USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 9
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The number of votes cast that year was 6.560, which, compared with the vote of 1900, shows a falling off of 3, 196.
THE POLITICAL PHASES.
That every man living in the State of Kan-
sas belongs to some political party, is a proposi- tion which is almost idle to utter. Here partisan affiliation is almost an instinct ; and he who has no "political home" is a lonely outcast, even in the midst of the din and rush of politi- cal agitation. The early settlers of the State lived under a tense political strain, from the day they set foot upon its soil, and those who came later readily partook of the spirit of the most enthusiastic demonstrations. The sur- roundings made it necessary. They had to de- clare themselves, for they were not allowed to remain silent. The lines were drawn, and they had to take sides.
The Republican party of Kansas, when not torn into factions through the disagreement of its leaders, has always been dominant in the State, as a matter of birthright. It has been next to folly for any other party to seek a breaking of its control of public affairs; for this has never been done, except when internal dissensions have dissipated its strength and driven large numbers into the camps of the opposing party. The State has had four Gov- ernors who were not elected by the Republican party,-St. John, Glick, Lewelling and Leedy ; and it has sent but three men, other than Re- publicans, to the United States Senate,-Mar- tin, Harris and Peffer, the latter of whom went back to the Republican party when it was no longer profitable for him to remain with the Populists.
The political phases of Cherokee County have partaken much of the character of those of the State. Nominally, the county is Repub- lican : but the people sometimes break away ; and as the numerical strength of the two par- ties is almost evenly divided, the Democrats have held the innings about as often as the Re- publicans. Each party has been often rendered
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incapable of gaining public control, through blunders made in each by a few who were too anxious to direct the party machinery.
Back in the early days of the county, when the inhabitants were few, and the frontier spirit bound the people closer, there was a time when the only question that divided them was whether a person supported or opposed the Joy side of the land question. All other likes and dislikes were for a while laid aside; in fact, this matter was the issue among the people of Cherokee County for seven or eight years. Af- ter it was settled by the Supreme Court of the United States, by which settlement the "Leaguers" lost their lands, the Democrats and Republicans, who had joined hands on one side or the other, quietly fell back to their places in the political parties; and from that time down to the present no side issue has been such as to draw them away, save that during the Populist uprising of 1890 many of the members of the two parties cut their moorings and took passage in the reform craft and went out upon a brief voyage, while the two disabled parties remained on the shoals and watched the sail as it went over the rounded sea. Some of the voyagers are back in their respective ships, while some of them are yet at sea, "rocked in the cradle of the deep."
From about the year 1876 down to the year 1890, neither of the principal parties engaged in any "masterful inactivity." There was some- thing lively going on all the time. Scarcely was a political canvass over when scheming began for the succeeding one. Elections were held every year, which maintained a condition of constant turmoil, and which required an out- watch always on duty. The terms of the county offices were for two years, and the offi- cers coming in alternated with those going out.
Often half of the offices in the Court House were filled by Republicans, and the other half by Democrats ; but there were times, after 1890, when the offices were filled by neither.
Perhaps the intensest political contest ever had between the Republican and the Democrats of Cherokee County was that of ISS8. And this is perhaps true in every other part of the country where numbers were anywhere nearly equal. There was a general reason for it. In 1884 the Democratic candidate for the presi- dency was elected and the following spring was inaugurated, the first Democratic President in- augurated since March 4, 1857. Four years after 1884 the Democrats were determined that Grover Cleveland should be re-elected ; the Re- publicans were equally determined that he should be defeated, and that Benjamin Harrison should be elected the next President of the United States. Each party was correspondingly eager and zealous. Tremendous influences were brought to bear upon the people, from those im- mediately under the control of the national committees, down to the voters who were man- aged by the ward politicians in the cities and by the precinct managers in the rural districts. Big local contributions were made to the cam- paign funds, for many were so enthusiastic that they spent money freely, in order to gain advantage over the opposing party. The ag- gregate of each party was mustered, drilled and marched to the polls on election day. Ward and precinct meetings were held whenever and wherever there was the slightest hope for gain- ing any advantage. Speakers were employed to hold meetings at the school houses in all the rural districts ; abler ones were brought in from other parts to address the town-hall gatherings, and still others to speak to the multitudes too vast for other than out-door meetings.
