USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 33
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Circulars were circulated throughout the county ; factional feel- ing was vigorous and strong, and a very hard-fought campaign was the result. Mr. Upton was elected, thus defeating the nomince, who was charged as a ring candidate. whether justly or unjustly. the people thus early showing a distaste for "ring rule," and stamp- ing their disapproval.
Party nominations continued to be made only by the Democratic party for certain offices until the year 1884, the Republicans always uniting on Independent candidates, who were usually, but not always, Republicans in politics.
In 1884, the Democratic party made nominations for a full county
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
ticket, except prosecuting attorney, there being no Republican law- yer then in the county, in which race Hon. Wm. R. Thompson, now of Huntington, and James H. Miller were the only candidates, and made a "scrub race." The Democratic and Republican committees decided to make no nomination for that office, and leave it to the people to determine between them, there existing at that time two factions of the Democratic party in the county, one of which was designated as the Fowler faction, and the other as the Thompson faction. Mr. Fowler supported Miller, and he was successful by the slim majority of only twenty-nine votes.
No party nominations had been made prior to that election, and for several years after, for superintendent of free schools. In my chapter on Elections details and results are given as to the results of the various elections. The candidates for the superintendents of schools always ran as Independent, it being deemed advisable and the general policy and to the interest of the schools to keep the election of school officers out of politics, and for many years the election of school officers was held separate and on different dates from all other elections, and on "off" years, and no other candidates were voted for except school officers.
The Democratic party has always been in the ascendancy in the county, and it is estimated the normal majority at this time is from 150 to 200, if the party lines are strictly adhered to, which is seldom done in the selection of county officers, and there have been several Republicans who have filled important county offices since the for- mation of the county. The names of these Republicans who have been selected for county officers are as follows :
Hon. Sylvester Upton, Republican member of the House of Dele- gates, elected in 1874. Elected on the Independent ticket.
M. V. Calloway, Republican, elected as an Independent candi- date as sheriff, in 1884.
And in 1894 the Republican party nominated a full ticket, which was elected in its entirety.
Hon. M. J. Cook to the House of Delegates ; Geo. W. Leftwich, Esq., superintendent of schools; James Allen Graham, commis- sioner of the county court.
Many Republicans have been elected to district offices.
Frank Lively, prosecuting attorney in 1900.
Hon. T. P. Davis, member of the Senate for the district, of which Summers County was then a part ; Jonathan F. Lilly, Repub- lican, having been elected in the year 1888 as superintendent of schools. Mr. Lilly was elected as an Independent candidate over
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
John H. Jordan, Esq., the Democratic nominee, the son of Hon. G. L. Jordan. Mr. Lilly was afterwards killed by his brother-in-law, Thomas Meador, an account of which is given in this book. Mr. Jordan's defeat grew largely out of the prejudice engendered against him by reason of his being a material though unwilling witness in the trial growing out of the killing of Elbert Fowler.
The only instance in which the county has gone Republican and elected the whole county Republican ticket, was, as before stated, in the year 1894, at which time they elected all of the county officers which were voted for, at which time the clerks of the courts and the sheriff were not elected at that election.
About the year 1880, the new party, and one which has long since vanished from the earth, known as the "Greenback" party, cut quite a figure in the politics of this county, and its candidates received a considerable and respectable vote, the leaders of that party being Allen L. Harvey, Dr. Wm. H. Talley, L. G. Lowe, John P. Duncan and others. They founded a newspaper, known as the "Hinton Banner," which was edited by Dr. Talley ; nominated a full ticket, and their candidates were generally supported by the Republicans. Dr. Talley was afterwards accidentally drowned in another State. He resided in those days at Mandeville, in Forest Hill District. He was an eccentric, peculiar man, well educated and intelligent, but had put his ability to little use. The voters of the party were made up from both of the old parties, but the "Greenbacker" in politics usually came from the Democratic ranks. Its candidates were defeated ; the party organization fell to pieces upon the death of Mr. Harvey, and the followers of the Greenback doctrines fell back into the old parties, some going to the Demo- cratic and some to the Republican party. For instance, Mr. L. G. Lowe, of Indian Mills, joined the Republican organization, while the sons of Mr. A. L. Harvey joined the Democratic ranks, and to-day there is no more loyal Republican than Mr. Lowe, nor better and more reliable Democrats than the Messrs. Harvey- James H., John E. and William L.
