Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1915 — WILL R. WOOD TO ASSUME DUTIES [ARTICLE]

WILL R. WOOD TO ASSUME DUTIES

First Lafayette Man in Congress Since the Days of Thomas B. Ward. Lafayette Courier. March 3.—When congress adjourns tomorrow at noon Will R. Wood, of this city, will succeed John B. Peterson as congressman from the tenth Indiana district and the gifted Lar fayette attorney will realize one of the ambitions of his life to become a member of the hpuse of representatives. During his extended political career Mr. Wood has served eighteen years in the state senate and now goes to Washington, where his friends aasert he will soon be one of the leaders in congress. While he will begin drawing his salary of $7,500 a year tomorrow, he may not be sworn in until next December, when the new congress will be in session. Mr. Wood will then take the oath of office from the speaker of the house. With the introduction of Mr. Wood into office as a member of the national house it will be the first time that Lafayette has had a congressman of its own since the days of Thomas Ward. Mr. Ward was a democrat of the old school and was elected in 1882 and 1884, Lafayette has had no resident congressman since the new tenth district was formed. Mr. Wood says he does not expect to revolutionize the system of government during his first session as a member of congress, but he will do the best he can to make the country prosperous and will fight hard for the restoration of the tariff. He is of the opinion that the present business depression is caused by the present low tariff. Mr. Wood said during his long term in the state legislature he had always fought hard for Purdue university and that now he will be given power to advocate legislative acts in the house of congress that will be of benefit to Purdue. The new congressman was born at Oxford, Benton county, this state, Jan. 5, 1861, and attended the common schools in his. home town. His parents, Robert and Matilda Wood, still live at Oxford. Mr. Wood taught school two terms in the country and then went to the University of Michigan, where he was graduated from the law department in 1882. After his graduation he located in this city, going at first into the office of the late Judge Wallace, where he remained for two years. He then formed a partnership with Capt. William H. Bryan, which lasted for eight years. He was at one time dominated by the democrats for prosecuting attorney, but declined to run on that ticket. In 1890 he was elected prosecutor by the republicans and in 1892 was re-elected to this office. In 1894 he was a candidate in the old ninth district, the convention being held at Kokomo. Here were five candidates for the nomiation, and Senator Wood came within five votes of being nominated seven different times out of a total of 105 votes. He then threw his strength to Hanly, who was finally nominated and served in congress one term. The state was then redistricted for congressional purposes and Hanly was beaten at the next convention by E. D. Crumpacker. After Hanl/s defeat for renomination Senator Wood formed a partnership with him in this city for the practice of law, which continued until Hanly was elected governor in 1904. In 1896 Senator Wood was elected state senator to fill the unexpired term of William S. Haggard, who was elected lieutenant governor that year. Mr. Wood was re-elected sou different times and holds the record for continuous service in the state legislature.