USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 39
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
record in congress, charged Greene with false statements in a circular issued to the people of the sixth district two years ago. relative to the price of cereals, and quoted a local paper at Kearney as proof, and attacked his state- ment regarding the per capita circulation of the country. Hlad the meeting closed at the conclusion of this speech, the people would have given Mr. Brown credit for a good hour's talk. Mr. Greene then took the platform, and as he warmed up to his subject, the attitude of the audience changed, and in less than ten minutes he had established himself as master of the situation, and his eloquence and good natural arguments carried conviction to the heart of every fair-minded man. He took up the statements and charges of Mr. Brown in their order and literally tore them to pieces. Instead of quoting from local papers. Mr. Greene took the official reports of the govern- ment and clinched every argument in the most convincing manner. Mr. Brown, on his sec- ond appearance, plainly showed the hot fire he was under, and made but few points that required answering. Mr. Greene then made his closing speech of thirty minutes, and Mr. Brown only occupied about one-third of the ten minutes allotted to him to close. The audience had become restless, and fifty or more people got up to leave when Mr. Brown took the platform for the last time. Norris Brown makes a good address, but as a debater he is not in it with W. L. Greene, and those who heard the debate from beginning to end do not wonder that the Republicans have en- deavored to pull him off from the joint meet- ings. These debates will without question increase Greene's majority in every county in the sixth district."
THROUGH REPUBLICAN GOGGLES
The current issue of the Republican has a report of the same affair, but everything seems to have looked quite different through Repub- lican goggles. Of course, political bias had nothing to do with these different versions. The difference was all due to different styles of literary taste. The "Greene" style appealed
to the one party but "Brown" was the favorite color of the other, so we are to presume that the divergent accounts were due to color pref- erence.
"The Greene-Brown debate this afternoon. held in the North Side opera house, was a great disappointment to the 'Pops." They had not only advertised the debate well in their papers, but had billed the county with large posters to induce the Pop brethren to give Tonsilitis Bill an old-time crowd. After all their efforts, not more than 300 people. men, women, and children, were present. There were not. all told. seventy-five Pop voters present, and one of them, instead of worship- ing their idol. at the conclusion of the debate mounted the rostrum and congratulated Norris Brown. Judge Greene made a strong and pathetic appeal, with tears in his eyes. for the Pops to lay aside personal differences and vote for none but Pop nominees. His whole demeanor and speech only impressed his audi- ence more forcibly, that of demagogues he is the chief. Ile claimed to be the original Pop. and stated he advocated the principles now held by the Populist party when he was a beardless youth. He maintained, with all his force at his command, that times are worse and prices of farm products lower than they were in the worst days of Cleveland's admin- istration. He asserted that if Brown would prove that a single prophecy he made two years ago in his circular, which stated that 'prices of all products would decrease, farmers could not pay their taxes and would lose their homes,' in the event of McKinley's election 'he would withdraw from the ticket.' Brown showed from the quoted prices in the Kearney Era-Standard, a Pop paper, giving the prices in August. 1896, and 1898, that every article there quoted was selling for more in August. 1898. than in 1896. He also read from the Wl'orld-Herald, showing an increase of exports of twelve per cent. and decrease of imports of twenty-five per cent. the last year, over the year previous. Greene's only reply was to burlesque the reports of local papers and deny the facts."
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
THE "POPULIST" MOVEMENT IN CUSTER COUNTY
The People's Independent party, by which name it was officially known, or the "Populist" party, by which name it was usually known, was an outgrowth of an organization known in the west as the Farmers' Alliance and in the south as the Farmers' Union. In the fall of 1888, soon after the presidential election of that year, there was much discontent among the farmers on account of the low market prices of all products of the farm and garden. The organization of the Farmers' Alliance, and kindred organizations among farmers, be- gan as a protest against the prevalence of low prices and continued during the ensuing win- ter with great vigor in Custer county, in many other counties of the state, and in other wes- tern and southern states.
The Farmers' Alliance was a secret organ- ization and was composed exclusively of farm- ers. It had its grips and passwords, and all its discussions of questions of interest to farm- ers were held behind closed doors. Farmers' Alliance stores and other mercantile enter- prises were started and maintained in the cities and towns, efforts to bring producer and consumer more closely together were made, and methods for producing the maxi- mtim amount per acre, with the minimum of effort, were discussed in their meetings with profit. But there were many in alliance circles who openly declared that the farmers of the country would never be relieved from oppres- sive conditions until they entered politics and took care that the farming interests should be properly represented in all legislative bodies.