The "People's party," upon its organization in this country, had a minority following for some years, from about 1890 to 1900, but never a very decisive vote. The 'populists of this county were with Mr. Bryan, and supported him for President in 1896; they prin- cipally followed him and the Democratic banner. The leaders of that political party and organization in the county were principally Messrs. I. D. Martin, now residing at Neponsit ; his brother, H. Z. Martin, now deceased; Mr. James H. Martin, of Green Sulphur
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Springs, and others, very estimable, intelligent, sincere and honest citizens. Both the Messrs. Martins supported the Democratic ticket at this time.
The Prohibition party has never had any material strength in the county, although it usually receives a few scattering votes. The Socialist and Socialist Labor party have never had any can- didates in this county, and have never received any votes in the county. The two political parties now under organization are the Democratic and Republican, with H. Ewart, Esq., chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and E. C. Eagle, Esq., an attorney at Hinton, chairman of the Republican County Committee. These gentlemen conducted the campaigns for their respective parties at the elections of 1904.
The disposition to embitter the campaigns with personalities still exists to some extent, and attacks are still being made on the personal character of the candidates, but not to the extent indulged in in the past political times in the county, and its indulgence is growing less, fortunately and properly, and where it is indulged in now is frequently from indiscretion and inexperience and want of breadth of character and generosity. The political parties, usu- ally, in this county have been fortunate in the nomination of men of character, and we hope to see the time when what is known as personal politics may be banished entirely, and this will come when the minds of the partisans are broadened by experience and ex- tended contact with broad-minded, patriotic people. While the political and official affairs of the county have been in the hands and under the control of Democrats from almost its foundation, it stands to the credit of all parties that no official scandals have occurred and can be justly charged to either party in this county. The authorities have all been honest, fair and just. The county has never been "bossed or ring-ridden;" no financial failures of the officials or financial wrongs perpetrated upon the people, except in the one unfortunate instance of Evan Hinton, sheriff, in which he was the principal sufferer. The office of sheriff, no doubt, caused his financial failure, and, unfortunately for him, all of his property, as well as that of practically all of his sureties, was taken in pay- ment of public liabilities, but in the end the county did not suffer loss, although during his term, and for some time afterwards, the county paper was below par, and it was troublesome and hard to collect.
At no other time during the history of the county has the county drafts and paper been below par, and it was as good at all times,
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
and accepted as cheerfully as if it had Uncle Sam behind it. The county has never lost a penny from dishonest or unfaithful officials, and all settlements have been made and a clean slate left to pos- terity.
The Democratic party was for a number of years split into two factions. The Fowler and the Thompson were known from almost the formation of the county to 1896, and the fights in numerous instances were bitter and unfortunate, but those party disturbances and disorganizations have with time disappeared, and almost com- plete harmony now prevails within the ranks of the party within the county, it having long since adopted and adhered to fair and equitable measure for making its nominations, so that no one from just cause can complain of the party's actions; and, if complaint can at any time be justly made, it is from the injudicious actions of individuals, and not from the party organizations. A bobtailed trickster sometimes bobs up and tries to create factional animosi- ties, but his political life is usually nipped in the budding.
