History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 119

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104

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"The Democratic party will meet as usual in national convention and through its authorized delegates nominate its candidates and declare its policy. Until then no man has the right to com- mit the party as to its future action. Its organi- zation and principles should be maintained at all hazards."

This was interpreted as an act of hostility to- wards Greeley, and on May 13, 1872, Voorhees made his celebrated speech in Congress against Greeley.

The Democratic national convention at Balti- more on July 9, 1872, endorsed Greeley and Brown, the Liberal-Republican nominees. A part of the Democracy in Vigo county openly rebelled. The Terre Haute Journal refused to be absorbed in the liberal movement and attacked Greeley bit- terly. The Gazette with equal warmth espoused the Greeley cause.

At the congressional convention in Spencer, Ind., that year Voorhees was unanimously renomi- nated and there followed the hottest campaign that had ever been waged in Vigo county. The Democrats erected a wigwam on the northeast corner of Eighth and Ohio streets on Dr. Reed's vacant lot. On August 7 the Greeley wigwam was opened by a big meeting. Hendricks, Voor- hees and Hanna spoke. In this campaign, for the first time, appeared the name of John E. Lamb, who became second lieutenant for the Greeley es- cort.

After Voorhees' nomination the third time he would not retract nor qualify a word he had said about Greeley, but stated that he fully recognized that the Baltimore convention at which Greeley was nominated had "legitimate authority and ulti- mate control." So when Horace Greeley came to

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

Indianapolis to address a big meeting Voorhees presided at the meeting. A train of eleven coaches carried the Vigo county followers to hear Greeley. Voorhees was defeated in this campaign, however, by Hunter, whose majority was 700.

H. C. Bradsby's History of Vigo County says: "The Democracy of Vigo county was badly de- moralized after the Greeley campaign and prob- ably partly from this cause just after that time Terre Haute had quite a craze on the subject of female suffrage. The Gazette said, 'It sported the liveliest kind of woman suffrage club, of which O. J. Smith was the recognized head and front.'"

In 1873 the Democrats of Terre Haute nomi- nated John T. Scott for mayor and later elected him. In October of that same year, in the election for the prosecuting attorney in Vigo and Sullivan counties, Samuel R. Hamill was elected over George W. Buff by six votes.

It was in 1874 that a mighty temperance cru- sade came on, and through it the Vigo county Re- publican ticket was crushed from top to bottom. The Republicans were denounced in a mass-meet- ing for their fanatical tendencies and resolutions endorsing the Democratic party were adopted at that time. The Democratic majority on the state ticket in the county was 840.

Voorhees' name appeared again as a candidate for Congress in 1875, but he withdrew before the election. Joseph E. McDonald was elected in his stead.

In 1876 the Democrats nominated Col. W. E. McLean for Congress, endorsed A. B. Carlton for judge of the supreme court, and John E. Lamb for county prosecutor. The Vigo county Demo- crats made nearly a clean sweep for their ticket at this election, although Hunter beat McLean in the county by €7 votes. Lamb was elected prose- cutor.

Spring elections of 1877 resulted in a substan- tial Democratic success. James B. Edmunds, ed- itor, was elected mayor a second time. Tom Harper was elected city attorney. Edmunds died about two months after his election. Henry Fairbanks was chosen to succeed him and after nine months in office he, too, died.

The never-to-be-forgotten judicial contest in Vigo and Sullivan counties occurred in 1878. Sul- livan had no candidate and Vigo had two-C. Y. Patterson and Sidney B. Davis. Judge Carlton was chairman of the convention which was to de- cide the nomination question. Followers of both candidates were present in large numbers. Con- fusion reigned after the session had been called.

Davis' men saw they were outwitted and, ac- companied by their leaders, went to another hall and nominated their man. Both conventions de-

clared the other irregular. In the election which settled the question, however, Patterson was chosen by a small majority.

It was along in the 70's that confusion over the settlement of certain legal cases became most evident in this section and through an appeal to the Legislature a criminal court was established. Judge Thomas B. Long, a Democrat, was judge of this court for many years until the superior court was established. There are still many of the older residents who will remember that Judge William Mack was for many years Circuit Judge in Vigo county.