This was the condition of mind among the farmers of Custer county in the spring of 1889. when the annual meeting of the county alli- ance met in the city of Broken Bow. There was much talk among the delegates, from the various local alliances, of independent political action, and after electing officers for the en- suing year, a resolution was introduced in favor of putting a full ticket in the field in Custer county. The introduction of this reso- lution gave rise to much discussion as to the propriety of the action. The opinion quite generally prevailed that such action must
come sooner or later, but at that time its expediency was doubtful, owing to the well known prejudice existing against the organi- zation of a new party. But after a full dis- cussion, the resolution was adopted and many who had opposed its adoption, then pledged their support to the ticket.
FIRST COUNTY TICKET
Accordingly, later in the summer of 1889. a delegate convention assembled in Broken Bow, adopted a platform embracing the well known tenets of the Farmers' Alliance and nominated a full ticket, as follows: County judge. H. J. Shinn: sheriff. J. B. Jones ; treasurer, D. M. Weimer : county superintendent, W. N. Hen- drickson : county clerk. J. G. Painter ; county surveyor, E. W. Dodson; representative. W. H. Predmore.
From that time on, the Farmers' Alliance of Custer county assumed and retained the form and substance of a distinctive and separate political party. The campaign which follow- ed was indeed a unique campaign for Custer county. All the men nominated on the alli- ance ticket were farmers, none of whom had ever given any considerable study to politics or political questions, and they were pitted against a ticket of veteran politicians, nominat- ed, and supported by a party that had never known defeat since the organization of the county.
Although the alliance had developed into a political party, it still maintained its organi- zation throughout the county, and the ticket nominated was called the "Alliance ticket." Meetings were held in all parts of the county. under the auspices of the local alliances, the principles of the order were discussed at schoolhouses and picnics, and the arguments of the opposition, as to why the ticket should be defeated, were answered. The new doctrines, promulgated by the alliance, proved to be very popular and as a result of the campaign the entire ticket was elected, except the candidate for representative, who was defeated by J. D. Haskell, by a small majority.
The successful experience of the alliance movement in Custer county, and in other coun-
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ties of the state and other western states where similar political action was taken, revealed to farmers some idea of the political power they could wield when united, and the general un- rest in farming circles crystallized into a gen- eral demand for the formation of a new party, whose purpose should be to promote the wel- fare of all men and women who get their live- lihood by labor. Accordingly, on the 14th day of May. 1891, a convention of delegates favor- able to such a movement, met in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in its platform declared for the issuing of all money directly from the federal government to the people, without the inter- vention of national banks : the government ownership of railroads and other public utili- ties : and the preservation of the public domain1 for homes for the people. This convention christened the new party "The People's Inde- pendent Party." and arranged for another con- vention, to be held in St. Louis, on February 22. 1892. The delegates attending this con- vention from Custer county were O. M. Kem and C. W. Beal.
In accordance with arrangements made at this convention, a delegate convention was held in St. Louis on the date above named. Delegates were in attendance from twenty- three labor organizations, including the Farm- ers' Alliance. The movement, at this june- ture, had aroused much opposition, and there were those present who were there to prevent, if possible, any further organization or amal- gamation of the elements represented. Crim- inations and recriminations were rather freely indulged in, and a number, who were proved to be present from sinister motives, were forc- ibly ejected from the hall. A platform was adopted, along the lines of the Cincinnati con- vention, and arrangements were made to hold a nominating convention in Omaha, Nebraska, on the 4th day of July, 1892.
