USA > Illinois > Illinois, historical and statistical, comprising the essential facts of its planting and growth as a province, county, territory, and state, Vol. II > Part 34
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905
ELECTION OF UNITED-STATES SENATOR.
cans which changed the aspect of the struggle and secured the success of Logan.
When the death of Robt. E. Logan occurred, there were some hints thrown out that the democrats intended to elect his suc- cessor on the "still-hunt" plan, but the district was so over- whelmingly republican and well organized that it was found impracticable to make the attempt. The same thing occurred on the demise of Senator Bridges, but the democratic majority was so large in his district that it was considered useless to undertake to overcome it. Gen. Logan, however, was not of this opinion and when, soon after the death of Shaw, he received a letter, from Henry Craske of Rushville, suggesting a plan to carry the district, followed soon after by other letters from other counties, the question began to receive serious considera- tion. Several schemes were presented, one of which was the use of money, another to work through the grand army, and others equally wild and untenable. At length, a conference was held between the general, Daniel Shepard, secretary of the republican state-central committee, Samuel H. Jones, an old and skilful wire-puller, who remembered how the democrats had elected the successor of Abraham Lincoln in 1854 under similar circumstances, and Jacob Wheeler, a former resident of the thirty-fourth district and then United States marshal, which led to the adoption of the plan which was crowned with success.
John T. Beekman of Schuyler County was first mentioned as the candidate but upon further consultation, the name of Capt. William H. Weaver of Menard County was substituted-a change which owing to the delay in delivering the tickets in Schuyler County, where the name of Beekman had been used and tickets sent to some precincts, had well-nigh proved fatal to the whole scheme. The tickets were printed and sent to the different counties by Wells Corey of the Mason City Journal.
The plan to contest the district was sacredly kept in the breasts of a few men in each county, and only communicated to those whom it was necessary to employ to distribute the tickets, the day before the election. The instruments selected for this work were insurance, lightning-rod, and sewing-machine agents, and cattle and hog buyers, who religiously discharged the trust committed to their hands.
58
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ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
Everything was done according to the program. Voters were instructed not to go to the polls before three o'clock and not to excite suspicion by displaying their printed tickets. In a few instances only, the democrats discovered that something unusual was going on but it was too late in the day to rally the party strength. Everything "worked together" to help out the plan. Speaker Haines and a large number of the members of the legis- lature had accepted an invitation to visit the exposition at New Orleans on May I, and between that period and the 6th-the day of the election-"the bugles sounded a truce" in the sena- torial fight, and the meetings of the two houses of the general assembly were merely perfunctory. Morrison took advantage of the situation to pay a visit to Washington feeling assured that there was no danger of surprise. It is true, however, that there were not wanting democrats outside of the district who were anxiously observing the situation and warned leading men to be watchful and wary. So secret had every arrangement been carried out that Judge Bagby, a leading democrat of Rush- ville, feeling that all was right, left home for St. Louis on the 6th without voting, although he had received a dispatch that morning from Scott Wike stating that he had heard rumors of a movement to beat Leeper, the democratic candidate, and advising him to "sound the alarm." Similar notes of warning were sent into other counties all of which were unheeded.
So well had the plans been executed that it was not until the votes were counted that the extent of the republican victory was known. Weaver carried three out of the four counties-Menard, Mason, and Schuyler, and was elected by 336 majority. The astonishment and chagrin of the democrats over their defeat is indiscribable and was only equalled by the exuberant joy of the republicans. Of course all the time the law allowed was consumed in canvassing the returns, but no unnecessary or unusual impediments in the way of seating Capt. Weaver were interposed and he was sworn in on May 15.
On May 14, knowing it would be the last opportunity, a supreme effort was made by the friends of Morrison to secure his election. Every democrat was present, and he received IOI votes - the republicans not voting - lacking two votes of a majority. It was his last chance, and on the fourth ballot, the
907
THIRD ELECTION OF SENATOR LOGAN.
democrats began to concentrate on ex-Judge Lambert Tree of Chicago, who, on the sixth ballot also received 101 votes. No further ballots were taken until the 18th, when upon the meet- ing of the joint-assembly every member was present, and Gen. Logan, receiving 103 votes to 96 for Judge Tree and 5 scatter- ing, was duly elected. Prolonged cheers and shouts greeted the announcement of this result, and Gen. Logan was brought to the rostrum and made a happy address. The struggle on the part of the principal contestants had been conducted in perfect good feeling, with a chivalrous regard for fair play on the part of each, and ended with no bitterness other than that disappointment which usually follows defeat. Telegrams, con- gratulating the general on his great victory, poured in from Washington and all the leading cities of the Union.