One of the figures that stand out prominently in Judge Davis' memory is Bayless W. Hanna, who ran for Congress but was defeated, but who later became Attorney-General and still later was sent as a minister to Argentine Republic.

Judge Cyrus McNutt was judge of the supe- rior court for many years, but he, according to Judge Davis, belonged to the later-day Demo- crats. The judge is strong in his praise of those early founders of the Democratic party, believing firmly in the principles which they represented.

Only once did Vigo fail to support the elected President. In 1908 William Jennings Bryan car- ried the county by a small majority, but was de- feated for the Presidency. With the exception of that one time since 1860 every time the Demo- cratic party carried the county a Democratic President was elected. It was the same with the Republican party.

From 1860 until 1894 the Democratic party elected one or more city or county officials every year. In 1886 the Democrats carried both the county and city. In 1888 the Republicans carried the county, but several Democratic officials were elected to office.

The Democrats carried the county and city in 1890 and in 1892 a Republican mayor and a Dem- ocratic city council was elected. The Democrats carried the county.

The Republicans carried the county and city in 1894. In 1896 the Republicans again carried the county and city, but a Democratic sheriff and treasurer were elected. In 1898 the Democrats elected the mayor, sheriff and treasurer.

In 1900 the Democrats carried the county and re-elected Henry C. Stegg mayor of the city. In 1902 the Republicans again carried the county.

In 1904 the Democrats carried the county and city and in 1906 a Democratic mayor and half of the city officials were Democrats. In 1908 and 1910 the Democrats carried the county and in 1912 the city. In 1914 they again carried the city and in 1916 Democrats elected all officers with the ex- ception of county prosecutor.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WABASH COUNTY

By Arthur N. McCracken

W ABASH COUNTY is composed of seven political townships, each of which is much larger than the civil township cre- ated by the ordinance of 1787 of six miles square and lies about eighty-four miles north of Indian- apolis, and a little east of the center line of the State, and its lands are drained by the famous Wabash river, with its various tributaries, being bi-sected by the Wabash river, which runs in a southwesterly direction through the central por- tion of this county, while the tributaries known as the Eel river and the Mississinewa river again cross it from northeast to southwest, while the Salamonie river is a tributary of the Mississinewa river and enters its border between the Wabash river and Eel river, forming a junction with the Wabash river at LaGro.

The land of this county is very fertile, mostly of black loam, except in the northwestern and extreme eastern portion and the portions trav- ersed by the various rivers that cross it, which is hilly and rolling.

This county was organized at the beginning of the State's history and at one time included the territory of what is now the county of Miami, and both counties at that time were in a judicial cir- cuit, but the legislature has seen fit to create in each a judicial circuit and now each maintains its own separate government, the county seat of Wabash being located at the city of Wabash, which is located on the Wabash river about the central portion of the county, and is a city of ap- proximately 10,000 people.

The resources of Wabash county have been va- ried. About 1890 natural gas was found in abun- dance and this was piped into the city of Wabash and used in its factories as fuel, as well as for domestic purposes, and after about fifteen years' usage, the flow of natural gas ceased, and since that time there has been little or no gas found other than in the vicinity of LaFontaine. Oil was also struck in somewhat paying quantities along the banks of the Wabash river, but this, too, has not held out in recent years. However, there are a few wells left at this time which are being pumped.

The farmers of Wabash county are prosperous. There are many finc farms and fine homes. The land in general is very productive, particularly adapted to the raising of corn, oats and wheat, and many a farmer has become wealthy in the pursuit of raising these cereals, and now one can

see, as he rides about this county, many beauti- ful homes and residences as a result of the pro- ductiveness of the soil and the industry of its people.

The early history of Wabash county was more or less of a struggle. It was occupied by the Miami tribe of Indians, and at this late date there are many evidences of this race still found within its borders. The city of Wabash is entirely laid out upon a section of land donated by the Federal government to Chief Char'cy and John B. Rich- ardville, chiefs of the Miami tribe of Indians, and they have ever since retained their identity in honor of the men to whom the government grant- ed this land.

