USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York : from 1700 to the present time, Volume I > Part 20
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1892-On September 8, 1892, occurred the death of ex-Senator Francis Kernan. It is not extraordinary praise to say of him that, with a single ex- ception-Horatio Seymour- he was the most prominent Democratic politician who ever resided within the county of Oneida. A sketch of his life is given in another chapter of this work, but there was one thing about Mr. Kernan that should be said in this connection, which is this: He was an ardent partisan and never forsook his party, although he disapproved many times of its policy, and sometimes, also, of its candidates. During the reign of William Tweed, when Democratic politics were dictated by him in the state of New York, and during the corruptions in the legislature, Mr. Kernan was heard to say that, although he disapproved of the ticket and the policy many times, he thought it wiser to remain an active member of his own party or he would lose his in- fluence for good. Perhaps this was a correct philosophy, and was exemplified in the life of Mr. Kernan, who invariably was on the side of economy and hon- esty in public office. His funeral occurred September 10, was attended by members of the bar, and every mark of respect was paid to his memory.
As 1892 was a year in which a president was to be elected, much interest was manifested upon the Democratic side as to the candidate. It was a fore- gone conclusion that President Harrison would be renominated, but it was also feared that he could not be elected, not because of any fault of his ad- ministration, but because of the passing of what was known as the Mckinley Tariff Bill, which, it was claimed by the Democrats, raised duties to such an extent as to be injurious to the interests of the farmer and of the common people. President Harrison was renominated June 11, with Whitelaw Reid as the candidate for vice president. Grover Cleveland was nominated for the presidency by the Democrats with Adlai E. Stevenson for vice president. The Democrats made an aggressive campaign upon the tariff question, the people were frightened by the discussion of the Mckinley law, and from the begin- ning of the canvass it was reasonably sure that Mr. Cleveland would be elected. For state engineer and surveyor the Democrats nominated Richard W Sher- man, of Utica; for representative in Congress, Henry W. Bentley; for county judge, Charles A. Talcott; for district attorney, Edward Lewis; for members of assembly, first district, Cornelius Haley; second district, Harry S. Patten. For representative in Congress the Republicans renominated James S. Sher- man; and its county ticket consisted of Watson T. Dunmore for county judge; George S. Klock for district attorney; members of assembly, first district, Samuel S. Lowery; second district, C. Winfield Porter; by a re-apportionment
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RESIDENCE OF VICE PRESIDENT JAMES S. SHERMAN
RESIDENCE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR FRANCIS KERNAN
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of senators and assemblymen in the state, Oneida county was assigned two members instead of three. The result of the election was that Cleveland, Dem., was elected president ; Sherman, Rep., elected representative in Congress by a plurality in Oneida county of 562; Dunmore, Rep., county judge, by 530 plurality ; Klock, Rep., district attorney, by 2,190 plurality; and members of assembly, first district, Haley, Dem., by 138 plurality; second district, Porter, Rep., by 142 plurality.
It was during this year that the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America was celebrated. A very large meeting was held in the First Pres- byterian Church in Utica to commemorate this notable occasion, and a very able address was delivered by the Hon. Ellis H. Roberts.
1893-The year 1893 was an uninteresting year for the politics of the county. The Republicans nominated for county treasurer, William E. Rich- ards, and for members of assembly, first district, Henry T. Hoeffer; second district, Joseph Porter. As this was a year for the election of delegates to the constitutional convention, and as the statute provided hat they should be elected by senatorial districts, the district consisting of Oneida, Lewis and Otsego counties required a convention of delegates from these three counties to make the nomination. The following ticket was nominated by the Republicans: Henry J. Cookinham, John C. Davies, of Oneida; Charles S. Mereness, of Lewis; and James W. Barnum and Abraham Kellogg, of Otsego. Henry J. Coggeshall was also nominated in this district for state senator. The Demo- crats nominated as delegates to the constitutional convention, Charles D. Adams, Thomas H. Stryker, Oscar F. Lane, Lowell S. Henry and T. Miller Reid; for state senator, Harry S. Patten; for county treasurer, Charles F. Barnard; for members of assembly, first district, Ernest J. Ellwood; second district, Charles N. Felton. No special interest was manifested in the election, although the most important part of it was the election of delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The convention of 1867 had submitted a revised constitution, but it was rejected by the people, except as to the judiciary article, which was adopted. A feeling was strong in the state in favor of a radical revision of the constitution, and the Republican candidates for delegates were elected and carried the county by more than 2,000 majority. Senator Cog- geshall received a plurality of 2,279; Richards, Rep., for treasurer, 2,143; and the Republican assemblymen in both districts were elected, in the first district Hoeffer receiving a plurality of 1,583, and Porter, in the second district, a plurality of 1,273.
