The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-16
Question Of Senator Harris Res
idence Being Agitated.
Claimed That His Home Is in
Chicago.
FROM MR.. OVERMYER.
Says Harris Never Renowned
Kansas Citizenship.
Gives Parallel Cases in Grant
and Roosevelt.

reply to the question as to the signif-
icance if any to the newspaper reports
that Senator Harris is not a resident
Of Kansas said:
There is nothing in It whatever.
Senator Harris never lost his residence
in Kansas or ceased to be a citizen of
Kansas for a moment. He has been
resident, a citizen and a legal voter of
this state all of the time. That he
may not have voted in Kansas at one
or more elections cuts no figure. He
had a right to vote here all the time.
That he may not have paid taxes here
amounts 10 nothing. All he. had in the
world was here. and If the authorities
did not see fit to tax it, that was no
affair Of his. After he lost his farm it
was, Of course, no longer taxed to him
But though the title had passed out of
him and was held by strangers, yet
Senator Harris left his household furni-
ture and goods and extensive library
stored on the homestead, where they
remain to this day In fact. he never
expected to finally lose the place, but
hoped to regain 1t and return to it, and
still hopes to do so. It is the intention
to return that distinguishes the per-
manent or citizen residence from any
temporary simply abiding or residence
1t is claimed that he has been absent
rom THIS nome LOT nearly SIX years.
but during about One-haH OF that time
he was in the United States senate as
senator from Kansas, faithfully serV-
ing the state. Yet it is claimed that
during this time, even, he was nom
resident He lost the title to his home
place while he was at Washington IN
the service of the state. He saved this
country more than so million dollars in
the matter of its claims against the
Pacific railroads alone and was in 9TH
or q of hfIifK
and value to his state and country.
When he left the senate he was
poor in fact broken up. Had not his
integrity been absolutely unapproach-
able he might have been worth mil
lions. In order to gain a living and
gather a, little something for old age he
took service with the Short Horn
Breeders association, with headquar-
tiers at Chicago. Like commercial trav-
elers and many others he has been
obliged to work away from home to
gain a livelihood He never renowned
his Kansas home or citizenship, and
residence in Illinois. He never for one
moment abandoned his residence and
citizenship in Kansas. but always re-
garded, and now regards, Kansas as
his home In 1904 he was a delegate at
large from Kansas to the Democratic
national convention, and was presented
to that convention ysthe Kansas dele
cation as a citizen Of Kansas, and as
tnGAF EnDlGG IDE the vice HLES1UELEts anu
received a goodly number of votes as
the announced Kansas candidate for
that Office. No one ever thought Of
Harris as belonging to Illinois, until at
ter he was nominated for governor some
Of his wise opponents made the pro-
found discovery.
The case of Senator Harris is exactly
like that of Roosevelt when he was q
candidate for governor of New York It
was claimed that because he had 1e-
IT, q fr7c n
paid taxes there, that he had lost his
residence in New York: and it seems
that Roosevelt had made some affidavit
that he was a resident of Washington
for purposes Of taxation. But the
charge was not treated seriously by any
one.
1T will be remembered also that at
the outbreak Of the civil war. General
Grant resided at Galena, Illinois. He
never returned to Galena to reside: his
family did not remain there but in
1858, after he and his family had been
absent for about seven years cOntin-
uously from Galena and the state of
Illinois, he was nominated for the pres
idency and credited to the state Of Hi
nois as his residence. In 1872 eleven
years after he had left Galena. he was
again nominated for president and
credited to Illinois. He had not been
at GaIena probably for eleven years,
and had no actual residence there in
that time either by himself or family.
but he had gained no permanent resi-
dence elsewhere and claimed no other
residence, and though the constitution
requires that the president and vice
president shall be Inhabitants Of DIFF
ferent states, it was conceded by the
whole country that Grant was a rest
dent still of Illinois. In fact he could
not have proven a residence elsewhere.
Neither could Harris prove that he is
resident or citizen elsewhere than in
Kansas.
This rumor is simply one Of the rank.
buncomb type. Tt seems to be the only
argument. however, that the railroad
people have at hand That Senator Har-
ris is perfectly eligible is too plain for
controversy"
The following is dispatch from
Washington printed irSsthe Kansas City
Journal:
Washington. May 15.=The nonina-
ton by the Democrats of Kansas of
ex-senator William A. Harris to be
governor has raised the question of
Mr. Harris legal residence, the claim
having been made that he is not a resi-
dent Of the state andK has not been for
been decided by Mr.. Harris himself in
statement made year ago
before a senatOte committee when
he declared that he was not a
resident of Kansas but of Chi
cago. The proof is furnished in the
following extract from the statement
made by Mr.. Harris in the hearing be-
fore the committee on interstate com
merce. as it appears in print in pub
lished proceedings in volume 2, pare
1923:
Thursday, May 4, 1905
tsThe committee met at II a. m.
Present; Senators E1kins (chair-
mani CullOm, Kean, Foraker, Clapp,
Willard and Newlands.
Statement Of Hon. ". A. Harris.
Senator Cullom Gin the chair)-
Senator, win you state your name and
place of residence2'
s'Mr. HarrisH'My name is ". A.
Harris. reside in Chicago. am the
general representative Of the American
Bhorthorn Breeders association. which
has about 500 stockholders and about
$4,000 people connected with it. am
also vice president and general man
lger Of the National Live Stock asso-