The location of the county seat of Wabash county in the early history was an intense struggle between the then town of LaGro and what is now the city of Wabash, it being decided in favor of the town of Wabash by popular vote and the city winning by one vote over the town of LaGro. This momentous struggle resulted in all the county buildings being located in the town of Wabash, and this undoubtedly gave impetus to the fact that the city of Wabash is the princi- pal city within the county. However, North Man- chester, located in a beautiful farming district on the banks of the Eel river, is a town of about twenty-five hundred inhabitants, with beautiful paved streets, many churches and a fine college, and with its various attractions makes it a very desirable place to live, it being situated almost due north of the city of Wabash and connected therewith by the Dixie highway, which also passes through Wabash county, north and south, strik- ing the southwestern border at LaFontaine, and leaving it six miles northwest of North Manches- ter.

LaFontaine takes its name from a Miami In- dian and is an incorporated town of about one thousand people, having its electric lights and paved streets, school system and many churches. LaGro also takes its name from a Miami Indian known as LaGros, and is a town northeast of the city of Wabash on the Wabash railroad and Ft. Wayne and Northern Indiana traction line and has a population of about seven hundred and is in the center of one of the largest townships of the State. In the western end of this township is another prosperous town known as Urbana, having two banks and many churches and is a town of some three hundred inhabitants situated

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HISTORY INDIANA DEMOCRACY-1816-1916

in the center of a very fertile farming district, while Roann is at the west extremity of Paw Paw township and near the west line of Wabash coun- ty on the banks of the Eel river. Roann is a town of approximately eight hundred people and has an electric light and water system. Somer- set and Liberty Mills are each old towns situated respectively in the southern and northern ex- tremities of the county, are each situated in a fertile farming district and surrounded by many fine farms of great fertility.

The unincorporated town of Laketon is situated about four miles southwest of North Manchester and is surrounded by many fertile farms, and Pleasant township, the northwest township of the county, is dotted with many fine lakes, afford- ing fishing and pleasure to those who seek recrea- tion along their shores.

Wabash county has four hundred and fifty miles of pike, much of which has been built under the three-mile road law, and has bridges crossing its various streams and rivers which have been erected at great expense to the public, the city of Wabash having three, one of which is just now being completed at a cost of approximately forty- five thousand dollars. The city of Wabash has various industries and is a manufacturing town of considerable extent. There are about two thousand people employed in its various factories, which have afforded a great deal of employment to laborers in times past, as well as at present.

The political history of Wabash county began, of course, with its creation, and has always been steadfastly Republican except within the past ten years. The first Democrat elected to office was Ora Whiteneck, who had the distinction of being elected county surveyor. However, he was sub- sequently defeated, and in 1912 the Democrats elected their entire county ticket, including a rep- resentative in the legislature, and a joint senator from this county and Fulton. In 1914 the Demo- crats again elected their entire county ticket, save and except the offices of county coroner and county assessor.

The early history of the Democratic party in Wabash county up until recent years has been a history of struggle, lack of organization and a spirit of being licked before the campaign opened, but in later years this spirit has been replaced by better organizations, more interest and a firmer determination to win. In 1912 A. N. McCracken was chairman of the county central committee, and perfected an organization that won every office in the county and who was fol- lowed two years later by Dr. James Wilson who also maintained the organization to a high degree of standard, electing the Honorable Nelson G. Hunter Judge of the Wabash Circuit Court, A.

N. McCracken as Prosecuting Attorney for the twenty-seventh Judicial Circuit, Norva P. Laven- good as Treasurer, Frank P. Kircher as Auditor, Earl E. Roby as Clerk, Merrit Bannister as Com- missioner of the Southern district, William H. Custer as Commissioner of the Northern district and Jesse P. Bell as Surveyor. This was done without the aid of any newspaper and the first two officers were elected without any opposition other than the Republican candidates, while George Rauch, who has ably represented the Eleventh congressional district in Congress for ten years, carried the county by a safe margin, while the vote for President Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, in 1912, was a tie.