THE CAT CREEK CLUB
AAccordingly, the first national nominating convention of the People's Independent Party was held in Omaha on the above-named date. There was a full delegation present from Cus- ter county, and the famous "Cat Creek Glee
Club." of Custer county, Nebraska, composed of J. T. Emerick. S. E. and J. H. Brown, and Harry Emerick, was in attendance and re- galed the convention with a number of songs that aroused the delegates to a high pitch of enthusiasm. Among the songs were those entitled. "Coming in the Life Boat." "We'll Meet You Bye and Bye," and "Coming for to Carry Me Home." This convention adopted the far-famed Omaha platform, which began with : "We have met in the midst of a nation brought to the verge of moral, material, and financial ruin," and, among other things, de- clared for reform in finance, land, and trans- portation. The convention nominated Gen- eral James B. Weaver for president, and Gen- eral Field for vice-president. In the cam- paign that followed, the new party carried six states and secured twenty-two votes in the electoral college. In Custer county, Nebraska. it elected S. M. Dorris, clerk of the district court : Ebenezer Miller, county attorney : D. W. Lanterman, register of deeds. and W. P. Higgins and C. W. Beal. representatives to the lower house of the legislature. O. M. Kem, who lived in Custer county, was elected to congress, and Silas A. Holcomb, also a resident of Custer county, was elected judge of the twelfth judicial district. Mr. Kem served three successive terms in congress and Mr. Holcomb, after serving the state two terms as governor, was elected judge of the supreme court, in which capacity he served six years. He was then elected chief justice of the supreme court, in which office he served six years.
For ten years, beginning in 1889, the Pop- ulist party carried Custer county, and through- out the country it had become a power so formidable that leading men in all parties came to understand fully that. unless some- thing were done to curb its growth, it was destined to become one of the leading parties. if not the dominant party, of the country.
LIKE A LAMB TO THE SWALLOWING
As the presidential campaign of 1896 ap- proached, leading members of the new party felt that it held the key to the situation. It
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was arranged to hold its national convention after the two old parties had held theirs, the idea being that the conventions of both old parties would declare for the gold standard and bid for the vote of special interests. They were not mistaken as to what the Republican party would do, but the Democratic convention adopted a platform which included the prin- cipal demands of the Populist party, declaring among other things, for the abolition of the national banking system and the issuance and control of all money directly from the govern- ment. This was the beginning of the end of the Populist party in the nation, as it was evident that if the Populist party nominated a separate ticket it meant success for the Re- publican ticket. So, when the Populist con- vention was held in St. Louis, on July 22. 1896, after a vigorous canvass of the situation and many stormy scenes, the convention nomi- nated William J. Bryan, the nominee of the Democratic party for president, but aimed to preserve its identity by refusing to nominate Arthur Sewall, the nominee of the Democrats for vice-president, and nominated Thomas E. Watson, of Georgia, for that position.
After the memorable campaign of 1896, the Populist party rapidly disintegrated. The party, however, maintained its identity in the county for many years thereafter, by preserv- ing its separate organization and nominating and supporting tickets made up of Populists, but its numbers gradually decreased until 1915, when the party officially went out of business. Its last central committee chairman was Charles T. Orr and its last secretary was Charles H. Jeffords, who stayed by the ship to the last and with genuine regret saw her sink.
Though the People's Independent Party has passed into history, this generation willingly gives it the full credit which was withheld by the last generation. It was the first political party to declare for the postal-savings banks, the initiative and referendum, the election of United States senators by direct vote, govern- ment ownership of public utilities and the issu- ance of all money without the agency of banks of issue. The majority of these policies have
been enacted into law, and the wisdom and beneficence of these laws are universally con- ceded.
TIIE REPUBLICAN PARTY ORGANIZES
The Republican party was the first organ- ized political party in Custer county. From the records of its first meeting it is evident that political lines were not tightly drawn, and members of other political organizations were freely admitted to its party cancuses and county conventions. The first record of the meeting of a Republican county convention is that of the year 1877. This convention was held at the temporary county seat of Custer county, on the 25th day of July, 1877. Henry Goodyear was elected chairman of this con- vention and Frank H. Young, secretary.
Custer county had previously been organ- ized and, by an order of Governor Garber, county commissioners had been appointed. This first convention was called to nominate the temporary county officers to hold office un- til the November election, when the full county ticket would be elected. The minutes of that convention reads as follows :
"Convention came to order by electing Henry Goodyear chairman and Frank H. Young secretary.
"It was moved and carried that the candi- dates be nominated by acclamation. Louis Wambsgan was nominated for county judge. Frank H. Young was nominated for county clerk. Anton Abel was nominated for county commissioner. William Kilgore was nominated for county commissioner. James Gasmann was nominated for county commissioner. Joshitta Wood was nominated for sheriff. S. C. Stuckey and John Myers were put in nomina- tion for county treasurer and, on voting, S. C. Stuckey was nominated. H. C. Morton was nominated for county surveyor. George San- ford was nominated for coroner. J. J. Doug- lass, L. D. George, and Charles R. Mathews were elected as the county central committee. "On motion the convention adjourned sine die. FRANK H. YOUNG, Secretary."
