Evening star., 1920-01-26
VAN SCHA|CK SAYS
He HAS NOT VOTED
IN N. Y. SINCE 1916
Defends Eligibility for D. c.
Commissionership Before
Senate Committee.
DENIES CASTING BALLOT
IN THE FALL OF 1917
Holds Records Submitted as In
correct, as He Left for Europe
in June of That Year.

Rev. John Van Schaick. jr., whose
eligibility for appointment as Dis
trict Commissioner has been assailed
by opponents of his confirmation on
the ground that he has maintained a
voting residence in Cobleskill. n. Y,
today before the Senate District COM
mittee emphatically stated:
G) That he has not voted or reg
istered in Cobleskill in the last three
years. the period specified in the law
during which a man must not have
claimed residence outside the District
of Columbia to be eligible for ap
pointment as Commi SSioner-
(2) That it has not been his lnten-
ton to vote in Cobleskill since 1916,
when he last voted there.
Disputes Records Submitted.
Or. Van Schaick's statement was
made to the committee after certified
copies of the record of the registra-
ton clerk for Cobleskill had been
presented showing that he was car
ried on the list of registered voters
as late as the fall of 1919. and also
that he voted there in 1917.
These records were presented by c.
c. Lancaster OF the Brightwood Citi-
zens' Association and William Mex.
Clayton, who have opposed DR.. Van
Schaick's appointment to be Commits
sioner. Mr.. Lancaster said that he
himself had gone to CobleSkil to OBJ
tain the copies of the record.
DR.. Van Schaick told the committee
that there must be an error in con-
nection with the records showing him
as voting in the fall of 1917. since he
left this country in June, 1917. to go
to France and Belgium on Red Cross
work and did no return until May.
1919
in laying the copies of the record
before the committee Mr.. Lancaster
admitted that registration of voters
continues automatically in Coble-
skill under the law there.
DR.. Van Schaick. under cross-ex-
animation, said that he had made no
EFFORT to have his name removed from
the registration list
He also said that if the records as
presented are correct he could vote
at the election next fall.
Decides to Give Up Privilege.
He insisted, however that after he
had voted last, in the fall of 1916, he
had determined not to use his privi-
lege of voting in Cobleskill again.
he said that when he returned to
Washington after voting in 1916 the
fncongruity of his voting in New
York while serving in Washington
as member of the board of educa-
ton had been called to his attention.
This he said, caused him to make
up HOI 10 vote again IN New
York
In support of this statement, he told
the committee that last August he
had been requested to take part in
local election in Cobleskill, but
that he had refused to do so He
said. too. that he had announced his
intention of not voting again in
Cobleskill, at an informal luncheon
in 1915. at which Charles F. Nesbit
and others were present He said
"a n for
Cobleskill to that effect.
The records presented by Mr.. Lam
caster show that not only was DR..
Van Schaick listed as a registered
1911 to 1919. inclusive, but that Julia
Van Schaick also was registered as
voter in 1919. Mr.. Lancaster said
that he understood that Julia Van
Schaick was the wife of DR.. Van
Schaick- Her registration came after
the New York law permitted women
to vote.
Invited by Committee.
DIR. Van Schaick appeared today on
the invitation of the committee. The
committee decided after brief dis
cussion that his hearing should be in
public. as all of the rest of the inves-
tgation regarding his appointment
has been conducted in open session
Nr. Lancaster then presented the
copies of the record from Cobleskill.
Mr.. Clayton stated to the committee
that ii was the contention of the op-
ponents of DR.. Van Schaick that Dr.
Van Schaick is in fact "A registered
voter in New York and therefore in
eligible to appointment as Commits
Sioner He said that Mrs. Van
Schaick's name had been placed on the
registration list in 1919, although Dr.
Van Schaick's father is a resident of
Cobleskill,. as are other members of
his family, and could have prevented
such action.
When DIR. Van Schaick took the stand
he expressed his entire readiness to an
swer any question the committee desired
TO ask. He began his statement by say
ing that he was not in the country in
the fall of 1917, and, therefore, obvious
ly he could not have voted in Cobble-
kill at that time. He said that he had
maintained voting residence at his old
home, but that he had really been a
resident of Washin gton since he came
here in 1900. He said that he and his
wife own home here and they have
owned it since 1910.
Considers Self Resident.
In fact said Senator Jones of
Washington, you have considered your
sell bona hde resident of Washington
ever since?"
Yes" replied DIR. Van Schaick.
Dr. Van Schaick said that he did vote
once in Cobleskill in 1916, after his an
polntment as member of the boa rd
OF education here. 1t was after that
he said, that he determined not to vote
there again.
Senator King of Utah questioned DIR
Van Schaick. He asked it, when he
came TO Washington as a minister he
expected to remain here permanently
or whether his church could order him
10 some other community
Dr. Van Schaick replied that he
could have moved to another pIace
and said that the church leaves that
matter to the congregation and to the
minister as to whether there shall he
a change. In reply 10 further Queries
he said that he has not resumed his
pulpit since he returned to this coun-
try, and that his official connection
with his congregation here ended No
vember, 1918, and that another man
had been called to take his place.
He said that he had not applied for
the position as minister to any other
congregation. DIR. Van Schaick said
that he desired to finish his report
on the Red Cross work abroad and
also to give his attention to the af-
fairs of the board of education. of
which he is president, before he again
sought a congregation.
Senator King wanted to know if
the duties of president of the board
of education were not so arduous as
10 require the entire time and atten-
ton of any man who held the lob
Or. Van Schaick said that some OF
his predecessors in that office had
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