Up to the time of the election of senator, although over four months of the session had passed, but little legislative business had been consummated-of the 400 and more bills introduced in the senate and 600 in the house, two or three only had been enacted into laws.
The new board of railroad-and-warehouse commissioners was appointed and confirmed on April 2, as follows: John I. Rinaker, William T. Johnson, and Benjamin F. Marsh. The grain-inspector, Frank Drake, appointed by Gov. Hamilton, was confirmed, February 24. The new board of canal-com- missioners, although their names were sent to the senate April 20, were not confirmed until May 28; they were, as follows: George F. Brown, Isaac Taylor, and A. Lieberknecht.
A determined effort was now made to go to work in earnest and complete the appropriation bills and perfect such other measures as might be deemed desirable. Then followed the usual contentions over conflicting schemes, including squabbles with the speaker who had not grown in popularity since his occupancy of the chair in 1875 and who shaped his rulings with a view to the success of the measures in whose passage he took an interest. An attempt was made, June 4, to suspend the rules, for the purpose of introducing a resolution to depose the speaker and elect another in his place, which failed. But out of the heated discussion which the effort brought forth grew an investigation of charges against certain members of bribery
908
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
and corruption. A committee was appointed, but the testimony was conflicting and no tangible result was reached. It seemed to clear the legislative atmosphere, however, as from this time forth the proceedings of both houses were characterized by diligent attention to business, resulting in the passage of many commendable laws. The speaker having vacated the chair on the last afternoon of the session, June 26, Charles E. Fuller filled the place until the final adjournment, receiving the thanks of the body for his courtesy and the successful dispatch of business.
During the closing hours, Gov. Oglesby visited both houses and a speech from him was demanded-an innovation which called forth happy responses, his excellency stating that the verdict of the people would be that the thirty-fourth was "a respectable and honorable general assembly."
Among the laws passed were the following: appropriating $531,712 for the completion of the state-house, under the law passed by the thirty-third general assembly and ratified by the people, Nov. 4, 1884; revising the law in relation to contagious diseases of animals, and providing for a live-stock commission; to establish a soldiers' and sailors' home, subsequently located at Quincy; to protect all citizens in their civil rights; requiring judges of the appellate court to file written opinions in all cases upon final hearing; to regulate the granting of continuances in criminal cases, so that it shall not be required to admit the absolute truth of the matter set up in the affidavit for continuance, but that only such absent witness, if present, would testify as alleged in the affidavit; to provide for drainage for agricultural and sanitary purposes; the Curtis election law, regulating the holding of elections in cities, for election commissioners, et cetera -the law now in force in Chicago and other large cities; the Crawford law to regulate primary elections of volunteer politi- cal associations; relating to fire-escapes for buildings; new laws on the subjects of fish and game, and mines and mining; to increase the powers of railroad corporations, authorizing con- solidations of connecting lines and to borrow money.
A joint - resolution was adopted submitting an amendment to the constitution providing that "hereafter it shall be un- lawful for the commissioners of any penitentiary or other
909
STATE CONVENTIONS OF 1886.
reformatory institution in the State of Illinois, to let by con- tract to any person, or persons, or corporations, the labor of any convict confined within said institution." This was ratified by the people at the November election, 1886, by a majority of 19,525 on a total vote cast of 574,080.
A joint-resolution was also adopted providing for the appoint- ment of a committee of twelve men, to be equally divided between the two leading political parties of the State, with authority to propose and frame a new revenue code. They were to meet on the first Wednesday in September, 1885, in Springfield, and to furnish a copy of their report to the secre- tary of state by the first of March, 1886. This committee was made up of the following distinguished citizens: Milton Hay, Sangamon County, chairman; Andrew D. Duff, Jackson; Hora- tio C. Burchard, Stephenson; W. Selden Gale, Knox; E. B. Green, Wabash; Charles D. Waller, Frank P. Crandon, and George Trumbull, Cook; Charles A. Ewing, Macon; William C. Wilson, Crawford; Charles W. Thomas, St. Clair; and Benj. Warren, sr., Hancock.