The methods first adopted were those of public mass-meetings called of the Democratic voters of the party at the court house, to vote for their choice of candidates, and the one receiving the great- est number of votes was declared the nominee. Sometimes /these votes were taken by ballot, and sometimes by division, but as the number of voters increased, and those nominations were necessarily made by a minority of the party, it being impossible to secure a majority attendance, dissatisfaction sprang up, and then the mode of calling district mass-meetings was adopted, by which the Demo- cratic voters of the Democratic party were called to meet at a fixed day and hour at one place in the various districts where the can- didates were voted for either by ballot viva voce, or by a division or rising vote. This gave general satisfaction for some time, but finally the plan of nominating by primary election, for which pro- visions had been made by statute enacted by the Legislature, was adopted. By this method the Executive Committee called an elec- tion to be held throughout the county at the voting precincts in each district, or of a part thereof, those entitled to vote being the Democratic voters, or those who will support the nominees. The election of officers, commissioners, clerks and challengers are sworn, the polls opened at an hour fixed by the county committee, and closed at a fixed hour in the afternoon, the vote being taken by ballots printed by the committee, with the name of each candidate for each office printed thereon, the voter erasing those names for whom he does not wish to vote. After the polls are closed, the
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
results are ascertained by the commissioners of election and clerks and the ballots returned to the Executive Committee of the party, and the result declared. Before these committee contests can be had, the respective candidates receiving the highest number of votes being declared the nominees of the party.
Usually a mass-meeting is called the week following the elec- tion, at which the announcements of the results are made and the nominations ratified, and at these meetings the delegates to con- ventions for the nomination of officers to be voted for outside the county are selected, or sometimes these delegates are selected by the voters on the day of the primary by the various district meet- ings, and this is the usual plan followed at this time. The primary elections being thus conducted on the principles of a general elec- tion, have been very generally satisfactory, and are a fair method for any candidate who desires fairness and justice.
The Republican party, in the strenuous desire of some of its members for more offices and less labor, in order to dissatisfy the Democratic people and cause disruption, cry out, "court house ring," "town clique," etc., which is and always has been the cry of the "wolf when there was no wolf." The Republican party of the county, while it has not at any time had full control of the county offices or official machinery in those cases where they have held office in the county, they have been honestly conducted, and there have been no grounds for charge of fraud, and the administration of the offices held by them has been creditable and of credit to the county.
The Republican party did not, for many years after the forma- tion of the county, adopt nominations for office, usually supporting an Independent candidate sometimes agreed on before and by their leaders. The Independent candidate was usually a Republican or a disgruntled Democrat, preparing to "flop." Our experience is, that when you find a disgruntled Democrat running as an Inde- pendent candidate, he is on the highway into the camp of our friends, the enemy, and not until about the year 1888 did that party make nominations at all; and after they adopted the method of nominating, they first adopted the original plan of the Democrats, by selecting their candidates by mass conventions held at the court house. Afterwards they nominated by district meetings, and in 1904 they nominated by district meetings called at a voting place in each district.
The party was well united until after the election in 1900; and since the selection of postmaster in the city of Hinton, after the
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Republican success in 1900, there has been more or less dissatis- faction in the party ranks. At the time the last postmaster, Hon. S. W. Willey, was appointed, L. P. Graham was a candidate, but Mr. Willey was successful. The canvass was active, and the ap- pointment of Mr. Willey left considerable dissatisfaction among the friends of Mr. Graham. The Graham family was then and has always been prominent in the party, and had a large and respectable following throughout the entire county, and especially among that class of Republicans who had been responsible for maintaining a party organization from its very foundation, and when there was hardly a corporal's guard of followers, and the prospect of office was hopeless, and the party was in a hopeless minority, and at these times when official preferments were not bright.
So, when the time for the election of a member of Congress in the year 1902 came, from the Third West Virginia District, what was known as the "old-timers," or Graham faction, were not spe- cially active, but generally supported the party nominces, the Willey faction, or "Blue Pencil Brigade" being in charge of the party organization and responsible for the party management, they were permitted to take charge of the campaign. That faction known as the "Blue Pencil Brigade," assisted largely by Demo- cratic floppers and converts, had gone into the ranks of that organization since the prospects for office therein had brightened, and their failure in securing preferment in the Democratic party, that organization not being so situated as to provide jobs for all its deserving members, especially at one and the same time. While the Democratic candidate for Congress was not supported by the Graham faction, he received considerable Republican votes from individual Republican friends, and came out of the election for Congress in 1902 with a majority of over 600 votes in the county over his opponent, Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, who was elected, how- ever, from the district by a majority of about 2,500, the larger part, however, of the old-time factions standing loyally by the nominee, Mr. Gaines.
