The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-07-28
MR. CoNKLING,s SUCCESSOR.


Elbridge G. Lapham yesterday re-
ceived the unanimous Republican vote
in the joint convention of the New York
legislature, and was elected to fill the va
cancy in the United States Senate caused
by the resignation of Mr. Conkling.
Thus closes enc OF the most bitter and
stubborn contests in the history of
American politics, the effect of which
has been anything but saluiary to the in.
terests OF the Republican party, and
whose final settlement will be q source
of sincere congratulation to every one
interested in the perpeluity and future
achievements of that great organization.
While il is not TO he expected that Mr..
Lapham will nearly measure up to his
distinguished predecessor in point of
ability and the ripe knowledge of ma
tional politics possessed by Mr.. Conk-
ling, he is a gentleman of handsome
legal attainments and has figured quite
prominently in the affairs of the state
which he has been called upon to repre-
sent i'm the national legislature. But
what Is of paramount importance to
his constituency and the country Is the
fact that he. as well as his colleague, Mr..
Miller, are both in sympathy with the
administration and will lend the influ-
ence attaching TO their high positions to
forward policy whose successful pros
ecution, the country has every reason 10
believe, will inurc to its Incalculable
benefit.
While the retirement of so brilliant
man as Mr.. Conkling from a position
which he was so well fitted TO grace is
not unattended by regret even ON the
part of those who extended to him no
sympathy in his fight upon the admins
tratipn, the feeling is general that his
present condition is one of his own seek
ing and is but the legitimate sequence
of his own mistaken action. His man.
tie falls upon the shoulders of man
whose record, as set forth in the follow
ing brief biographical sketch, juslifies
the belief that the legislature has made
wise selection in filling the vacancy
caused by the resignation of Mr.. Conk
ling:
"Elbridge G. Lapham, who succeeds
Roscoe Conkling IN the United States
Senate, is the son of the late Judge John
Lapham. and was born in Pennington,
N. Y, October Is, 1914 He was brought
up ON farm, and during the winter
months attended the public schools. He
spent some time at the Canandaigua
academy, where he was n classmate of
Stephen A. Douglas, and also studied
civil engineering. After spending some
time in work upon the line of the
Michigan Southern railroad, Mr.. Lap
ham studied law, and in 1874 he was ad-
mitted to the bar. He settled at Canaan
daigua, where he has since practiced
bar. Mr.. Lapham formed partnership
with Judge James G. Smith, which con-
tinued uRtil the latter was raised to the
bench. Mr. Lapham was member of
the constitutional convention of 1867.
and voted for the adoption Of the consti-
tuition. In 1874 he was elected as Re
publican TO the XLIVth Congress, and
he has since been elected from the same
district (the XXVIIth) by large major
tiles to the XLVth, XLVIth and
XLVIIth Congresses. Mr.. Lapham act
| ed with the Democracy until 1913, but
he supported the Wilmot Proviso and
the Van Buren, ticket in that year, and
was delegate to the Buffalo conven-
ton. AS Republican, his zeal and
abilities have long been recognized"