The political events of 1886 were of the usual off-year de- scription. The democrats, being in power in the national gov- ernment, were the first to call their state convention which met at Springfield, August 26. Henry Francis J. Ricker, of Adams County, was nominated for treasurer, and Franklin T. Oldt, of Carroll, for state superintendent of public instruction. The platform, read by Melville W. Fuller, in addition to former utterances on the tariff and cognate subjects, embraced the following points: opposition to the ownership of real estate by foreigners, and to the importation of foreign labor; hostility to the prohibition, by the constitution or general laws, of the man- ufacture or sale of vinous, malt, or spirituous liquors as being in violation of individual and personal right and contrary to the fundamental principles of a free government; favoring the proposed constitutional amendment regarding- the letting of convict labor on contract.
The republican state-convention met September I, and nomi- nated the following ticket: Senator John R. Tanner, Clay County, for state treasurer, and Richard Edwards, of Bureau County, for state superintendent of public instruction.
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ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
A departure from the ordinary custom of republican state- conventions was made in the refusal to appoint any members of the state central committee from the State at large. The platform adopted agreed with that of the democrats in oppos- ing land ownership by non-resident aliens and in endorsing the proposed constitutional amendment regarding contract labor. It also approved of the inter-state commerce law as championed by Senator Cullom, and recommended a revision of the state revenue system, to relieve small property holders who con- tributed more than their pro-rata share to the public burdens of taxation.
The nominees of the greenback-labor party were John Bud- long for treasurer, and Daniel L. Braucher for superintendent of public instruction; while those of the prohibitionists were Henry W. Austin for the former office, and Ulrich Z. Gilmer for the latter. The result at the polls of these various candi- dacies was as follows: for state treasurer, Tanner 276,680, Ricker 240,864, Budlong 34,821, Austin 19,766 For superin- tendent of public instruction: Edwards 276,710, Oldt 246,782, Braucher 34,701, Gilmer 19,402; showing that while the repub- licans elected their state ticket by a plurality of over 35,000, they were in a minority in the state of over 18,000.
Serious labor troubles, followed by strikes and disturbance's of the peace, occurred in 1885 and 1886. The first of these was at Joliet and Lemont, May I and 4, among the stone- quarrymen, where the outbreak assumed such character as to justify, in the opinion of the sheriffs of Will and Cook counties, a call upon the governor for military assistance. Gen. Joseph W. Vance, state adjutant-general, having been despatched by the governor to visit the disturbed localities, called upon Col. Frederick Bennett of the 4th Infantry, on May I, to report with four companies to the sheriff of Will County. The strik- ing workmen occupied the quarries and insisted upon driving away any employés offering to take their place. A mob of 250 strikers being ordered to disperse peaceably, refused, and bran- dishing clubs and crying "On to Joliet, no man shall work" endeavored to proceed on their way, when they were closed in upon by the militia and seventy of the rioters arrested and sent as prisoners to Joliet. Gen. Vance, who was on the ground,
9II
STRIKES AT LEMONT AND EAST ST. LOUIS.
thinks this would have ended the difficulty at this time, had not the sheriff of Will County released the prisoners instead of taking them before the courts for trial. However this may be, the trouble broke out afresh at Lemont on May 4, when the troops were ordered to that point, where a mob of over 500 ex-workmen were threateningly assembled. Instead of dis- persing when so ordered by the deputy-sheriff, they rushed upon the militia and assaulted them with stones. The troops fired in return, killing three of the rioters and wounding eleven others. Several soldiers, all of whom, with their officers, acted with great coolness and bravery, were wounded. This ended the outbreak, although the troops were not ordered home until May 13.
A strike of the railroad switchmen at East St. Louis in April, 1886, was the occasion of again calling out the state military. Not feeling satisfied from the representations of the sheriff of St. Clair County that he would be justified in rendering the assistance asked, Gov. Oglesby visited the scene of disturbance in person for the purpose of acquainting himself with all the facts. The governor felt assured from this personal investiga- tion that the power of the civil arm of the government and of the posse-comitatus had not been exhausted, and declined to issue the call for the militia. Gen. Vance was left on the ground to watch the turn of events. The sheriff finding that he was unable to preserve the peace and afford needed protection to property with his posse of 150 men, again, on April 9, requested the intervention of the troops. The governor being now con- vinced of the necessity, made the call on that day, appointing Col. R. M. Smith, 8th Infantry, in command. On this same day, a force of deputies fired upon a crowd of strikers, killing four and wounding five. Gen. J. N. Reece, of the 2d Brigade, was ordered forward on the next day. The presence of so large a body of troops, 17 companies in all, soon brought order out of confusion, and business was again resumed without further interference.
