USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 36
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 36
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 36
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in which year Kittitas shows a decrease. Still later the Wenatchee became part of Chelan County. However, Ellensburgh had a larger population than North Yakima in 1889.
In the special election of 1889 Yakima County cast its first vote for a con- gressman, 581 for John L. Wilson to 494 for Thomas Griffits. The vote for the first governor was 537 for E. P. Ferry, republican, to 519 for Eugene Semple, democrat. The other state offices show about the same results, republicans re- ceiving some majority in each case, with the exception that H. J. Snively, one of Yakima's prominent and favorite sons, had a vote for attorney-general of 547 to 518 for W. C. Jones, a liberal republican. Mr. Jones ("Wheat Chart" Jones) was elected in the state. The first representative to the State Legisla- ture was John Cleman, republican, chosen over David Longmire, democrat, by 544 to 523. The joint senator was J. M. Snow, republican, 538, to 523 for R. M. Starr, democrat. C. B. Graves, republican, was chosen superior judge, by 620 to 425 for Hiram Dustin. The constitution provided for a clerk of the court, and Dudley Eshelman was chosen to this position by 562 to 491 for Rich- ard Strobach, a republican victory. As will be seen the republicans carried everything with the exception of the vote for attorney-general. The result was not, however, by decided majorities, and it denoted a well-balanced political situation. The constitution provided a special vote on three important matters. One was the location of the capital, another was a woman suffrage article and a third was a prohibition article. In view of later results the vote on woman suffrage and prohibition furnish food for reflection. The vote in the state for the adoption of the constitution was 38,394 to 11,895. The woman suffrage article was defeated 34,342 to 16,855. The prohibition article was defeated 31,881 to 19,241. The three candidates for state capital were North Yakima, Ellensburgh, and Olympia. A strong sentiment had developed east-of-the- mountains, and even in places on the west side, that the capital should be moved. If the opposition to Olympia had centered on one of the two Yakima points the change would have carried. But Ellensburgh and North Yakima defeated each other. North Yakima received 14,707 votes; Ellensburgh, 12,833; and Olympia, 25,488. Since Olympia failed of a majority of all votes the question remained open for another election.
The good state of Washington was now in official existence. The material growth during the decade of the eighties had been prodigious. A few figures will illustrate the change. In 1880 the state had 75,116 people; in 1890, 349,390. In 1880 Walla Walla was the largest town in the Territory, with 3,588. Seattle had 3,533; Spokane, 350; Tacoma, 1,098; North Yakima, 0. In 1890, Seattle had 42,837 ; Tacoma, 36,006; Spokane, 19,922; Walla Walla, 4,709; Ellensburgh, 2,768; North Yakima, 1,535. The assessed valuation in 1880 was $134,342,162. In 1890 the valuation was $314,247,419.
With so great a material development it naturally followed that ambitious politicians, grafters and lobbyists rushed in alongside of the genuinely enter- prising, honest and patriotic. The new state therefore became the battle ground of all sorts of factions, "pros and antis" of all orders. Moreover, the "great depression," the reaction from the overly active speculation of the previous decade, was at hand. In both national and state matters the harvest of wild oats,
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sowed by the lobbies, syndicates, trusts and monopolies sprouting out of the railroad complications of an era of speculation, was ready for cutting, and it was plain to discerning men that the wheat was going to have a hard time among the noxious growths. The elections of 1892, 1894 and 1896 showed the tremen- dous growth of populism with its allied agencies as the proper reaction against the era of graft. But the election of 1890 led by natural degrees to it.
That election in Yakima County resulted in a small majority for John L. Wilson for Congress. The legislature chosen in 1889 had provided a new apportionment by which Yakima and Klickitat counties constituted the twelfthi district, entitled to .one senator, and Yakima County was to be the nineteenth representative district, entitled to one representative. In pursuance of this ap- portionment J. T. Eshelman, democrat, became senator by 574 votes to 468 for D. W. Pierce, his republican opponent. H. J. Snively, democrat, was chosen representative by 544 votes to 515 for B. F. Young, republican. The local officers chosen were these: Myron H. Ellis for auditor, D. W. Simmons sheriff, F. D. Eshelman clerk, G. O. Nevin treasurer, E. A. Shannafelt assessor, J. A. Rockford attorney, J. G. Lawrence superintendent of schools, W. H. Redman surveyor, Jay Chambers coroner, F. Kandle, John Reed, and Joseph Stephenson, commissioners, and S. J. Cameron sheep commissioner. Every one of the local officers above was a republican except Mr. Stephenson, commissioner for the third district. The vote on the state capital was for North Yakima 949; for Olympia, 30; for Ellensburgh, 14. The result in the state for the capital was 37,413 for Olympia, 7,722 for Ellensburgh and 6,276 for North Yakima. The "Oyster center" became therefore permanently the capital of Washington.