The city of Wabash has had three Democratic mayors in its history, Dr. Crabill being the first, who was elected many years ago, and later Horace D. Bannister received the honor of an election while Dr. James Wilson was elected in 1911, and four years later re-elected, and is now the candi- date of his party for re-election the third time. The history of politics in this county, as far as Democracy is concerned, points back with pride to some pioneers who were steadfast in their faith and the principles of Jefferson, and never faltered in their duty to their party, notwithstand- ing the Democratic party was a party of the minority and election after election came and went and not a Democrat was elected to an office. Meredith H. Kidd was one who always carried the banner, while William A. Elward, Charles Freshour, Frank Ramsey, Frank Ireland, John Isenbarger, Charles Wright, Nelson G. Hunter, John Hipskind, V. A. Mattern and James A. Earley were always found at their post under the Democratic ticket and doing everything in their power for the furtherance of Democratic success. In 1898 Gilford M. Naber and A. N. MeCracken were their party's choice for Representative and Prosecuting Attorney, respectively, and each made a vigorous campaign through Wabash county, as- sisted by Judge Hunter, Milo Meredith, Edward E. Eikenbary and many others and reduced the Republican majority that then existed of over twenty-five hundred to less than a thousand.

The Wabash Times-Star is a Democratic news- paper putting out daily copies upholding the hands of Democracy in a very able manner under the management of James E. Almond, the editor and manager, a young man of sterling ability and of the highest integrity. The Democracy of this county is in every way a success. It never pre- sented a better organization and more consistent unity of purpose than at the present time, and the leaders believe that in the future Wabash county will return frequent majorities for the Democratic party.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WARREN COUNTY

O NCE in a while a legislative body will pass a law with the direct purpose of setting off to themselves a bunch of citizens who in- sist upon voting unanimously for this party or that political organization. Whether any such purpose was intended in the creation of Warren county by the legislature, the boundaries of that county were certainly made to include an aggre- gation of Republicans that no circumstances or conditions have ever been able to change. A history of the Democracy of Warren county is a history of one defeat following another.

In the earlier days, the county having been or- ganized by election of its first set of officers on the 23rd day of June, 1827, there appeared to be a disposition on the part of the majority to be not too severe with the Democratic minority. So in those days the majorities against Democracy were kept within moderate limits. In later years, however, and reaching down to the present time, anything less than two to one in favor of Repub- licans has been rather unusual.

In 1832, in which campaign Jackson and Van Buren were the Democratic nominees and Clay and Sargent were the Whig nominees, the first de- cided political division was represented in the vot- ing in Warren county. In this election the Whig ticket received 301 votes, and the Democrats 267. That was not so bad but that the Democrats might some time in the future hope to turn the majority to the other side.

In 1834 and 1836 all parties became pretty well united under the two banners, that of Democracy and that of the Whigs. Local candidates stood fairly on party platforms and divisions. In the presidential contest of that year, Harrison and Granger heading the Whig ticket, and Van Buren and Johnson the Democratic ticket, Warren cast its vote 541 for Harrison, and 329 for Van Buren.

The campaign four years later was the one, however, in which the most intense partisan spirit was demonstrated. This was the famous cam- paign in which Harrison and Tyler headed the Whig forces, and Van Buren and Johnson again contended as the Democratic nominees. Harri- son received more than two votes to Van Buren's one, the relative strength being 740 to 348.

The question of extending the slavery territory was a decided issue in 1844, when Texas was seeking admission to the Union. The Whigs nom- inated Henry Clay and the Democrats selected James K. Polk as their standard-bearer. While the country went strongly to Polk and the Dem- ocratic ticket, Warren county remained firmly and

decidedly Republican, giving 779 votes to Clay, and 470 to Polk.

The campaign of 1848, while still bitterly con- tested, did not show the interest in Warren coun- ty that had prevailed in previous elec' ions. While the population of the county was increasing ma- terially, the vote was considerably less than in 1844, Taylor and Fillmore, the Whig candidates, receiving 708, to 460 for the Democratic candi- dates.

Advancing still nearer to the time when the question of slavery must be decided one way or the other, interest in the subject among the peo- ple of Warren county waxed warmer all the time, so in 1852 there was a fair increase in the vote when Scott and Graham, the Whig candidates, re- ceived 850 votes, against 552 for Pierce and King of the Democracy.

Republican majorities continued to grow, and in 1856 Fremont and Dayton were given 1,167, to 767 for Buchanan and Breckinridge.

However, Warren county was not always with the winning side, for many presidential candi- dates repudiated by the voters of Warren county spent comfortable years in the White House.