The second convention was held on the Ist day of November, 1877. At this convention
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a full set of county officers were nominated. The nominees were duly elected, and the ticket thus elected became the first regularly elected set of county officers for Custer county. The most of the officers elected at the election in 1877 served the entire term of the election. Others resigned, and their places were filled by appointment. The minutes of this second Republican county convention read as follows :
"Convention came to order by electing R. Tucker temporary chairman and F. H. Young temporary secretary. James Gasmann put in nomination as commissioner for commissioner precinct No. 5. Anton Abel put in nomination as commissioner for commissioner precinct No. 2. William Kilgore put in nomination as commissioner for commissioner precinct No. 1. Wilson Hewitt, county judge : S. C. Stuck- ey, county treasurer: R. Tucker, county clerk ; Josh Wood, sheriff; Al. Wise, coroner ; J. W. Benedict, surveyor ; Mr. Eubank, super- intendent. Central committeemen, Tom Ritche, No. 5: Wilson Hewitt, No. 2: James Paxton, No. 1 : W. R. Matthews, No. 5; Will- iam Comstock, No. 4.
"Louis Wambsgan, county judge. ( Wambs- gan, four points, Hewitt, ten points. ) Wilson Hewitt nominated for county judge."
The settlement of Custer county is nicely illustrated by the manner in which attendance at the various early county conventions com- meneed to increase. In 1897 the third Repub- lican county convention was held. It is notice- able that while the old names are retained in the minutes of the early conventions, new names begin to appear and the names of these men, as they appear from time to time in the early records of these conventions, are the men who are largely credited with early settlement and development of the county. The minutes of the convention for 1879 are not full or very complete. They read as follows :
"Meeting called to order by Frank H. Young. V. Allyn, chairman ; Frank 11. Young. secretary.
"County commissioner, J. D. Haskell, county commissioner, District No. 1. County judge, Millard Miles : county clerk, Frank H. Young: county treasurer, James A. Pike:
county sheriff, P. W. Bruin ; county coroner, John George; superintendent, J. J. Douglass ; surveyor. L. S. Perrin. William Kilgore, George Arnold, and V. Allyn elected county central committee."
On October 8, 1880, the Republican county convention was held at Myers' ranch. A con- plete record of the proceedings of that conven- tion is disclosed by the minutes and returns as follows :
Republican county convention called to order by N. H. Hopkins, chairman of the county central committee. N. H. Hopkins elected permanent chairman and Frank H. Young elected permanent secretary.
The following committee on credentials was elected : C. C. Kingsbury, precinct No. 2; W. H. Comstock, precinet No. 3; C. R. Mathews, precinet No. 5: J. L. Goodrich, precinct No. 6: C. S. Ellison, precinct No. 9.
Recess of half an hour. After recess the committee on credentials made the following report. Report accepted and committee dis- charged. Moved and seconded that one dele- gate be allowed each precinct for each one hundred population or fraction thereof, taking as a basis of the state census of 1880 and add- ing one-third, so as to approximate the United States census. Carried. Whereupon the con- vention found that the precinets were entitled to the number of votes set opposite their num- bers, to-wit:
Precinct No. 1. no delegates ; precinct No. 2, four delegates ; precinct No. 3, two dele- gates ; precinet No. 4, none present ; precinct No. 5, three delegates : precinct No. 6, five delegates ; precinct No. 7. four delegates ; pre- cinet No. 8, three delegates ; precinct No. 9. three delegates ; precinet No. 10, one delegate.
Moved and recorded the delegates present be allowed to cast the full vote of their precinct.
The next business in order being the nom- ination of county commissioners in District No. 1. the following named gentlemen were unanimously nominated : L. W. F. Cole, from precinet No. 6; C. F. Crawford, precinet No. 7. unanimously nominated county treasurer ; C. R. Matthews, of precinct No. 5, unanimous- ly nominated county judge.
