Edward M. Yerger graduated from Oakland College and served as a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He edited multiple newspapers, including the Jackson Daily Mississippian and the Vicksburg Herald, engaging in notable conflicts with other journalists. Yerger's refusal to pay taxes led to the seizure of his piano and a fatal confrontation with acting mayor Joseph G. Crane. Represented by his uncle, a former justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, Yerger's case was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States, which concluded that the court had jurisdiction.

Edward M. Yerger's political identity is marked by a defiance of conventional norms, particularly in his confrontational approach to taxation and his commitment to press freedom. His refusal to pay taxes, culminating in a violent confrontation with a tax collector, illustrates an unorthodox stance on fiscal policy. Yerger's career as a newspaper editor and his willingness to engage in duels with rival journalists reveal a combative and principled defense of free speech. His legal battles, including a landmark Supreme Court case, further highlight his readiness to challenge authority.