1894- The Constitutional Convention assembled in May, 1894, and the dele- gates from Oneida county were well treated in the organization, Mr. Davies being made chairman of committee on railroads, and Mr. Cookinham being placed upon the committees of the judiciary, privileges and elections and suffrage. At the close of the convention Mr. Cookinham was appointed chair- man of a committee to draft an address to the people of the state explanatory of the new constitution. The constitution as revised made material changes, was adopted in the convention by a vote of 95 to 45, and was ratified by the people by a large majority. One radical change in this revised constitution was made in the system of representation. The apportionment of senators
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was according to senatorial districts, but a provision was placed in the con- stitution that no city, no matter how great its population or how many coun- ties it should consist of, should have more than one-half of the senators. This provision, it is apparent, was intended to prevent the city of New York ever having a majority vote in the senate. The Republican local ticket consisted of James S. Sherman, for representative in Congress; Van R. Weaver, for sher- iff; Garry A. Willard, for county clerk; and for members of assembly, first district, Henry P. Hoeffler, second district, William Carey Sanger. The Demo- crats nominated for representative in Congress, John D. Henderson; for sher- iff, Adrian Lee; for county clerk, John C. Schreiber; and for members of as- sembly, first district, Thomas D. Watkins; second district, James L. Dempsey. The congressional district had been changed by a new apportionment, and Oneida and Herkimer counties now constituted the 23d district. The Repub- lican state convention had nominated for governor, Levi P. Morton, and for lieutenant governor, Charles T. Saxton. The Democrats again placed before the people as a candidate for governor David B. Hill, and for lieutenant gov- ernor Daniel P. Lockwood. Hill was in the ascendency in his party, and un- questionably desired another candidate for governor, but it was difficult for him to induce a candidate of his liking to accept the nomination, and he was compelled to fill the position himself to hold his party together. This, however, was not entirely successful, for the anti-Hill element of the party nominated Everett P. Wheeler for governor, and adopted Daniel P. Lockwood for lieu- tenant governor. The result in the state was most disastrous to Hill, as he was defeated by an enormous majority. The result in Oneida county was a plurality for Morton, Rep., for governor of 3,717; Sherman, Rep., representa- tive in Congress, 4,478 plurality; Weaver, Rep., candidate for sheriff, 4,387 plurality ; Willard, Rep., county clerk, 3,457 plurality; the Republican mem- bers of assembly were elected as follows: first district, Hoeffler, 2,236 plu- rality ; second district, Sanger, 2,213 plurality.
1895-The most important office to be filled locally in 1895 was that of justice of the Supreme Court. Irving G. Vann of Onondaga, and William E. Scripture of Oneida, were nominated for this office upon the Republican ticket. The county ticket consisted of Frederick G. Weaver for senator, and George S. Klock for district attorney. The revised constitution having been adopted Oneida county was allotted three assemblymen instead of two, and the Republicans nominated in the first district, Henry P. Hoeffler; second dis- trict, William Carey Sanger; third district, William B. Graves. At the Re- publican county convention held at Rome, Senator Coggeshall appeared and was supported by a minority of the convention. Having failed to obtain the coveted prize he bolted with others, and he was nominated for senator by the bolters, and adopted by the Democrats as their candidate for senator. The Democrats made no nomination against Vann for justice of the Supreme Court, but nominated Theodore L. R. Morgan against William E. Scripture. For dis- trict attorney, William J. Kernan; for members of assembly, first district, Walter Embly; second district, James L. Dempsey ; third district, D. Francis Searle. The canvass during this year centered upon the candidates for sena- tor. Mr. Coggeshall had received great favors from the Republican party --
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no charge was made against the party because he was not nominated-he had been fairly defeated in the convention, but, refusing to submit to the will of the majority, he seized the occasion, and, unquestionably having been prom- ised the support of the Democratic organization in case he should bolt the Re- publican convention, consented to this arrangement, and carried the county. against Mr. Weaver by 4,763 majority. Scripture, for justice of the Supreme Court, received a majority in the county of 3,736, while Klock, Rep., for district attorney, carried the county by a majority of 3,794; the result upon members of assembly was, first district, Embly, Dem., 375 majority; second- district, Sanger, Rep., 705 majority; third district, Graves, Rep., 1,141 majority.