The militia was subsequently called out at the request of the sheriff of Cook County, Seth F. Hanchett, Nov. 8, 1886, to aid in preserving the peace and protecting property in consequence of a strike among the hands at the Union Stock-Yards. The
912
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
troops here were in command of Brig .- Gen. Charles FitzSimons. Order was restored and they were withdrawn November 20.
The governor was criticised in the first instance for calling out the troops in these disturbances before a proper foundation had been laid therefor by the civil authorities; and in the second place for not calling them out sooner at East St. Louis, where it was alleged the wholesale slaughter by the deputies before alluded to might have been prevented had that been done.
The governor, in his message to the thirty - fifth general assembly, replies to these objections, it must be admitted, with considerable force, as follows:
"It was equally plain that the sheriff had not made much use of the ample means at his command to arrest the disorder that the law confers upon him. I felt an occasion had arisen when the civil power of the State should be tested, and, if possible, fairly tested, before resorting to military power.
"The law of the State empowers the sheriff of any county to appoint and arm deputies; to call out the entire male popu- lation of the entire county and arm it. St. Clair County con- tains a population of more than 60,000 people. It would seem that if ever the posse-comitatus of the county, or indeed any county, was to be made available, an occasion had arisen in the wealthy and densely-populated county of St. Clair to test the reliability and utility of such a force. I therefore insisted, in several interviews with the sheriff, that he should appoint a large number of deputies and call out the power of his county, and at least make an earnest effort to restore order, preserve the peace, execute the law, and assert its supremacy, before calling on the governor to aid him with a military force. The sheriff assured me he would make the best effort he could, and also repeatedly expressed to me his opinion and gave me his assurance that there would be no occasion for calling out the militia. Upon such assurance, I returned to Springfield, after, however, directing the sheriff to keep me advised by telegraph several times daily of affairs under his charge.
"The sheriff did increase the number of his deputies and did summon the posse of his county, and made some additional effort to restore the supremacy of the law.
"Finally, on the 9th of April, after such effort as had been
913
CALLING OUT THE MILITIA-THE CALL.
made to restore peace and order, he again made formal request for aid and I thereupon immediately ordered a necessary mili- tary force to report to him. * *
"It would seem but reasonable, having conferred the power upon the executive department to see that the laws be faithfully executed, that some provision should have been made for the execution of so grave a trust. It has not been done. The law has up to this time remained silent upon this important subject.
"If it is to be understood that the power to see the laws faith- fully executed resides in that other power that he shall be com- mander-in-chief of the military and naval forces, and may call out the same to execute the law, how and in what cases, and upon what conditions, shall this power be exercised? Can the governor, upon his own suggestion, call out the militia and send it to any county, township, or city in this State, at his pleasure? Can he, upon mere rumor or the invitation of private citizens, do so? Or ought he only to do so upon official information laid before him by the sheriff of a county or the mayor of a city, and a request or demand from such official source for military assistance? And if upon such request or demand from such civil officers he must do so, may he, in any case of mob, riot, or unlawful assembly in any part of the State, decline to do so until such request or demand be made for aid by such civil officer? These are important inquiries and, in my opinion, require legislative action for their satisfactory settlement. Espe- cially do they become important inquiries when taken in con- nection with section 15, article 2, of the state constitution, which declares: 'The military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.' If in any case the militia may be called out to aid the civil officers of the State to execute the law, how, I ask, in strict subordination to the civil power, in the absence of any statute upon the subject, can the military be used except it report to the sheriff or mayor under orders from the governor to aid such civil power? I do not object to the provision of the constitution; on the contrary, I hold it to be a wise restraint upon the military powers of the State. Without legislation upon the subject, however, the governor of the State will always experience perplexity in endeavoring to execute the law by this agency."