When the campaign came on in 1904, a very strenuous fight arose between the two factions to secure the delegates and repre- sentatives to the various conventions, which included the State. Congressional, Senatorial and Judicial. The fight was made for the party organization, cach faction attempting to secure a majority of the Executive Committee, which terminated in each faction securing an equal number, but by some means unknown to parties like the writer, on the outside, a member of the Graham faction on
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the committee "flopped to the organization wing, giving them a majority of the county committee. Mass-meetings were called, to be held at a voting place in each district, for the purpose of selecting delegates to a county mass-meeting to be held at the court house. These occurrences were in the year 1904, the mass- meeting at the court house being composed of delegates selected at the various district mass-meetings. These district meetings re- sulted in great strenuosity. A number of fights occurred and blood flowed, lawlessness ensuing, especially at Talcott, in Jumping Branch District, persons being knocked down and fist fights being one of the entertainments.
L. P. Graham and John Willey came into collision at Talcott. The conventions in each district; except Forest Hill, split wide open, each faction appointing a separate set of delegates to the county convention to be held on the following Saturday. In Forest Hill District but one set of delegates was appointed, with Charles A. Baber, the leader, and an old-time, loyal Republican from the beginning; a very popular, conservative man of fine judgment, who controlled the situation entirely in that district, there being only eleven voters opposed to his leadership.
When the convention met at the court house there were two sets of delegates, and they proceeded by selecting two chairmen and holding two conventions in the court room at the same time, each faction having its orators on the floor, and pandemonium reigned supreme, the Brigade refusing to give the old-timers a hearing or voice or representation in the meeting, or to have any- thing to do with the selection of delegates to the various conven- tions, the Forest Hill delegation co-operating and acting with the old-timers, or Graham faction. At one time it looked very much like there would be bloodshed. The Chairman of the "Blue Pencil Brigade" faction, as it was called, Hon. Upshur Higginbotham, appointed a sergeant-at-arms, and ordered the court house cleared of the opposing faction. John Willey being appointed as one of the sergeants-at-arms, started forthwith to obey commands, but, com- ing in close proximity to W. R. Neely, Jr., of Pipestem District, he evidently determined that caution was safer than valor, and retired to a window near by and took a seat, so there were no further demonstrations of physical force, but great noise from the vigorous orators throughout the room.
Two sets of delegates were appointed to the convention, and when those delegates repaired to the various conventions, the Willey faction, or Blue Pencil Brigade organization, was recognized gener-
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
ally, and the other set of delegates turned down. At some of the conventions-the judicial, for one-the Graham delegates did not at- tend and made no effort for recognition. There were two Congres- sional Republican Conventions held, one of which was composed of those of the followers of the Hon. Wm. Seymour Edwards, of Kanawha, the Republican candidate for the nomination to Con- gress, and the other composed of the followers of the Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, a Republican candidate for Congress, to succeed him- self. The Gaines delegates were admitted to his conventions, and the old-timer delegates were admitted to the Edwards Con- vention, both conventions being held in Hinton on the same day. Both candidates were nominated, but before the election on November 8th, Mr. Edwards withdrew, and left Mr. Gaines a clear field, and he was elected to succeed himself in Congress over Henry B. Davenport, Jr., the Democratic nominee.
Hon. S. W. Willey, the postmaster at Hinton ; John Willey and George B. Dunn, of Talcott; L. G. Lowe, of Forest Hill; Messrs. Frank Lively, E. C. Eagle, Upshur Higginbotham, A. R. Heflin, Lucian Woolwine, Miletus Puckett, Chris. Hetzel and L. E. Dyke were the principal leaders of the organization, the "Blue Pencil Brigade," or Willey faction, as it was called; and Messrs. J. A. Graham, R. H. Maxwell, T. G. Mamm, C. H. Graham, John W. Graham, David G. Ballangee, W. R. Neely, M. D. Neely, C. A. Baber, R. R. Flanagan and James H. Hobbs were the principal lead- ers of the old-timers, or Graham faction.