As we pass on to the election of 1892, the first in which Washington partic- ipated in a presidential election, we find the great Populist movement gathering its forces from varied sources, all animated by a common sense of hostility to the group of policies which seemed to center in the "money interests" and cor- poration lobbies. As might be expected from the type of people and occupa- tions-almost entirely pastoral and agricultural-which made up the population of Yakima, that county was a powerful center of independent and populistic thought. The Knights of Labor took the initiative in the direction of a union of forces for a new party by a meeting in North Yakima on July 17, 1891. Rep- resentatives of the Farmers' Alliance, Good Templars, and Trades Unions joined in the movement. Meanwhile a formal organization of the "people's party" had been effected on July 13. The two organizations acted substantially together in the next three elections, and in 1894 and 1896, the general body of democrats, as well as the very active wing of republicans known as Silver repub- licans, threw their energies into the same channel. The result was that the republicans in Yakima, republican as it usually had been, though not by great majorities, were entirely overwhelmed, and in this county, as in the state, the "three-ring circus" of populists, democrats and silver republicans, carried every- thing in sight.
Before proceeding to a view of the election returns of Yakima County from 1892 to the date of this work, there is one event in state politics so interesting in its constitutional bearings as to make it worthy of special note. Moreover, it brings up to mind the name o fa man whose career began in Yakima, and who
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became known and honored throughout the state. We refer to the senatorial situation and to John B. Allen.
FIRST ELECTION OF UNITED STATES SENATOR
In the first election of United States senator, November, 1889, John B. Allen of Walla Walla and Watson C. Squire were chosen, the former drawing the four-year-term which entitled him to the place until March 4, 1893. The senatorial election of 1893 was one of the most extraordinary in the history of such elections and involved a number of distinguished men in this section of the state. The fundamental struggle was between the adherents. of John B. Allen of Walla Walla and George Turner of Spokane, both republicans. It became a factional fight of the bitterest type. One hundred and one ballots were taken unavailingly and then the legislature adjourned sine die, with no choice.
Upon the failure of the legislature to elect, Governor McGraw appointed John B. Allen to fill the vacancy. Proceeding to Washington Mr. Allen pre- sented his case to the senate, but in that case, as in others, that body decided, and very properly, that the state must go unrepresented until the legislature could perform its constitutional duties. It is safe to say that that experience with similar ones in other states, was one of the great influences in causing the amendment to the constitution providing for direct election by the people. The spectacle of the legislature neglecting its law-making functions to wrangle over the opposing ambitions of senatorial aspirants, fatally impaired the confidence of the people in the wisdom of the old method of choice. That amendment may be regarded also as one of the striking manifestations of American political evolution, in which there has come a recognition of the danger of legislative bodies, chosen by popular suffrage, becoming the tools of personal or corporate interests instead of the servants of the people who chose them, and by which, in consequence, the evils of popular government are being remedied by being made more popular.
ELECTION OF 1892
And now we reach the interesting election of 1892, the first in which Wash- ington voted for president.
It is valuable to note here the precincts as they existed in the year 1892. They are as follows: Kennewick, Kiona, Alder Creek, Red Rock, Lone Tree, Parker, Moxee, Yakima City, Ahtanum, Tampico, Wide Hollow, North Yakima No. 1, North Yakima No. 2, Cowiche, Naches, Wenas, Simcoe.
In 1892, beginning with President, we find the following results :
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
Republican
Democrat
Populist
Prohibitionist
Geo. V. Calhoun
John M. Stearns Louis H. Platter
WVm. Lee, Sr. Jas. Bassett
H. N. Belt
John S. McMillan J. W. Peter Ignatius A. NavarreFranklyn D. Arnold T. T. Barrows D. R. Bigelow
Chester F. White
Louis K. Church
Wm. J. Caldwell
A. McReady
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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY
CONGRESSMEN
Republican
Democrat
Populist Prohibitionist
W. M. Doolittle
James A. Mundy J. C. VanPatten
C. E. Newberry
John L. Wilson
Thos. Carroll
M. F. Knox
A. C. Dickinson
The highest vote for presidential elector of the republicans was 630, of the democrats 502, of the populists 375, and of the prohibitionists 14, giving the republicans a majority over the democrats, although much less than a ma - jority over all. Of the congressional candidates, John L. Wilson with 602 votes and W. M. Doolittle with 601, were elected over their democratic opponents, of whom Mr. Carroll received 539 and Mr. Mundy 518, while the populists received 368 and 361 respectively, with the prohibitionists in the rear with a number of 14 and 12 respectively.