1896-The defeat of President Harrison in 1892 was accomplished by the effective way the Democratic party had treated the Mckinley tariff law, and after three years of Democratic control under Cleveland it would seem that the people came to the conclusion that they had made a grievous error, and at the Republican national convention William Mckinley of Ohio, chairman of the committee that had framed the Mckinley bill and the man from whom it derived its name, was nominated for president, with Garrett A. Hobart as the candidate for vice president. In New York state Frank S. Black was nominated for governor, with Timothy L. Woodruff for lieutenant governor. James S. Sherman was again nominated for representative in Congress by the Republicans ; William E. Richards was renominated for county treasurer, and the assembly ticket consisted of, first district, George E. Philo; second district, William Carey Sanger; third district, William B. Graves. The Democrats nominated for president William J. Bryan, with Arthur Sewall for vice presi- dent; for governor, Wilbur F. Porter, and for lieutenant governor Frederick Schraub; for representative in Congress, Cornelius Haley; for county treas- urer, Charles T. Hayden; for members of assembly, first district, Walter Embly; second district, Arnon G. Williams; third district, John J. Dooley. The can- vass was made entirely upon the tariff issue, and Mckinley, being the em- bodiment of the protection principle, had enthusiastic support from manu- facturers generally throughout the country, and, as Oneida county is so largely interested in industries that require protection, he swept the county by the unprecedented plurality of 7,706, and Black received a majority of 5,607 for governor. Sherman was re-elected for Congress by a plurality of 7,283; Richards re-elected treasurer by 7,421; and the members of assembly, first district, Philo, Rep., received 1,101 plurality; second district, Sanger, 2,348 plurality; third district, Graves, 2,494 plurality. This unprecedented vote in Oneida county was due to the fact that after the election of Mr. Cleveland the Democrats had control of both branches of Congress and passed what was known as the Wilson tariff law, which was in principle a tariff "for revenue only" law, and it had caused a great financial depression, most favorable to the Republicans in the canvass, and undoubtedly produced an extraordinary result in every commer- cial and industrial center.
1897-The excitement over the election of 1896 had passed over, and again there came an off year in 1897. Little interest was felt in the election, and again the politicians had their own way in nominating whoever they saw fit,
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and the people acquiesced in their choice. The Republicans nominated for sheriff, William H. Reese; for county clerk, George D. Frank; for members of assembly, first district, John Williams; second district, Louis M. Martin; third district, John E. Mason. The Democrats nominated for sheriff, Michael Doll; for county clerk, Joseph Wurz; and for members of assembly, first dis- trict, Cornelius Haley; second district, Daniel D. McElhenny; third district, John Singleton. The returns of the election showed that the county had been carried by the Republicans by large pluralities, Reese, for sheriff receiving 3,238; Frank, for county clerk, 3,665; and the members of assembly, first dis- trict, Williams, 430; second district, Martin, 1,410; third district, Mason, 1,719.
