The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-09-21
THE NEXT CONGRESSMAN.
The Republican Nominee for Con
gress Visits Somerset--A Brier
Sketch of HIS History.

The Republican Nominee for Con-
Rress Visits Somerset--A Brief
Sketch of HIS History.
josiah D. Hicks, Esq, Of Altoona, Blair
county. who was last week nominated as
the Republican candidate for Congress from
this. the Twentieth Pennsylvania district,
arrived in Somerset Saturday evening, ac-
companied By Hon. 4. P. Mcdonald, post
master at Altoona The gentlemen were
met at the s. & c. r. r station By q reoep-
uon committee and were driven to the hand
some residence Of F. ". Biesecker, Esq
Chairman Of the Republican County Com
mittee. whose guests they were during their
stay in Somerset. They left for Altoona on
the late train Sunday evening. During his
visit here Candidate Hicks had the oppOrtu-
nifty Of meeting many Of our towns-people
as well as leading Republicans from al sec
tons Of the county. He spoke briefly at the
Mckinley meeting Saturday night. He was
warmly received and heartily aPplauded al
the close Of his remarks.
Mr.. Hicks certificate Of nomination was
not fled with the Stale Department until q
late hour Tuesday night. Sept. lS and il IS a
disputed question as 10 whether his name,
under the provisions o. the absurd and Oh
noxious Baker ballot law, can be printed on
the official ballot, as one section Of the Las
requires that all certificates denomination Of
candidates for Congress shall be filed with
the State Department at least fify-six days
before the day ofelection. Il is our opinion
and the opinion Of a number Of eminent
lawyers with whom we have CONSULTED that
the certificate Of nomination was filed in
ample time.
Another section ofthe same law provides
that nominations Of candidates for any pub
lie Office may also be made by nomination
papers; the number Of qualified electors re-
quired 10 sign such papers being three per
centum Of the largest entire vote for any Of
foer elected at the preceding election. Such
papers TO be fled with the Secretary Of the
Commonwealth st least forty-nine days be
fore the day Of election.
The requisite number Of signatures to the
/ nomination papers were easily procured in
| the four oCunties OF the district and were
/ fled by NJ Hicks with the Secretary Of the
! Commonwealth Monday morning, so there
can be but little doubt that his name viii
be regularly placed upon the official ballot.
/ should this not be done an official sticker"
I bearing his name viii be printed and viii be
given by the election officers TO the voters Of
H. 7-.t---4 ,r,,,,- --s41, sfcs- L.FTo4p - s1,-s
in any event any one desiring 10 vote for
Mr.. Hicks viii be given an opportunity Of
doing So Whether his name is placed on
the oficisl ballot or not there can be no
/ question Of his election.
The following brief sketch Of onr Congress
sionai candidate is taken from the Altoona
Tribune Of q recent date
Josiah D. Hicks was born in Chester coun-
" August /, 1874. Shortly after his parents
removed to Barree, Huntingdon county,
where Josiah though yet a lad, was apprentic-
ed to the trade Of a forgeman. Later his
parents removed TO Duncansville, and Josiah
secured position in the store of Clement
Jsggard, Altoona. At the breaking out Of
/ the war, he was among the most ardent to
sustain the cause Of the Union, enlisting in
1851, in Company II, Fourteenth Regiment,
for three months. In September, 1852, he
I enlisted in Company X. One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and,
after seeing hard service in the ranks, re-
turned 10 his home in 1868 In August Of
/ that year be re-enlisted-this time as a three
months man. He was afterward in the one
hundred day service until the close Of the
Rebellion.
From 1896 to 1867 he was engaged as a
Pennsylvania Railroad clerk in Tyrone.
! While thus engaged he pursued the study Of
Law. Subsequently he came to Altoona and
entered the law Office of Hall & Nef. He
I finished bis studies in the Office Of Alexand-
er * Herr, and in 1875 was admitted to the
! Blair County Bar. That same year he eS-
tabIished himself at Tyrone commanding a
/ good practice from the start. In 1850 he
was elected District Attorney Of Blair ooun-
] ty, which office he filed so acceptably that
he was reelected at the expiration Of his
term. Ia 1854 Mr.. Hicks removed 10 Al
toona, where he effected q partnership with
/ Attorney: D. J. Nef. The firm Of Nei *
Hicks was Of many years duration, and the
original partners are now in the firm Of
! Neif, Hicks & Ambrose