Of the state candidates we find the following reports: For supreme judge the republican candidates were Thomas J. Anders and Elmon Scott, of the democrats Eugene K. Hanna and William H. Brinker, and of the populists Frank T. Reid and E. W. Gardener. Their votes in the order given were as follows: 619, 593, 494, 472, 349, 341. From the above it appears that the re- publicans were also successful in their candidates in the election for Supreme Court.
The nominees for governor were the following: John H. McGraw, re- publican, Henry J. Snively democrat, C. W. Young populist, Roger S. Greene prohibitionist. It is a tribute to Mr. Snively as a citizen of Yakima County that he received a majority of 100 over Mr. McGraw in the county, although Mr. McGraw was elected in the state, the votes in Yakima County being respec- tively 604 and 504.
The republican candidate for lieutenant-governor, Frank H. Luce, was chosen in the county by a vote of 571 to 513 for his democratic competitor. The same general result obtained in the other state offices. For secretary of state James H. Price, republican, had 605 to 489 for his democratic opponent. The state treasurer, Ozro A. Bowen, had 605 votes to 485 for the democratic candidate. For state auditor Laban R. Grimes had 606 votes to 482 for the democratic candidate. For attorney-general, one of the brilliant political fig- ures of the state of Washington, "Wheat Chart" Jones, who afterwards became one of the leaders of the silver republicans, was chosen by a vote of 563 to 524 for his democratic competitor. For superintendent of public instruction Charles W. Bean, republican, received 592 to 495 for his democratic opponent. For commissioner of public lands, William T. Forrest with 595 votes carried off the honors from his democratic opponent by over 100 votes, and by almost the same vote, Oliver C. White was chosen state printer.
It is interesting to note that in this election of 1892 the populists had an average vote of about 360, while the prohibitionists had a trifling vote of 10 to 18. This fact is the more interesting in view of the subsequent disappearance of the populist party and the state-wide triumph at a later date of the prohibi- tionists in the cause which they advocated.
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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY 1
Of the Yakima County officials chosen in the election of 1892, the repub- licans were entirely in the lead. The average vote is well indicated from the votes given for the judge of the Superior Court, as follows : Republican, Carroll B. Graves, 683; Frank H. Rudkin, democrat, 448; Lawrence A. Vincent, popu- ist, 327, making a total vote of 1,458. In this election A. B. Weed became rep- resentative from the nineteenth district, J. A. Rochford county attorney, J. M. Brown county clerk, Myron H. Ellis county auditor, G. O. Nevin county treas- urer, E. W. Simmons sheriff, O. V. Carpenter assessor, J. G. Lawrence super- intendent of schools, William H. Redman surveyor, Richard Sisk sheep com- missioner, for county commissioners, Frank J. Kandle, John H. Hubbard and W. A. Kelso, and for county coroner J. O. Clark.
For the prohibition amendment there were 234, and 745 against, an inter- esting item in view of the fact that Yakima County became later the banner prohibitionist county.
We have given in the preceding election the figures with more fullness than we shall give in the subsequent ones on account of its being the first state elec- tion on record and in order to give a proper view of the general line-up of the parties at that time.
In the election of 1894, the republican candidates for Congress, William A. Doolittle, with 860 votes, a lead of 11 over his running mate, Samuel C. Hyde, had good majorities, while the populist candidates surpassed the demo- crats by heavy majorities. R. O. Dunbar and M. J. Gordon, republicans, had a majority of over 300 over their populist competitors and over 400 over the dem- ocrats, for Supreme Court judges.
Of the county candidates for this election we find Daniel E. Lesh, repub- lican, leading the democratic candidate George S. Taylor by a majority of 5, having 918 votes. As indicating the growth of the county it is interesting to observe that the vote for joint senator totals 1,831. R. B. Milroy was chosen representative for the legislature by a majority of 92 over his democratic com- petitor and of 99 over the populist candidate. In this election the following were chosen to the regular county offices: Sheriff, A. L. Dilley; auditor, F. C. Hall; treasurer, Matthew Bartholet; clerk, J. M. Brown ; attorney, Glen G. Dudley ; assessor, O. V. Carpenter ; school superintendent, J. F. Brown ; sheep commissioner, R. Sisk ; coroner, E. E. Heg; commissioners, Joseph Stephenson and Nelson Rich.
