East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-04-07
w. R. ELLIS FOR CONGRESS.
Able Judge Of Circuit Court Choice of
the People.

the People.
Judge w. r. Ellis has announc-
candidate Tor congress from the sec
ond Oregon district. The matter had
been under consideration for some
time by Judge Ellis in response to
numerous urgent requests from his
friends thai he should enter the race,
but not until recently did he determ-
inc upon such course.
1t has been known for months that
eastern Oregon would practically be
conceded tile congressman for the Sec
ond district, and as Pendleton was
centrally located all signs pointed to
the city in Unatilla county and as
certainly to Judge w. R. Ellis. Ore
gon has need of an experienced man
in congress at this time, and as Judge
Ellis had served the state three terms
in the lower house of the national
congress with marked ability, the nat
ural course of events led toward him.
Judge Ellis was assured that he
could remain on the circuit bench
here and did not aspire to return to
congress. but so persistent have been
his friends and so inevitable the con-
ditions that he has decided to enter
the race for the nomination. He has
received letters from all parts of the
district and on his own part be has
consulted friends and party leaders
in Portland and elsewhere before de-
termining upon the course he now
intends to pursue and ell have assur-
ed him that his candidacy would be
well received throughout the district,
and many have maintained that he
would be nominated without opposi-
ton.
Umatilla county is we'll pleased
with the announcement and will be
delighted to give its undivided sup
port to Judge Ellis for the office he
seeks. Eastern Oregon will be prac-
tically solid for him.
Judge Ellis does not make formal
announcement, nor has he written a
platform. He Is in favor of the direct
primary law and believes in giving II
fair test. He believes the people
should be given n chance to nominate
as well as elect their own county
state and national officials, and that
nothing should be permitted to hin.
der the operations of the true spirit
of tho urinary law.
He Is a strong advocate of improv.
ing the Columbia river from source tc
mouth and is in warm sympathy with
n al fpri fns, OLE tA1 I,
l devote his entire time to the interest.
of the state, both while at Washington
and during vacation periods of con
gress while in the state. He will b,
free from other duties and able to de
4 vote his entire time to the duties o
n the congressman.
Biographical Sketch.
a Judge w. r. Ellis was born Apri
20, 1850, near Waveland, Montgom
cry county, Indiana. His father die,
when he was IS months old. Thre
years later his mother remarked an,
= went to Guthrie county. Iowa, a ney
and sparsely settled country, begin
ming anew the battle of life upon
!. prairie farm. His stepfather an
mother have ever since, a period o
over so years, resided in the sam
neighborhood. He is the eldest of
family Of eight boys.
He had no school privileges unit
about 8 years old, having at that tim
: to go distance of two miles to tn
old-fashioned log shchool house. Afte
reaching the age of 10 years h
worked on the farm, during all tn
year except four months in the win
ter and spring, during which time h
attended the country school, Afte
a reaching the age of IS he divided hi
time until reaching his majority, be
tween teaching country school an
working on the farm. At the age o
Fl he entered the Iowa State Agri
cultural college at Ames. Iowa Jus
before finishing the sophomore yea
D he left the school to enter the law de
n partment Of the Iowa State universit
, at Iowa City, Iowa. from which schoc
he graduated with the degree d
bachelor Of laws on June 80. 1871
and was admitted to the bar of tn
supreme court Of Iowa. He bega
the practice of law in his old child
hood home. Panora. Iowa. In 1875 h
removed to Harrisburg Iowa, an
there continued in the practice of la'
except for one year, during whic