Research may not bear out our claim for a bit of political distinction for Manning, but we wonder if there are any other towns the size of Manning who can claim a state senator and a United States congressman during the same year.

Two of our prominent businessmen, cousins, ran for political office and one, Peter F. Hansen, became a state senator and the other, John R. Hansen, became our representative in Congress. Both represented the Democratic party.

At the request of the Democratic committee, Pete consented to be a candidate for the 48th Iowa senatorial district in order to present a full list of state candidates for the Democratic party in a state that had been traditionally Republican. Pete defeated William R. Ferguson of Glidden and thus became one of ten Democratic senators elected to serve in the 59th General Assembly in 1958. He was associated with the 48th district Representatives, John Baumhover of Carroll, Raymond Fischer of Greene County, and J.D. Currie of Sac County.

He became associated with 36 bills, featuring topics such as billboard, pari-mutual horse racing, daylight savings, school buses, muskrats, and Osteopathic medicine. He also introduced the Iowa Beef Producers slogan "Top of Iowa Sirloin Steaks," hoping to help gain nation-wide recognition of an Iowa product. Congressman Ben Jensen of Exira had the slogan recorded in the Congressional Record.

Pete's enthusiasm for the office and his desire to further serve the people of his district prompted him to seek re-election in 1962. Perhaps due to the dynamic leadership of Governor Harold E. Hughes it did help re-elect the Senator to represent the new 30th senatorial district consisting of Carroll and Crawford Counties. Senator Pete was appointed chairman of the Commerce Committee and served on the Appropriations, Conservation and Recreation, and Judiciary committees as well.

At times when Lt. Governor Robert Fulton was too busy he would appoint Senator Pete to assume the administrative duties of supervision when the senate was in full session. Pete's determination to avoid absenteeism and a constant loyalty toward the satisfactory rendering of service garnered him five senate awards for his accomplishments.

John R. Hansen managed the Dultmeier Manufacturing Company from 1928 to 1962, when the firm was sold to MJM Enterprises. John was chairman of the sixth district democratic central committee, a position he had held since 1953. In 1957 he was appointed by Governor Loveless to serve on the Board of Control, which supervises the operation of 14 state institutions. He held this position for six years. In 1960 he ran for Lt. Governor but was defeated. In 1962 he was elected to the U.S. Congress and served in the House of Representatives for two terms. That same year Pete was re-elected to the Iowa Senate.

When John R. was elected to the Congress, he already had a head start on the 88 other freshmen Congressmen, according to the Rev. Lester Moore. Moore, former pastor of the Manning Methodist church, served on John's staff in Washington, D.C., and is now pastor at the Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames. Rev. Moore states that John R. was a man who knew where the power was and how to use it for the best advantage of the residents of the Seventh District. He went immediately to Washington and asked to be assigned to the Banking and Currency Committee.

Many persons who knew John R.'s ability to get at the center of things were puzzled because he did not try to get on the glamorous committees like Agriculture, Education & Labor, or the one dealing with Foreign Affairs. But John knew where he could do the most good for Southwest Iowa.

As result of his diligence and foresight, he was able to co-author a Rural Water and Sewer Act that made water systems available in numerous rural Iowa communities. His concern for small business loans was also pushed in this

Committee and many local business leaders found how helpful he was in getting through the necessary red tape.

One of the innovative ideas John R.. started was to invite business and governmental leaders from communities in the District to come to Washington where they could learn first hand what help was available for their communities. He brought in the top leaders of government to explain how programs worked and how each community could be helped. Cabinet members and the Vice-President were participants in these conferences. Later many other Congressmen followed this format, but it was John R. who saw the possibilities and instructed his staff to use them.

Another innovative concept John R. helped to inaugurate was the Learning Resource Center. When school people from Red Oak brought the idea to him, John saw at once the possibilities it could present. He was so enthused that he walked the request personally through the government offices and in one-and-a-half days he got the okay and the fund granted. It was the first one in the United States and soon became the model for others throughout the country.

Having lived in Southwest Iowa most of his life, John R. was aware of the problem of water shortages. He determined that in his time in Washington he would do everything he could to decrease this problem. From the very first week in office, until he closed his door for the final time, John met at least once a week with representatives from the Corps of Engineers to determine what needed to be done in Watershed development.

Moore also states that no other District had as many projects started as John was able to push into operation during his tenure in office, and that if service to constituents was to be the judge of an effective Congressman, John R. had no peer.

He retired to Winterset, and died September 23, 1974.