Pipestone County, Minnesota - Chapter 23: Political - 1874-1911, 1911

THE peoplo of Pipestone conntv take great interest in matters political, and they come by the trait honestly. For it is recorded that away back in the days before the county was organized, when there were only two settlers and one visitor in the county, not one of whom liad been in Minnesota long enough to establish residence, the first political convention was held.

This was in June, 1874. At the time Daniel E. Sweet and his family and .h)]\n Lowry were living in a little house wliere tlie city of Pipestone now stands, and when Dr. W. J. Taylor came to the place for the first time and decided to liecome a resident at some future time, the political history of Pipestone county began. The three men decided to resolve themselves into a convention to choose a delegate to attend the republican congressional convention which was to be held at Owatonna in the latter part of the month. Mr. Lowry was chairman, Mr. Sweet secretary, and Dr. Taylor "the convention." The doctor intended to leave soon for his home in Wisconsin and he was unanimously selected as the delegate. He went to Luverne, where he was joined by Philo Hawes, the delegate from Bock county, and the two proceeded by team to Worthington, then the nearest railroad point.

and tlience by rail to Owatonna, where the Pipestone county delegate participated in the deliberations of the convention. A little later in the same year Mr. Sweet attended as a delegate the republican legislative convention which nominated A. M. Crosby for the lower house.

In tlie summer of 1875 Dr. Taylor returned to the Pipestone country, accompanied liy two other prospective settlers, and in tlic month of June the next convention was held to select a delegate to the republican state convention. The convention was attended by the entire voting strength of the county, as follows : Daniel E. Sweet, John Lowry, Dr. W. J. Taylor, H. D. Sanford and Fred Rogers. Dr. Taylor was chosen as the delegate and attended the convention, which was held at St. Paul, while on his way home to Wisconsin.

When the state convention was organized the matter of seating the Pipestone county delegate occupied the attention of the convention. One of the delegates protested vigorously against the doctor being allowed a seat, stating that Pipestone c(ninty was inhabited by nothing but Indians and that a delegate from that unorganized territory most certainly was not entitled to a seat. Dr. Taylor addressed the convention, stating tliat it was true tliat there were only a few voters in Pipestone county, but that they were desirous of bringing about a settlement and that some day, in the not far distant future, these samp republicans who now desired to keeji liiiii from taking his seat in the convention would be flocking down to Pipestone county looking for delegates favorable to them or to their friends. Upon the conclusion of this lirief address, which seemed to strike the delegates as a good one, tliere were cries of "Admit him!"" ''Seat him I"' etc., and Dr. Taylor jiarticipated in the proceedings of the convention.

During the early period of the county's history the settlers were not many, but they were determined to bring about the settlement of tlie country around the famous Pipestone quarries and lost no opportunity to let the world know that tliere was sucli a place as Pipestone county. Therefore they availed themselves of every opportunity to bring attention to their settlement and they considered political conventions desirable places in which to let their lights shine, ^[ore in the nature of an advertisement than for political purposes they regularly sent delegates to conventions. In 1876 Daniel E. Sweet was chosen a delegate to, and attended, the republican congressional convention at Owatonna, part of his expenses being paid by C. H. Bennett.

By the summer of 1877 about a dozen voters had become permanent residents of Pipestone county and many others had taken claims with the intention of returning the next year. It was during this year that the first election was held in the county, an election brought about througli

*The names on the Hst were as follows: Charles Anderson. John C. Ashlev, C. H. Bennett. J. M. Bull. Orson Bennett, J. G. Bennett. William Brown. W. D. Brockman, G. A. Brockman, C. L. Chaffee. Daniel Devure. S'. K. Ellsworth. William. G. Goililaril, .\. O. Gray. T. Gantield. Willis J. Hampton. Willis Harsh. George Hill. William T. Jones, John Johnson. Reuben L. Lyman,

Provision had been made for holding a special election in Minnesota on June 12 to vote on an amendment to the constitution which provided tliat the state's swanii) lands sliould he applied on tlie payment of certain railroad bonds. Pipestone county being then unorganized and not attached to any election district, the settlers, desiring to effect some kind of a local organization and to participate in the election, petitioned Governor Pillsbury to declare Pipestone county an election district for the purpose of voting at the special election. The governor issued the desired proclamation on May .") and named Daniel E. Sweet, J. G. Bennett and Charles H. Bennett judges of the election.

Of course the proclamation provided only for voting on the amendment, but by straining a i^oint, the judges, on May 22, 1877, issued a call for the election, in which it was also provided that there should he chosen the following named officers: '"Three supervisors, one of whom sliall be designated as chairman; one town clcrl<. one treasurer, one assessor, two justices of the peace, two constalilcs. one overseer of highways.'"