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MEMORABLE POLITICAL RALLIES.
In the fall of 1888 some of the greatest polit- ical rallies ever known were held at Columbus. The first was on the 22d day of September, following the meeting of the Democratic County Convention. The convention met at the Opera House at II o'clock in the forenoon, and was called to order by R. A. Long, chairman of the county central committee. R. M. Cheshire, mayor of Columbus, was chosen temporary chairman of the convention, and J. H. Clawson was chosen secretary. After the chairman had appointed the usual committees, the convention adjourned until 1:30 in the afternoon.
On assembling in the afternoon, J. C. Mur- dock, of Galena, was chosen permanent chair- man, and A. L. Hayden, of Weir City, was chosen secretary. Dr. E. A. Scammon was chairman of the committee on resolutions. From the report of the committee I copy this sentence: "That, in the administration of our county affairs, we demand of all officers a strict and full performance of all their official duties ; and at the hands of our county commissioners we demand that they, as the law requires, at the end of each year cause to be published a full and explicit account of every dollar expended, and for what purpose, and all indebtedness of the county, that the tax-payers may know for what purpose their money is used." It had been said about that time that the county com- missioners were not managing public matters in a business-like way; that the people were not kept informed of the expenditures ; that the law covering such things was being ignored, and that a course of better control of the interests of the county must be had. This was one of the issues of the local canvass for votes.
The big rally of that day set in, upon the ad-
journment of the convention. The Barter Springs News, September 29, 1888, copied the following account of the rally from the Colum- bus Star-Courier:
"A parade, headed by the Columbus Band, formed at the Gulf depot, consisting of floats, ladies and gentlemen on horseback, citizens in vehicles, and various designs representing the inconsistencies of the Republican platform, marched throughout the principal streets. Hon. John A. Eaton, candidate for Congress in the Third District, spoke in the afternoon to the assembled throng west of the new Court House. He received round after round of applause as he spoke for two hours on the tariff issue. Ex- cursion trains arrived almost hourly during the day, and the committees were kept busy receiv- ing them. Judge Martin, of Topeka, arrived at 4:30 in the afternoon. He was met at the depot by two bands and a large crowd of peo- ple. He was driven to the hotel, where he re- ceived many callers during the evening. At seven o'clock the excursion arrived from Galena, one thousand strong, and a procession was formed at the Gulf depot with two thousand five hun- dred in line. All the clubs participated, mak- ing a grand procession, over a mile in length, with torchlight banners and transparencies. Fireworks were discharged on all sides, caus- ing the scene to be one of dazzling brilliancy. The transparencies illustrating the deceit and hypocrisy of the Republican platform were borne by stalwart Democrats. The Andrew Jackson Glee Club, composed of young ladies and young gentlemen, on a large float, followed by another float containing 38 ladies represent- ing the different States of the Union, were at- tractive features of the procession. After the parade the various glee clubs congregated on the speakers' stand and rendered some splendid
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campaign music. Judge Martin was intro- duced, and he held the audience for two hours. He spoke in a clear tone, and he was heard by a large proportion of the vast audience. His excellent points were loudly applauded. There is not the least doubt that Saturday was the grandest day for the Democrats that Columbus ever enjoyed. Good judges placed the crowd at from eight thousand to ten thousand. The whole matter passed off with the best of feel- ing, harmony prevailing on every hand."
Following the Democratic rally, the Re- publican managers set out to surpass it, in num- bers and in brilliancy. As indicating the en- thusiasmn, the following paragraphs are taken from the Barter Springs News:
"The Baxter Springs Republican Club pro- poses to send two hundred warriors, one hun- dred ladies and two brass bands to the grand rally at Columbus on the 13th of October."
"The Republicans are making arrange- ments for a grand demonstration at Columbus, October 13, afternoon and evening. Senator Plumb, Congressman Perkins, Hon. Eugene F. Ware and S. S. Kirkpatrick, of Fredonia, have promised to be present. There will be a grand torchlight procession and display of fireworks in the evening."