The following named gentlemen were elected a county central committee for the ensuing year, to-wit :
Ne George, precinet No. 1; Frank H. Young, precinct No. 2; W. H. Comstock, pre- cinet No. 3: W. 11. Henderson, precinst No. 4; L. W. Sherman, precinet No. 5: J. L. Good-
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
rich, precinct No. 6: N. H. Hopkins, precinct No. 7: George Brooks, precinct No. 8: A. J. Snowden, precinct No. 9: J. D. Ream. precinct No. 10: R. C. Talbot. precinct No. 11; Jra Graves, precinct No. 12.
The convention adjourned sine die.
FRANK H. YOUNG, Secretary.
From 1880 to 1884 there is no record obtain- able of Republican county conventions in the county. On August 12, 1884, the Republican county convention was held at Broken Bow. A full history of the proceedings of this conven- tion has been retained in the well known hand- writing of Frank Young and reads as follows :
Republican county convention met pursuant to call of central committee and was called to order by C. H. Savidge, chairman central com- mittee.
C. S. Elison elected temporary chairman and Frank H. Young temporary secretary. Com- mittee of three on credentials appointed by the chair, as follows: J. S. Kirkpatrick, J. W. Thomas, W. H. Russell. On motion a com- mittee of three on order of business was ap- pointed by the chair, as follows: F. D. Mills, George O. Waters, Ed King. On motion a committee of three on permanent organization was appointed, as follows: J. S. Squires, J. Merchant, M. Schneringer.
Moved to adjourn to one p. M. Lost. Moved to adjourn to two P. M. Carried.
TWO P. M.
Convention called to order by chairman.
Report of committee on credentials read and accepted.
Report of committee on permanent organi- zation read and accepted.
Report of committee on order of business read and accepted.
Moved by J. S. Kirkpatrick that we elect four delegates to state convention, one at a time. Seconded and carried.
Moved that delegates present be empowered to cast the full vote of their township. Carried.
Nominations for delegates to state conven- tion : James Thomas, of Sargent : C. S. Elison, of Algernon, by G. O. Waters: J. P. Gandy. of Broken Bow, by S. A. Miller ; J. L. H. Knight, of Myrtle: F. Zimmerer, of Custer, by Knight ; F. H. Young, of Custer, by Zim- merer. Knight declined.
Moved and caried that townships cast their votes by chairman of delegates after this.
First ballot - Thomas, 23; Elison, 1; Gandy, 7; Zimmerer, 4. Total, 35. James Thomas elected.
Second ballot - Gandy, 23; Elison. 8; Zimmerer, 4. Total. 35. J. P. Gandy elected.
Third ballot - Elison, 19; Zimmerer, 18. Total. 37. C. S. Elison elected.
Fourth ballot - Rules suspended and F. Zimmerer elected by acclamation.
Nominations for congressional delegates - Isaac Merchant, withdrawn; Lefter, with- drawn; A. W. Squires; W. II. Predmore: Bedwin.
Moved by Kirkpatrick that delegates be nominated and elected one at a time. Moved to amend by Graves that four be elected at one ballot. Amendment last motion carried.
First ballot - Squires, 4; Predmore, 32. W. H. Predmore elected.
Second ballot - Squires, 28; Bidwell, 6. A. W. Squires elected.
Rules suspended and Frank H. Young and W. Bidwell elected by acclamation.
JUDICIAL CONVENTIONS
Nominations : J. S. Kirkpatrick, Edgar Var- ney. C. S. Elison, C. P. Foot, J. A. Armour, J. W. Thomas. J. S. Kirkpatrick. J. A. Ar- mour, J. W. Thomas, and C. P. Foot elected by acclamation.
SENATORIAL CONVENTION DELEGATES
Nominations: M. Schneringer, W. H. Hen- (lerson. E. King. John Morrison, C. S. Elison, Jess Gandy. C. H. Savidge.
First ballot - Henderson, 11 : Schneringer, 2; King. 3: M. F. Young, 6: Elison, 8: Sav- idge, 3: Gandy, 3. Total, 36.
Second ballot - Henderson, 20: Elison, 5; Savidge. 5: Gandy. S. Total, 38. W. H. Hen- derson elected.
Third ballot - Elison, 9: Savidge. 15; Schneringer, 3; King, 4: Gandy. 5. Total, 36.
Fourth ballot - Savidge. 12: Elison, 16; King, 5: Schneringer, 2; Gandy, 3. Total, 38. Rules suspended and M. Schneringer, C. S. Elison, and E. King elected by acclamation.
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