The mass-meeting at the court house was a history-making pro- ceeding. Upshur Higginbotham was made chairman of the "Blue Pencil Brigade" meeting, and George Dunn, secretary; W. N. Shanklin was chairman of the old-timer meeting, and Other Gra- ham, secretary.
By the action of the organization people in refusing representa- tion to the old-timers and not permitting them to have a voice in the affairs of the party, great dissatisfaction arose, and in the coming election the entire responsibility of the campaign was thrown on the Willey faction, the Graham faction generally passively supporting the ticket, but assuming no responsibility for the campaign. The result showed a largely increased Democratic and abnormal vote for its candidates, many of the Graham sympathizers and supporters making no fight on the nominations, except in the race for the judgeship, the leaders of the old-timer faction openly voting for Jas. H. Miller for that position against the Hon. Frank Lively, his opponent and the Republican nominee.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
From these differences, which has divided it, factions have grown up in the Republican party, and future Republican skirmish- ing in the Republican ranks may be yet expected. At the district primary meetings there was quite a division between the two factions, and we are unable to state which had the majority. At some places there is no doubt but what the Graham faction had the majority largely, while at others, the vote seemed to be about equal, and, possibly, in some instances, at the court house, for instance, where no contest was made, the organization wing had a majority. But the Graham faction was in no instance given a hearing or representation. Efforts were made to secure a com- promise and give each party a fair representation according to its strength, but the organization forces turned all advances down.
The Democratic majority for President at this election (1904) in this county was 265 votes for Judge Parker and the same for the Hon. Henry G. Davis for Vice-President. Mr. John J. Corn- well, Democratic candidate for governor, received 400 majority over Mr. Dawson, the present incumbent.
There are two Republican papers in the county, one the "Hin- ton Leader," controlled by John Graham, of the old-timer faction, and the other, the "Summers Republican," edited by Upshur Hig- ginbotham, of the "Blue Pencil Brigade," or organization faction. The establishment of the "Summers Republican" grew out of these factional differences, and is the child of political strife.
Both of the political parties of this county deserve credit up to this time of having provided good officers, and the absence of political or official scandals, for which so many counties and munic- ipalities have been afflicted in this and other States in modern times. No corruption can be truthfully charged against either in this county, and it is to be hoped that this good record may con- tinue to the end. There have been some charges of unfairness in elections, and, unfortunately, not always unfounded and not based without some cause. These matters will be gone into more fully under the head of Elections. The principal trouble in the elections of this county and the cities therein has been the attempt to vote and the votes cast by illegal negro voters, not brought into the county for that special purpose, but being in the county from other counties or States engaged on public works, or loafing. as a large proportion of the colored population is disposed to do. They are surrounded by irresponsible politicians or by "smart Alex" negroes, who get pay for voting them ; and many of them being naturally ignorant, are made to believe they are entitled to vote, and are
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
promised immunity from prosecution. They on some occasions force their ballots in by making the affidavit required by statute when their votes are challenged. An instance of this character occurred at the general election of 1902. There were a number of negro laborers, claimed to be at work on the C. & O. Railway at and near Hinton, all strange to the inhabitants, who came up to the polls of the First Ward to vote late in the evening, to the number of ten or twelve, in charge of a white man or two and a colored. In such instances the white is no better than the colored. They attempt to violate the law through ignorance, while the white man who leads them into the violation of the law does so with a full knowledge of the crime. These parties were challenged and their votes refused. A mandamus was secured from the judge of the circuit court, Judge McWhorter, who had been brought from Lewisburg on the morning of the election for the purpose ; and under the peremptory mandamus of the court the ballots went into the box. The offenders were immediately arrested and carried to jail, and the politicians provided bail. The negroes departed, and have never been seen in the county since. No forfeiture of the bail bonds was taken and no witnesses were summoned before the grand jury. The Republican party was the beneficiary of the frauds, if any were perpetrated, and at that time a Republican prosecuting attorney was in office, and the action of the court, whether legitimate or not, permitted the votes of these people to be cast and counted.
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