were getting scarce when q. X.
came to town, is the possible reason he drew the one
he did. However it is an honorable name and its
owner has kept it that way since coming into pos
session of It
Even when blowing for n bumper corn crop on
the Iowa farm and the boys referred to him as
"Grad," he never got sore, because he felt that
there would be a day coming when the entire name
would be used and it would mean something in
the way of dignity and standing in the community
and all he had to do was to wear 1t worthily. He
has done this, but he has been disappointed in in
ducing ANYBODY to use the full name, especially
since he came to Wyoming in about 1905. From
. the day he landed he has been known as G.. r.. and
in all likelihood it will be G. r. to the end OF time,
regardless of any rise he may Meanwhile make in
public or private life.
And speaking of rises, @. r. has not stood still
since he came TO Casper after exhausting North
i. western University of what it had to supply in
the way of erudition and degrees. He has done
mighty we'll materially. He has not only estab'
lished a magnificent law practice and a high stand
ing at the bar of Wyoming, but he has through
earnings and investments become comfortably fixed
Independent you might say, and totally unmind-
full Of the relative position of the proyerbial wolf
and the back door.
In Wyoming most people of rod blood take part
In politics. G. R. coming from Iowa and consti-
tuted as he is could not help mixing in, even if
he tried to stay out. Being properly brought up
and educated and naturally wise, he is a Republt
can. This particular fact does not have to be
asked. All that is necessary is to stand around
n bit and G. r.. himself reveals it Possibly the
width between the eyes accentuates It, but there
arc so many signs and indications of his Republi-
canism that everybody but tho last stranger to get
off the train knows what G. RS brand of politics is.
Not as n matter of relaxation and surcease from
business and professional duties docs G. r. take a
hand in politics, but from n desire to do good to
his home county of Natrona and his homo state of
Wyoming. His preference is to trim the boat and
see that it is n~avigated on an even keel. He has
served his time on county and state committees and
up to date is sill in the harness and likely so to
remain for some time. The party likes to consult
him and be advised by him because it knows he
. knows. They have tried to tempt him with state
chairmanships and high political positions, but
have never succeeded. He has but little banker.
ing for diadems, but an uncomfortable desire for
the heavy work incident to campaigns and convcn,
: tions.
There may come a time In the life Of G. R. when
he will view a political reward with less disdain
than at present and If the time ever arrives Ma.
trona county and Wyoming ought to rise up and
nail it on him by reclamation. The service he
has rendered the Republican party of Wyoming
Z entities him to anything within its gift.