When the Republican rally day came, Co- lumbus had the biggest political rally that had ever assembled within its limits. This was gen- erally conceded. Long before the break of day the managers were up and about the work to be done : for no preparation was to be left out. The homes and the business houses of the city were lavishly and splendidly decorated, tri- umphal arches were erected, flags were flying everywhere, and by the early morning there was such a demonstration of interest as could not other than portend a day of full advantage
to the party putting forth the effort. But if the people of the town itself were ready for a grand rally, those from other parts of the county, and even from other counties, were more so. The following account of the rally is taken from the Baxter Springs News, of Oc- tober 20, 1888 :
"By nine o'clock people began to pour in from the country, in large delegations and singly, in wagons, in buggies and carriages, on horseback and otherwise. At 10 o'clock the marshals, under the direction of the grand mar- shal, C. W. Daniels, of Baxter Springs, began forming the procession for the grand parade, which required an hour and a quarter for pass- ing a given point. -x- At the head of the procession was the Columbus Cornet Band : next, one hundred ladies on horseback, riding three abreast, wearing the national colors. Fol- lowing the ladies in uniform, were ladies and gentlemen on horseback, including colored men and women. Then followed an elaborate float, covered all over with bunting and flags, drawn by six fine white horses, bearing about thirty old gentlemen who voted for Gen. William Henry Harrison in 1840. This was really one of the most imposing sights in the procession, and none of the line felt more enthusiastic or, for the time being, younger than those old vet- erans of 1840. Following them, close behind, was a geunine log cabin on a truck, drawn by four spans of mules. The cabin was complete in all its details, about ten by fifteen feet, with a porch on the front side, on which set a spin- ning-wheel and many other articles of indus- trial use so familiar to the people of that time. On the roof were a wolf and a 'possum', lazily sunning themselves, and there were a number of coonskins nailed on the outside. The cabin was designed after the pattern of the
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primitive cabin of the settlers of the great West. * * Then followed wagons, buggies, carts and so forth. Along down the line, and just ahead of Capt. Abbott's company of horse- men from Spring Valley, was a float containing about twenty little girls singing patriotic songs. Following this were more vehicles of various kinds, followed by the Baxter Springs Cornet Band, which led Capt. Abbott's company of horsemen numbering about one hundred young men from Spring Valley township, all uni- formed and drilled. They made a splendid ap- pearance in the line. These were followed by a float containing little girls representing the States which Harrison will carry. * The procession was nearly three miles in length, and not strung out like telegraph poles, either. They were kept as close as circum- stances would permit. In the procession, at appropriate intervals, many bands were sand- wiched, among them the Baxter Springs Band, the Melrose Band, the Columbus Band, the Chetopa Drum Corps, Wall's Drum Corps, the Columbus Drum Corps and Colored Band, the Oswego Drum Corps and Richardson's Colum- bus Kid Drum Corps. By two o'clock the seats on the west side of the Court House, fronting the grand stand, were literally packed with peo- ple, numbering between four thousand and five thousand. After music by the Columbus, Mel- rose and Baxter Springs bands in unison, and two or three songs by the Columbus Glee Club, which were greeted with great applause, Capt. H. R. Hubbard, of Boston Mills, introduced Senator Preston B. Plumb, who, notwithstand- ing the great hoarseness under which he was laboring, addressed the people for one hour and forty-five minutes, upon the issues of the day. His address was a plain, common sense, logical talk upon the great issues now before
the American people, the tariff and the Mills Bill, and it was listened to with great interest and greeted with frequent applause. At 4:30 a large delegation arrived on the Frisco road, from the West, including the Coffeyville Flam- beau Club, numbering 38 well-drilled men. and also the Oswego Flambeau Club, and torch- bearers from Fredonia, Coffeyville, Cherryvale, Mound Valley and Oswego, numbering five hundred men. The Daisy Glee Club from Fredonia was also on board. At 5 :30 the Weir City and Cherokee excursion train brought in the Weir City Flambeau Club and about one thousand people composed mostly of voters who were torch bearers. At 6:30 the torches were lighted and the procession commenced forming on East Maple avenue, where it re- mained for the arrival of the Fort Scott excur- sion and for the excursion from Webb City, Joplin, Galena and Baxter Springs. The first did not arrive until 7 :40 and the latter not until 8. These two trains brought in about two thousand people. Fort Scott furnished a splen- did flambeau club and many torch bearers, num- bering about four hundred. The train from the southeast brought in the Webb City. Joplin and Galena flambeau clubs, besides the Joplin Shot- gun Brigade. There were also about one thou- sand torch bearers in the delegation. As soon as possible the men were thrown into line and started on the march. Two thousand five hun- dred torches were in the parade, and along in the line were the various bands, and the drum and fife corps, and the line of march was through the principal streets of the city. It was the grandest medley of lights and noises that ever greeted Southeastern Kansas. At 9:20, which was as soon as the parade was over, the people again gathered around the grand stand to hear Hon. B. W. Perkins, who