1898-The war between the United States and Spain had brought to the front a man, of whom it could not be said that he was unknown in New York politics at that time, but who came forward with tremendous strides until he became in the public eye the foremost American of the times-Theodore Roose- velt. He was nominated for governor by the Republicans in 1898, and Timothy L. Woodruff received the nomination for lieutenant governor. From this time onward Mr. Roosevelt was a potential element in the Republican party until the fall of 1910. The Republicans again renominated James S. Sherman for representative in Congress; and the Republican county convention apparently forgot the bolting of Mr. Coggeshall two years before, and nominated him again for state senator; for county judge, Watson T. Dunmore; for district at- torney, Timothy Curtin and for members of assembly the Republicans nominated, first district, John Williams; second district, Louis M. Martin; third district, John E. Mason. The Democrats nominated Augustus Van- Wyck for governor, and Elliot Danforth for lieutenant governor; for repre- sentative in Congress, Walter Ballou; for senator, Thomas D. Watkins; for county judge, D. Francis Searle; for district attorney, James W. Rayhill; for members of assembly, first district, William J. Sullivan; second district, Joseph B. Cushman; third district, William S. Thomas. Mr. Roosevelt, who at the time was immensely popular in the state, made a canvass, and was received with every manifestation of enthusiastic support. Mr. VanWyck also made a canvass, and, although his party made a strenuous effort to carry the state, the Roosevelt ticket was successful. Mr. Roosevelt carried the county by a plurality of 1,377; Sherman by a vote of 1,906 plurality, but Senator Cogge- shall's plurality dwindled down to 56; Dunmore, Rep., for county judge, 1,432 plurality; Curtin, Rep., for district attorney, 312 plurality; members of assem- bly, first district, Sullivan, Dem., 1,176 plurality ; second district, Martin, Rep., 622 plurality; third district, Mason, Rep., 1,370 plurality.
1899-Nothing of importance in the political field occurred in 1899, and a light vote was cast at the election. The Republicans nominated General Rufus Daggett for county treasurer, and the assembly ticket consisted of, first district, William E. Richards; second district, Louis M. Martin; third district, Edward M. Marson. The Democrats nominated for county treasurer James H. Flanagan, and for members of assembly, first district, William Sulli- van; second district, Joseph B. Cushman; third district, Frank Z. Jones. Flanagan, Dem., carried the county for treasurer by 280 plurality; members
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of assembly, first district, Sullivan, Dem., 666 plurality ; second district, Martin, Rep., 1,110 plurality ; third district, Mason, Rep., 4,162 plurality.
It was during this year that Vice President Hobart died suddenly. He was a man of great ability, and up to that time there had scarcely been a vice president who had so impressed himself upon the public mind as Mr. Hobart. He died November 22, and due honors were paid to him because of his great worth and high position he occupied in the nation and in his party.
CHAPTER XVIII
1900-1912
1900-The administration of President Mckinley had been such that no Republican assumed to become a candidate against him for renomination. He was renominated at the Republican national convention, and Theodore Roose- velt was nominated for vice president. The Republicans nominated Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., for governor, and Timothy L. Woodruff for lieutenant governor ; Robert Mackinnon was nominated for presidential elector; again James S. Sherman received the nomination for representative in Congress; and the Re- publican county convention nominated for senator, Garry A. Willard; for sheriff, Lincoln E. Brownell; for county clerk, Joseph Porter; and for mem- bers of assembly, first district, Michael J. McQuade; second district, Fred J. Brill; third district, Edward M. Marson. The Democrats nominated for presi- dent, William J. Bryan, and for vice president Adlai Stevenson; for governor John B. Stanchfield, and for lieutenant governor, William F. Mackey; for representative in Congress, Henry Martin; for senator, Leonard E. Adsit; for sheriff, William J. Sullivan; for county clerk, Robert Lockhart; for mem- bers of assembly, first district, Frank J. Bugental; second district, William J. Butler; third district, Omar R. Brayton. This campaign was very interesting because of the personality of Mr. Bryan. He had the peculiar notions upon finance which were not approved of by many of the leading men in his own party. He was a brilliant orator, and one of the most successful campaign speakers in the entire country, had been nominated against the judgment of men of his own party who were interested in large financial institutions, and they feared, if elected, he would undertake to carry out some of his, as they called them, visionary ideas. No question was ever made as to his honesty, and he was highly respected as a man. The large financial centers, however, could not support him, and in Oneida county the result was what might have been expected, that the county gave a very large Republican majority, and elected all of its candidates for minor offices. Mr. Mckinley received a plurality in the county of 6,386; Odell, for governor, 5,066 plurality; Sherman, for representative in Congress; and the Republican county convention apparently sheriff, 3,367; Porter, for county clerk, 3,286; for members of assembly, first district, McQuade, 5,801; second district, Brill, 1,754; third district, Mason, 2,235.