Of the above all were republicans except Mr. Bartholet as treasurer and Mr. Stephenson as commissioner.
With 1896 we come to one of the most exciting and significant elections in the history of the nation. This was the year of the "Cross of Gold" presi- dential election, and the populist movement swept Yakima County along with most of the Western portion of the United States. Of the presidential electors for the state, the highest populist vote in the county was 1,219, the highest re- publican was 948, while the highest democratic, Judge Burke, one of the most prominent of all citizens of the state, received only the pitiful little vote of 47. The successful congressional candidates both in the state and in the county, were those two spectacular figures of Washington politics, James Hamilton
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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY
Lewis and William C. Jones. The former had a vote of 1,236 and the latter 1,226 in the county, to 925 and 928 for their republican opponents, while the democratic vote was hardly large enough to count. The county gave a vote of 1,246 to that great statesmen of the populist party, John R. Rogers, for gover- nor. The other state offices present about the same general results.
The county offices for the election of 1896 show a similar populist triumph. The democratic party practically disappeared and the combination defeated the republican candidates by majorities averaging about 300. The successful can- didates were as follows: Sheriff, A. J. Shaw; clerk, J. R. Coe; auditor, A. B. Flint ; treasurer, Matthew Bartholet ; attorney, Vestal Snyder; assessor, T. A. Lasswell; superintendent, F. H. Plumb; surveyor, H. F. Marble; coroner, Lewis Ker; sheep commissioner, R. Mans; commissioners, Charles Carpenter and W. B. Mathews.
The election of 1898 shows a return to the more normal political conditions, since the republican party began to come back again and we find one of the distinguished citizens of Yakima County in that year entering upon his politi- cal career, which has continued to the present date. We refer to Wesley L. Jones. With him was chosen to Congress, Francis W. Cushman, each having a decided though not large lead over the democratic or the populist candidates, Lewis and Jones.
In this election of 1898 T. J. Anders and Mark A. Fullerton, republicans, were chosen by strong majorities over the populist candidates. For state sen- ator, George H. Baker, republican, was chosen, and for representative, Ira P. Englehart, republican, was the choice.
The county officers were as follows: H. L. Tucker for sheriff, George Allen for clerk, E. E. Kelso for auditor, W. B. Dudley for treasurer, John J. Rudkin for prosecuting attorney ; Robert Scott for assessor, F. H. Plumb for superin- tendent, Sydney Arnold for surveyor, David Rosser for coroner, Frank Horsley and A. D. Eglin for commissioners. All of the above were republicans with the single exception of Mr. Plumb for superintendent.
The election of 1900 indicates a still larger reaction from populism back to the normal republicanism of the state of Washington. For presidential elec- tors, Samuel G. Cosgrove, republican, the highest on the list, received 1,507 to 1,066 for N. G. Blalock, highest on the democratic list.
For congressman Francis W. Cushman and Wesley L. Jones again received large majorities. The same was true of the candidates for the Supreme Court and the other state officers. Henry McBride for governor received 1,436 votes to 1,100 for William E. McCroskey, the democratic candidate. The total vote for governor, it is interesting to notice, was 2,659. The other state officers showed a universal republican triumph. For state representative from the nineteenth district, Nelson Rich was the choice. For Superior judge, Frank H. Rudkin was reelected. County officers were chosen as follows: Auditor, E. E. Kelso ; sheriff, H. L. Tucker; clerk, G. L. Allen; treasurer, W. B. Dudley ; attorney, W. P. Guthrie; assessor, Robert Scott; superintendent, S. A. Dickey ; surveyor, W. F. Melloy ; coroner, E. P. Milliken ; commissioners, F. J. Kandle W. L. Dimmick.
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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY
With the year 1902 we come to a new order of things by having three mem- bers of Congress and we find the republicans still in the ascendant. Yakima County cast an overwhelming vote for Wesley L. Jones, Francis W. Cushman and William E. Humphrey. The judge of the Supreme Court receiving the majority in this election was Hiram E. Hadley, with a vote of 1,705 to 1,010 for his democratic opponent. For state senator from Yakima the democrats scored one of their very few victories by the election of one of the most interesting and conspicuous citizens of the county, A. J. Splawn. For representatives, Robert Drum, republican, and F. A. Hedger, democrat, were chosen. Of the local officers we find the following results: For sheriff, R. A. Grant ; clerk, J. W. Day; auditor, W. B. Newcomb; treasurer, E. G. Beck; attorney, W. P. Guthrie; assessor, Harry Coonse; superintendent of schools, S. A. Dickey; surveyor, W. F. Melloy ; coroner, E. P. Milliken; commissioners, F. J. Kandle and W. B. Mathews.