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was introduced by Capt. H. R. Hubbard, the chairman. Mr. Perkins was received with en- thusiasm. He spoke over an hour, and his ad- dress was exceptionally scatching and bitter to the Democrats. The crowd being so great, and not being able to hear Mr. Perkins, an over- flow meeting was held at the Opera House, where Hon. Eugene F. Ware and ex-Governor George T. Anthony spoke to the people.
Taking the meeting as a whole, it was a grand success throughout, and it is acknowledged by nearly every one to have been the most elabo- rate demonstration made in the State this year, if not in the entire West."
At the time of which I write, the Union Labor party was strong in Kansas, so strong as sometimes to hold the balance of power in some of the counties. Its organization in Cherokee County was thorough, and those making up the ranks of the party were numerous and ag- gressive in the propagation of their party doc- trines.
On the 27th of October, 1888, the Union Labor party held a rally at Columbus which was perhaps more largely attended by the farm- ers of the county than any other rally held in the county, up to that time. A. J. Streeter, their candidate for the presidency that year, and WV. H. Utley, their candidate for Congress from the Third District, were the chief speakers. The presence of Mr. Streeter brought out the entire party strength and the rally, in every particular, was certainly creditable to the managers who had the matter in hand. The Galena Miner, as quoted by the Baxter Springs News of November 3, 1888, had this to say of the rally :
"To say that the Union Labor people were pleased with their demonstration at Columbus last Saturday would be putting it mildly. It was simply wildly enthusiastic. The crowd and
procession were undoubtedly the largest ever held in the county, considering the fact that it was confined almost wholly to Cherokee County people. The old parties had more people pres- ent at their demonstrations than the Union La- bor people had, but at both of their meetings the crowds were largely swelled by imported delegations from neighboring counties. Galena turned out three car-loads of people, the train arriving at 10:30 in the forenoon. Soon after the arrival of our train the grand procession was formed, and the parade began from the Gulf depot, headed by the Galena Band and the Short Creek delegation on foot. Moving to the square, and around to the south side, the Galena Band and delegation halted, opened ranks and allowed the procession to pass through. It was two miles in length, the peo- ple in wagons, carriages, buggies and on horse- back, and it required forty-five minutes to pass a given point. One feature of the procession was the universal acceptance of the appellation, 'Pumpkin Huskers,' as applied to the new party by the old parties. There was a liberal display of pumpkins on almost every vehicle in the pro- cession. The tails and manes of their horses were trimmed with oats, wheat, rye and flow- ers, while wreaths of corn and bunches of ap- ples hung around their horses' necks or hung from thier saddles. Corn-stalks, with massive ears of corn on them, appeared all along the line. Castor-bean stalks, oats, trees with apples on them, corn, Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes were displayed in abundance on almost every wagon. Hay wagons, covered with hay and loaded down with little boys and girls, were pleasing features. A float, bearing a rail- splitter with maul and wedge, working lustily as it went along, was one of the attractions ; and several floats, bearing ladies and glee clubs,
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were in the procession. Flags and banners, bearing all kinds of superscriptions, were numerous, expressing the sentiments and princi- ples of the party. In display, the procession throughout was out of the regular order of things of that kind, entirely original and unique, giving a better idea of the purposes of the party than a torchlight procession forty miles in length. At 1:40 in the afternoon James Skid- more, as chairman, introduced Hon. A. J. Streeter, a Union Labor candidate for the presi- dency, to one of the largest and most attentive assemblies that has listened to any speaker in this county. this year. He spoke for nearly two hours. Hon. W. H. Utley, the Union Labor candidate for Congress, was introduced and he spoke for a few minutes, which concluded the exercises of the day."