On the same day that the call for the local election was issued tlie judges prepared a registration list containing the names of forty voters,' made up from names of actual voters in the county and those of persons who were known tn liave chiiiiis in the county and wIki would |)robahly he cdusiili'i'cd eligilile to vote were they present. The election was held at the office of Charles H. Bennett and twelve votes were cast' in a litle cigar box, still in the possession of Charles TI. Bennett. Two votes were .against the ]ir()))ose(l aiiK'iHhne.'it ; the others were for it. The following township officers were elected for the district comprising the wliiili' of Pipestone county and were tlie ciiiiiity's first officials: Supervisors, Daniel E. Sweet. Duncan Stuart and A. (). (ifay: clerk, Daniel E. Sweet; treasurer, W. .1. Taylor; assessor, John Stuart; justice of the peace, diaries H. Bennett ; constable, A. 0. Gray. On the day of the elfitiiin a caaicus of republican voters was held, (if which- Charles H. Bennett was iliaiinian and Daniel E. Sweet secretary. 'I'lic tirst county ccnti'al committee was chosen, consisting of J. G. Bennett, J. ^I. Bull and Daniel E. Sweet.

Pipestone county, in 1ST8, was again represented in the republican congressional convention, which was held at Albert Ijca July 10. The county convention to choose the delegate was held in the street in front of the Pipestone postoffce at six o'clock in the evening. Job Whitehead presided and Charles H. Bennett was secretary. J. H. Nichols was selected as the delegate lint he was represented in the c(iiiventio:i by .1. E. Craig, of Bock county, to whom be gave his proxy. Charles H. Bennett, Daniel E. Sweet and S. L. Bailey were chosen a county central committee. On September IT, 1878, another convention was held, at which Daniel E. Sweet was elected a delegate to the senatorial convention.

As has been told in the general history chapt.ers of this volume, so great had been the increase in population during the year 1878 that the people decided it was time to bring about the organization of the county. Although they knew that leg-

-The voters were Daniel E. Sweet, A. O. Grav. Duncan Stuart. W. J. Taylor. Charles H. Bennett. John I.owrv, J. G. Bennett. William Jones. Adelbert Sisson, H. D. Sanford. Asa Van Allstine and John Stuart.

islative action would be necessary, they decided to select county officers at the general election in November, 1878, and then a-^k the legislature to declare the county organized and to legalize the election. Accordingly a convention was called to meet at the office of Sweet & Nichols, in Pipestiine City, on October 37. It was ealleil by .1. 11. Nichols, who was at the time chairman of the republican cminty central committee, and was partici)iate(l in by members of both parties. When the convention met an adjournment was taken to Clark & Walter's store. Dr. E. M. Carr was made chairman of the convention and Charles H. Bennett secretary. The folliiwing named persons were selected by tlie convention as its nominees for county and township offices:^ Eiley French, auditiir; Peuben Clark, treasurer; Samuel Stanton, slieriflf; E. M. Carr, register of deeds ; George Waite, judge of probate; Charles H. Bennett, county attorney; Daniel E. Sweet, surveyor; G. W, Morrill, coroner; J. H. Nichols, clerk of court; George D. Green, court commissioner ; ]Mrs. F. V. Whitehead, superintendent of schools; W. B. Brown, S. L. Bailey and E. L. Kork, county commissioners ; E. D. Day and Daniel E. Sweet, justices of the peace : W. M. Bixby and F. L. Pork, constables.

There were no other candidates in the field and at the election held a few days later the convention nominees were elected. On the question of county organization one lumdred votes were polled, of which sixty-six were in favor and thirty-four were opposed to organizing. The bill legalizing this election and declaring Pipestone county organized passed the legislature .January 37, 1879, and on February lit the machinery of county government was set in inotion when the board of county commissioners met for the first time at the office of Sweet & Nichols. Most of the other officers qualifiecl at once and Pipestone county was at last a county in fact as well as in name.

Not all the otficers elected in Xnveniber, 1878, qualified, however, and in their places others were appointed by the board of county commissioners. A perusal of the records gives us the following list of men who served Pipestone county in an official capacity dui'ino- the year ISTil:

motion of E. Iv. Rork. Riley Fretioli was appointed county auditor for the county of Pipestone, said Pi'encli iiaving been duly elected to said office at tlie last general election, but Tiot having been a resident of the state long enough (by four days) to have become a legal voter at the said last general election."! - Commissioners' Journal, February 19, 1879.

"Reuben Clark having failed to qualify as required by law. the commissioners, in September, 1ST9, declared the office of trea.surer vacant and reappointed Mr. Clark, and that officer qualified under the appointment at once.