914
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
The thirty-fifth general assembly convened Jan. 5, 1887. Of the 27 new senators, Daniel Hogan of Pulaski was the only one reëlected, although William E. Shutt had formerly served in that body eight years. The following had previously been members of the house: John Humphrey of Cook; Joseph Reinhardt of LaSalle; Isaac N. Pearson of Macomb; Theodore S. Chapman of Jersey; Andrew J. Reavill of Crawford; and John Yost of Gallatin. The following were new in legislative service: Bernard A. Eckhart, George A. Gibbs, Jas. Monahan, Philip Knopf, R. M. Burke, M. F. Garrity, Cook; Chas. H. Bacon, of Will; Charles F. Greenwood, DeKalb; John D. Crabtree, Lee; John H. Pierce, Henry; Edward A. Washburn, Bureau; Wm. C. Johns, Macon; George E. Bacon, Edgar; Thomas L. McGrath, to fill vacancy, Coles; Lloyd B. Stephenson, Shelby; Geo. W. Dean, Adams; Wm. F. L. Hadley, Madison; Augustus M. Strattan, Jefferson; and Henry Seiter, St. Clair-32 were republicans, 17 democrats, one greenback-democrat-Streeter, and one labor-Burke.
August W. Berggren was elected president pro tempore; and the list of republican officers, headed by L. F. Watson as secretary. August Berggren is a native of Sweden. He had served four times as sheriff of his county, Knox, and had now entered upon his second term as senator. In 1889, he succeeded Maj. R. W. McClaughry as warden of the northern penitentiary which position he is acceptably filling at present.
About one-fifth of the members of the lower house had seen service therein before. Among these may be mentioned: Chas. A. Allen, Wm. R. Archer (in the senate), John H. Baker, Charles Bogardús, Alfred Brown, William F. Calhoun, James R. Camp- bell, David W. Clark, William H. Collins, Orrin P. Cooley, Clayton E. Crafts, Robert H. Davis in the senate, Charles E. Fuller, John L. Hamilton, James Herrington, W. W. Hoskinson, Caleb C. Johnson, Samuel B. Kinsey, Robert L. Mc Kinlay, Daniel Mclaughlin, Thomas C. McMillan, Joseph P. Mahoney, Samuel P. Marshall, Thomas E. Merritt, Joseph B. Messick, James H. Miller, Virgil S. Ruby, Jas. M. Ruggles in the senate, 1853-5, Charles E. Scharlau, John Stewart, Jos. Veile. Among the new members, who took the most active part in the pro- ceedings, were the following: Francis A. Brokoski, Bryan Con-
915
THIRTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
way, Henry Decker, Charles G Dixon, Leo P Dwyer, Michael J. Dwyer, Kirk N. Eastman, John W. Farley, James H. Farrell, John S. Ford, John J. Furlong, James F. Gleason, Orrigen W. Herrick, Victor Karlouski, Thomas G. McElligott, Thomas J. Moran, James O'Connor, Stephen A. Reynolds, George F. Rohrbach, Frank E. Schoenwald, and William P. Wright, all of Cook County; John J. Brown of Fayette; Richard G. Breeden, McDonough; William H. Bundy, Williamson; Charles B. Cole and Everett J. Murphy, Randolph; Joseph P. Condo, Effing- ham; Albert L. Converse, Wiley E. Jones, and David T. Littler, Sangamon; John W. Coppinger and Isaac Cox, Madi- son; William F. Crawford, Rock Island; Charles Curtiss, Du Page; William S. Day, Union; Edgar W. Faxon, Kendall; Clarence R. Gittings, Henderson; Coleman C. George and Robt. A. Gay, Christian; Michael D. Halpin, Cass; Thomas L. Hamer, Fulton; Frank Y. Hamilton, McLean; John M. Hart, Nelson D. Jay, and James Kenny, Peoria; Dwight Haven, Will; David Hunter, Winnebago; Alexander K. Lowry, Brown; Charles F. Nellis, Alexander; Charles A. Partridge, Lake; Francis M. Peel, Piatt; George W. Pepoon, Jo Daviess; Hiram L. Pierce, Logan; O. W. Pollard, Livingston; Sterling Pomeroy, Bureau; Thomas H. Reiley, Will; Eugene Rice and Westford Taggart, Douglas; Lewis M. Sawyer and James P. T rench, La Salle; George W. Smith, Morgan; Ira Taylor and Albert W. Wells, Adams; George Wait, Lake; William M. Ward, Greene; John Wedig, Madison; John W. White, Whiteside; Frederick Wilkinson, Menard; Wesley C. Williams, Hancock; James B. Wilson, Macoupin; James P. Wilson, Ogle; Samuel F. Wilson, Cumberland; Thomas A. Wilson, Clay; John E. Wright, Morgan; Reuben S. Yocum, Alexander. The house was divided politically as follows: republicans 78, democrats 66, labor-reform 8, prohibition I-Lamont.
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