The last big rally held in Columbus in the fall of 1888 was that of the Democratic party, held on Saturday, November 3d, three days be- fore the election. It is said that when the chair- man of the Democratic County Central Com- mittee saw the big Republican rally, which was held on October 13th, he said he was deter- mined to surpass it in number, at the next Democratic rally, if it cost him a thousand dol- lars out of his own pocket. He set out to do it; and it is generaly conceded that he succeeded. I quote again from the Baxter Springs News, of November 10, 1888:
"The demonstration held at Columbus last Saturday, by the Democratic party of this county, exceeded, in point of numbers, anything else of the kind ever held in Southern Kansas. During the forenoon every road leading into Columbus was literally a grand procession of wagons, buggies and horsemen in gay uni- forms, while the trains invariably arrived late and loaded down to the guards ; and when about
noon the vast assemblage had gathered in and about the city, it was found that no amount of good generalship there obtainable was adequate to handle the throng and get them into line for the grand parade. After struggling for about one hour and a half to get a start of some kind, and in some order, the words, 'forward. march.' were given ; and then for fully an hour delega- tion behind delegation, with bands playing and colors floating, filed into line and paraded the principal streets of the town. A general rush was then made for dinner, which cut the parade short. After dinner the several bands met at the speakers' stand in the public square, and after giving several selections, and the glee club had sung a piece or two, Hon. T. T. Crit- tenden, of Missouri, was introduced, and he made a lengthy and interesting address. At five o'clock in the afternoon the Galena, Mel- rose, Weir City, Monett (Mo.) and the Bax- ter Springs cornet bands met at the Odd Fel- lows' Hall and, under the command of Col. L. C. Weldy, made a parade around the square, in platoons of five, playing in unison a difficult quickstep. Returning to the hall, a halt was called and another piece was selected, playing which the band of sixty pieces marched in single file into their large dining hall, filing around the tables until the selection was ended. This was a feature of a demonstration not on the pro- gram, but it was, nevertheless, not the least in- teresting. It was acknowledged by all musi- cians, as well as by others, to be the most won- derful band performance ever given in Kan- sas, both as regards the music and the drill. Col. Weldy won glittering laurels from the band boys, for the excellent manner in which he handled them. After supper three or four large excursion trains were received. the last one arriving after eight o'clock, after which the
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grand torchlight procession was formed and wended its way amid the glare of flambeaus, torches and rockets, the music of bands and drums, the crack of muskets and the huzzas of thousands of enthusiastic American citizens, through the principal streets and around the square again and again, until the crowd was gradually lessened, by the trampers, one by one, dropping out of the ranks, from sheer fatigue. The display of fireworks was exceptionally fine, as were also the decorations of the homes and buildings of the city, both day and evening. Owing to the fact that the election is now over. in the result of which the people are more inter- ested than in rallies, we cut this report much shorter than we otherwise would. There are many interesting features of which we have not spoken, for this reason."
THE INCREASE OF POPULATION, AND IMMIGRA- TION FROM OTHER STATES.
The original settlers of Cherokee County came from the Northern and Middle Eastern States. A very large proportion of them came from the States of Illinois and Indiana, a few from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Al- most none came from the New England States, and only a few from Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, a few from Iowa, a few from Ken- tucky and Tennessee.
The people who first came, as well as those who came later, were farmers who, after the war was over, and the country had taken on new life, betook themselves to newer parts, coming West, where they might light upon easier conditions and wider opportunities for building homes, and where larger returns might come of their labor and the comforts of life more rapidly accumulate. Many young men
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