"Mr. Stanton having failed to qualify in accordance with the law, the commissioners, in September, 1879. declared the office of sheriff vacant and reappointed Mr. Stantcm to the office. He denied the right of the board to remove him and refused to qualify under the appointment. Three days later the commissioners appointed Wellington Sherwood to the office, but that gentleman also refused to qualify and Mr. Stanton continued to act as sheiiff.

ing for two year.s but only a part of the county oft'icials being elected each year. Fur the election of 1879 a "peoples" ticket was nominated at a mass convention called by the chairmen of the republican and dcmiicialic county central committees and held at Pipestone October 18. Of this convention Daniel E. Sweet was chairman and Ed. McCall secretary. There was no opposition to the ticket named and the nominees were elected at the general election in November. 1878. John S. Pillsbury, repiil)lican. I'cceived a hirgc majority over Edmund Hicc, democrat, for governor, and the following county officers were elected: Riley French, auditor; Reuben Clark, treasurer ; Samuel Stanton,'" sheriff: Isaac L. Mart, judge of ]irol)ate: E. \V. Day, su|ierinten(lcut of schools: S. ^I. Pasco, court commissioner: G. W. Morrill, coroner : Duncan Stuart, c(unmissioner first district.

Partisan politics entered into the campaign of 1880 for the first time in Pipestone county's history. The county was overwhelmingly re})ublican at this time, but there were many who believed that the time had not yet come to inject party politics into county affairs. Over one hundred voters signed the call for a

the election in 1S7S the commissioners had been chosen at large. On September 27. 1S79, the board divided the county into districts, as follows: No. 1, in which resided Mr, Rork, the townships of Eden, Sweet. Troy and .Mtona; No. 2. in which resided Mr. Bailey, the town- .ships of Gray, Burke, Elmer and Osborne; No. 3, in which resided Mr, Brown, the townships of Grange. Rock, .Aetna and Fountain Prairie. In accordance with the law a new commissioner was elected from the first district in 1879, from the second in 1880, and from the third in ISSl. This apportionment was in force until the covinty became entitled to five commissioner districts in 1884.

convention to select nominees for county otfices and eveiyborly was invited to attend. After til is convention had named its nominees tiie repuhliean oroani/.ation called a convention and placed a full ticket in (lie licld, and a lively campaign followed. The republicans were uniformly suecessful, carrying the county for president, congressman and representative and eleeting every county officer, with one exce|ition. A big vote was polled, 5d9 ballots having been cast for the nominees for auditor, 'i'he vote in detail follows:

Only a few officers were chosen in 1881 and consequently only a light vote was polled, the highest number for any one office being 358 for governor. There was opposition to only one of the regularly

Four hundred eighty-seven votes were polled in 1882. The election was a quiet one except for the compaigns of a few who ran independent against the republican nominees. Following is an abstract of the vote :

Only a few county officers were chosen in the off year 1883 and the election was a quiet one. Four hundred twenty-four votes was the highest ntimber cast. The result :

Only the republicans had maintained an organization in Pipestone county prior to 1884, although at nearly every election independent candidates had contested at the polls wilh many of the republiran nominees. This year, there having been a big increase in population and voting strength, the democrats considered themselves strong enough to maintain an organization, and on October 11, at Pipestone, held tlie first democratic convention. A full ticket was placed in the field. The voting strength of tiie county had increased to 900 and the campaign was a lively one. The republicans carried the county for president and congressman and elected their entire county ticket with the exception of the nominee for register of deeds. Following is the vote as officially canvassed :

In accordance with an amendment to the state constitution adopted in 1884, elections were hchl (inly in even numbered years after that date, and the next Pipestone county election was held in 1886. Tlicre was another increase in the vote, 963 being east for governi)r. The republicans were again uniformly successful, carrying the county for governor, congi'essman and senator and electing all the county ticket except two commissioners. \n independent carried the county for representative and was elected ; one democrat and one independent were elected commissioners. The vote in 1886 was as follows :

That Pipestone county was making vast strides forward in the late eighties is indicated by the vote polled at the several elections. In ISSS the vote reached a tnaiiil C. .1. C'rand;ill

^The law provided that when a county polled over 800 votes at a general election it was entitled to five county commissioner.^. At the election in 1884 Pipestone county had polled 900 votes, and on November 28, 1884, the commissioners redistricted the county to conform to the law. as follows: No. 1. Aetna, Fountain Prairie and Altona townships; No. 2. Rock. Grange and Troy townships; No. 3. Burke. Gray tal of 1133, that number being cast for the candidates for 23resident. Conntv politics were interesting, there being no loss than four tickets in the field - republican, democrat, prohibition and union lalior - although in many instances candidates were indorsed by two or more parties. On the county ticket, the republicans lost only two offices, surveyor and one commissioner, while they carried the county for the higher offices, except for representative, an independent again carrying tlie county and being elected. Following is the vote in 1888 : and Sweet townships; No. 4. Osborne, Elmer and Eden townships; N'o. 5. village of Pipestone. All the commissioners were legislated out of office and a full board was, chosen in 1886.