1901-The greatest industrial event in the United States during the year 1901 was the holding of the Pan American Fair at Buffalo. Early in September President McKinley visited the fair, and in the great hall prepared for such occasions he delivered a very eloquent, statesmanlike and excellent address.
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A few moments after an assassin approached him, having a pistol concealed in his hand, and shot him. It can be said to the credit of the police that the assassin would have been torn in pieces except for their interference. Although the president lingered for a few days he died at Buffalo, and this made Theodore Roosevelt president of the United States. The death of Mckinley produced a tremendous effect throughout the country, as he was admired by every one and was a conservative and safe ruler. Mr. Roose- velt was considered erratic, and for some time uncertainty reigned in financial affairs. A series of memorial services were held throughout the coun- try, and a notable one in the First Presbyterian church in the city of Utica on September 19, which was addressed by Rev. Dr. Willard A. Bartlett, who was a personal friend of President Mckinley. The political affairs in central New York, although much disturbed by the death of Mckinley, moved on in their usual way, and local politicians took charge of the conventions and pro- duced such results as they thought wise. The Republicans nominated for district attorney, Timothy Curtin; and the members of assembly were, first district, Michael J. McQuade; second district, Frederick J. Brill; third district, Edward M. Marson. The Democrats nominated Seymour E. Spinning for district attorney, and for members of assembly, first district, Thomas A. Mortimer; second district, George H. Green; third district, John B. Cough- lin. No particular interest was manifested in this campaign, and the Repub- licans were successful, as they should be in a county which is so largely Republican, except in years when dissensions in that party hand over some of the offices to the Democrats. Curtin, for district attorney, received a plu- rality of 3,272; and the Republican members of assembly were elected as follows: first district, McQuade, 55 plurality ; second district, Brill, 861 plurality ; third district, Mason, 1,834 plurality.
1902-Benjamin B. Odell, Jr., had for several years been chairman of the Republican state committee. He was an ex-congressman, and was candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 1902. Although he had bitter opponents in the party he succeeded in obtaining the nomination, and for lieutenant governor Frank W. Higgins was nominated. Higgins was a state senator, and a man of ability and high character. For representative in Congress James S. Sherman was again renominated. In the Republican county convention a bitter contest occurred over the nomination for senator, and Will- iam E. Lewis was finally the successful candidate, but his nomination was not received by a portion of the party with high favor. For county clerk the Republicans nominated Harry G. Lake; for treasurer, Henry W. Roberts; for members of assembly, first district, Michael J. McQuade; second district, Fred J. Brill, third district, John C. Evans. The Democratic party nominated for governor Bird S. Coler, and for lieutenant governor, Charles N. Bulger; for representative in Congress, Edward Lewis; for senator, William Townsend; for county clerk, Herman Clark; for treasurer, Leonard E. Adsit; for mem- bers of assembly, first district, Thomas A. Mortimer; second district, Edwin E. Dorn; third district, William H. Goetz. The campaign was carried on chiefly between the candidates for senator and clerk.
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A bitter contest over the election of a justice of the Supreme Court in the Fifth judicial district occurred in this year. John C. Davies of Camden, this county, was nominated by the Republicans, which was distasteful to some of the party, who immediately took steps to put an independent candidate in the field. This was done by petition signed by, as was claimed, over two thousand electors. The independent candidate selected was Watson M. Rogers, of Watertown, who was also a Republican. He was endorsed by the Demo- cratic party, and was elected by a majority of about ten thousand, carrying Oneida county by a majority of 1,788. Mr. Rogers was a lawyer of good standing, and had been district attorney of Jefferson county. Mr. Davies had twice been attorney general of the state, was prominent in the Republican party, and his experience in public affairs was far greater than that of Mr. Rogers.
The result of the election was to place Governor Odell again in the execu- tive chair of state, although he carried Oneida county by only 163 plurality ; Mr. Sherman, Rep., for representative in Congress, received 1,764 plurality ; Townsend, Dem., for senator, received 221 plurality; Clark, Dem., for county clerk, 371 plurality ; Roberts, Rep., for treasurer, 1,797 plurality; for mem- bers of assembly, first district, Mortimer, Dem., received 421 plurality; second district, Brill, Rep., 267 plurality ; third district, Evans, Rep., 1,167 plurality.
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