We come now to the election of 1904. With this year we come again to a presidential election with all of its nation-wide excitement. We find the number of votes cast in Yakima County to have greatly increased, the number in this year being 5,054. The republican candidates for presidential electors had an enormous majority, being 3,484 for the highest republican nominee, to 930 for the highest democratic, 36 for the highest socialist labor candidate, 360 for the highest socialist, 133 for the highest prohibitionist and 13 for the highest pop- ulist. The three existing Congressmen, Wesley L. Jones, William E. Humphrey and Francis L. Cushman, were reelected by immense majorities over their dem- ocratic opponents, Mr. Jones having 3,297 to 1,128 for his democratic competi- tor. Frank H. Rudkin and Mark A. Fullerton had similar majorities for Su- preme judge. Albert E. Mead for governor received a majority of 637 over George Turner, democratic candidate. The other state offices show similar re- sults. The legislative ticket shows the election of Walter J. Reed, republican, as senator, over A. J. Splawn, democrat, by a majority of 417. For representa- tives William H. Hare and Lee A. Johnson were chosen by large majorities. Of the county offices we find the following results: For sheriff, Ronald A. Grant, democrat, a remarkable distinction for that election. Of the other offices we find for clerk, Jasper W. Day, for auditor William B. Newcomb, for treas- urer Lee Tittle, for prosecuting attorney Ira M. Krutz, for assessor Harry Coonse, for school superintendent Jacob A. Jacobson, for surveyor W. F. Melloy, for coroner David Rosser, for commissioners Daniel Sinclair, Daniel McDonald, and Carl A. Jensen, all republicans.
The election of 1906 is signalized in national affairs by the reelection of the same three congressmen, William E. Humphrey, Wesley L. Jones and Francis L. Cushman. The reaction in National affairs that set in with 1898 still con- tinued with unabated energy, and even the shrewdest politicians did not seem to realize that another great reaction was in process of incubation, which was destined to show its effect nationally in a half dozen years. Yakima County gave the customary republican majorities for all state officers in the election of 1906. For the state representatives, Samuel J. Cameron and Lee A. Johnson, both republicans, appear on the list of successful candidates. The local candi-
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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY
dates chosen were these: For sheriff, John M. Edwards, a democrat ; for clerk, R. K. Nichols; for auditor, Wilbur Crocker; for treasurer, Lee Tittle; for prosecuting attorney, Henry H. Wende, democrat; for assessor, J. W. Sindall; superintendent of schools, J. A. Jacobson ; surveyor, W. J. McIntyre; for coro- ner, P. Frank; for commissioners, D. A. McDonald, William LeMay.
The year 1908 brings us to another presidential election. Of the five re- publican candidates for presidential electors the highest is 2,998, while the highest of the democrats is 1,645. The lesser parties have an inconspicuous number of votes. For congressmen we come to a new and, at the present time, one of the most conspicuous politicians of the United States, as republican can- didate. This is Miles Poindexter of Spokane. He received a vote of 4,017 in Yakima County to 1,546 for William Goodyear, the democratic candidate. Before this time the Supreme Court judgeship had been made non-partisan and the three nominated candidates, Judges Crow, Root and Chadwick, received the entire vote of the county. For governor one of the best citizens of the state, whose career was so unfortunately terminated by an untimely death, Samuel G. Cosgrove, received a vote of 4,032 to 1,615 for John Pattison, the democratic candidate. The other state offices showed a similar republican majority. The legislative candidates show the election of Samuel J. Cameron as senator from the fifteenth district and William H. Cline and Leo O. Meigs as representatives from the twentieth district. E. B. Preble was chosen Superior judge. For the local officers we find for sheriff, Joe H. Lancaster; for clerk, A. W. Barr; for auditor, Wilbur Crocker; for treasurer, Frank Bond; for prosecuting attorney, J. Lenox Ward; for assessor, John W. Sindall; for superintendent, F. S. Busch; for engineer, William J. McIntyre; for coroner, David Rosser; for commis- sioners, W. F. Melloy and William LeMay, all republicans.
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