In 1860 and 1864 the Republican majorities still continued to grow, and in the election of 1864 Lin- coln and Johnson were given 1,373, against 761 for McClellan and Pendleton.

All the new voters who appeared in the next four years appear to have been Republicans, for while the Democratic vote failed to increase, the Republican total and majority grew apace.

Grant and Wilson received 1,504 votes, against 775 for Greeley and Brown.

In 1876, had Hayes and Wheeler done as well in the rest of the country as they did in Warren county, there would have been none of the un- pleasantness growing out of the settlement of the election. In this county Hayes and Wheeler received 1,590, against 880 for Tilden and Hen- dricks. Garfield and Arthur drew still further strength, adding materially to the proportionate majority in 1880, the Republican ticket receiving 1,850, against 901 for Hancock and English.

In 1888 Benjamin Harrison was given a major- ity of 829 votes, and in 1896 William Mckinley added to this, making the majority 945.

Coming down to the later elections, in the cam- paign of 1908 when Bryan and Kern were the Democratic nominees, another favorite son was being placed before the voters of Indiana. Taft received in Warren county 2,092 votes, while Bryan and Kern were given but 1,017.

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HISTORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WARRICK COUNTY

By Philip Lutz, Jr.

T HE history of the Democracy of Warrick County centers itself largely about the ac- tivities of certain prominent Democratic families, the members of which have been as true to the principles of the party and as loyal to its welfare as the needle of the compass has been in pointing the direction to the North Pole. Now and then, some differences would arise between members of the party resulting from ambitions for party honor or public office, but it can hardly be said that the party harmony or party success has ever been endangered by any factional differ- ences. The Democracy has no factions such as have ruined the organization in many counties of the State. Warrick county Democrats have been bitter partisans in past years and today they stand loyal to the cause of the party, which they revere and love. Warrick county's democracy has never been questioned and she can always be counted on for a good round Democratic majority for the State and district ticket in every election.

The management of the party has been good. For many years past, nominations have been made for the county offices by means of the township unit, the old Democratic doctrine of home rule, and by this system which has always been fair to the candidates, nominations have always been made according to the dictates of party will. No machine rules theparty. The party has no ma- machine rules the party. The party has no ma- chine. The men who have led the party to battle have been the chosen leaders of the party, and the cry of "boss" and "bossism" and "machine" and "ring rule" is not known in the county. So much cannot be said for the Republican party.

By a poll of the county, Democracy has the best of it by a narrow margin. But the margin is so small that for many years past, excepting the years of the Bull Moose divergency, every cam- paign has been a hot contest. One of the main reasons for this is easily apparent when mention is made of Boonville as the home of James A. Hemenway, former United States Senator, and a Republican leader in the nation. Senator Hemenway belongs to the old school of politicians, who hobnobbed with Mark Hanna, and who knows, therefore, how to do things and does them. In Boonville he is regarded as a good citizen, cares a great deal for his home town, loves the people, and has built up a host of friends. Not only this, but he remembered his friends and his friends remembered him, especially on elec-

tion day, and this fact always cut deep when the influence of Hemenway was against Democracy. He began his career as a prosecutor, then was honored by election to Congress for six terms, and was then elevated to the United States Senate for four years. Some believe Senator Hemenway has even bigger things in waiting, but the Senator says he is done for public office, and devotes the greater part of his time to his private affairs, which are now extensive.

The Democrats are fortunate in having as their party organ The Boonville Enquirer, a weekly, ed- ited by that stanch and fearless democratic war horse, Senator G. H. Hazen. The motto, "Demo- cratic at All Times," stands at the masthead of the Enquirer, and indicates the true and pro- nounced party organ that Senator Hazen is edit- ing. In his life as editor, Senator Hazen has seen the party meet many obstacles tending to hinder party progress, but the Enquirer has faithfully upheld the party with honor and fidelity. In the days when the shrewd Republican politicians brought the latest political methods of Washington and the East to work them upon the innocents of this section, none were better able to cope with the party problems than the fearless editor of the Enquirer.

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History of the Indiana democracy, 1816-1916, Part 119

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Stoll, John B., 1843-1926
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : Indiana Democratic Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1104