farmers' alliance, an organization perfected a few years before hut without political aspirations until this time. When it decided to ent^'r the field of politics it was realized that the alliance was to be a factor of no small imiiortance. 'J'he result was the almost complete overthrow of the republican jiarty in Pipestone county jKilitics. The alliance candidates for governor, congressman, state senator and representatives all carried the county by ])luralities ranging from 22 to 1(10. On the county ticket it was almost a clean sweep for the new ]iarty, alliance men being elected auditm-, register of deeds, judge of probate, attorney, court commissioner, coroner and surveyor. By combining, the republicans and democrats elected trea.^urer, sheriff and clerk of court, while the republicans alone captured the offices of superintendent of schools and two commi.ssiouers. Again a slight increase in the vote was noted, 1146 votes being ca.st for the several candidates for governor. The result in figures:

An outarowth of the alliance party was Ihe peoples party, otherwise known as the populist party, which made its first apearance in Pipestone county politics in 1892. Now only a memory, the iicupli's party was an important factor in the politics of the county during the nineties. Its strength was such that during several campaigns, by forming an alliance wilh the democratic party, it was able to dominate county politics. In the election of 1892 the republicans carried the county for president, governor and congressman by fair pluralities and for one of tlie three representatives. On the county ticket the fusion forces (democrat and peoples parties) elected all the officers except treasurer, sheriff, attorney and one commissioner. Tbe total vote had now increased to 1521, a far greater number than had ever before been cast. The Australian ballot syst<?m was employed for the first time in this election. The vote of 1892 in detail :

""Was ciiairman from January to September In 1893. He resigned the office of commissioner at that time and Jud Hitchcox was appointed on September 15.

from the district and in .\pril. 1803. W. H. Buxton was appointed. The latter resigned November 3. 1893. and on November 18 .J. C. Jonas was appointed.

Fusion was not accomplisliod in 1S94. all three parties having tickets in the field, and a bitter campaign was waged. Fifteen hundred ninety-six votes were cast. The republicans had small pluralities for their nominees, for governor, congressman and representatives, while the democrat-peoples party candidate for senator had a majority. In the county the republicans elected, by small pluralities, all their candidates except auditor and superintendent of schools, which were captured by the peoples party. The result:

The election of 1896, when free silver was the dominant issue, found Pipestone county in the democratic column on national issues for the first and only time in its history. The fusion ])arty carried the county for president, governor, congressman and two of the three representatives. The county campaign was the most bitterly contested of any in the cnmity's history and pluralities were smnll. The democrats and peoples party combined on candidalcs for county offices, their nominees being labeled peoples party on the ballots. whi(4i was the ease in several succeeding elections. The fusion forces captured tlie offices of auditor, treasurer, judge of proliate. surveyor and one couimissioMcr. while the repuldicatis elected sherilf, register of deeds, attornev, superintendent of schools and two commissioners The total vote was ]8I2, which was within a few of the highest vote over jiolled in the county. The vote as canvassed :

**Mr. Hatch brought an action contestinK the election on November 23. but at his instance the case was dismissed in district court a few days later.

*^.\ contest for the office of attorney was brought by Mr, Ewert on November 17. asking for a recount in tlie village of Pipestone. The case was dismissed in district court a few days later at Mr. Ewert's request,

The off year 1898 showed a falling off in the vote of Pipestone county, the number being 1348. There was a complete reversal from the result of two years before, the republicans being now successful in carrying the county for all the state, congressional and district offices, and in electing the county ticket with the exception of the judge of probate and the clerk of court, although the vote for many offices was close. The vote was as follows :

*»The apportionment of 1S97 formed Rock and Pipestone counties into the sixteenth district, entitled to one senator and one representative. Before that date the district had been composed of Rock, Pipestone. Nobles and Murray counties.

The hi^h mark in total vote cast, in the entire history of the county, was reached in 1900, wlien 1907 hallots were cast for nominees for shcrilf. William IMcKinley carried the county over W. .1. Bryan for president hy a big plurality and all republican .*tate, congressional and legislative nominees received majorities. The fusionists elected only one county officer, their nominee for auditor. The vote follows :

"^-Was ciiairman from Janijar>- tft November Ifi in 1901. On that date resigned as chairman and commissioner. His place on the hoard was tilled Decemlier 13. 1901. by the .selection of D. J. Denhart. William Doms was chosen chairman December 17. 1901. and served the rest of that year.

The primary election law went into effect in 1902, and since that time party nominations have been made by direct vote of the peo|)Ie instead of the old style county conventions. This has resulted in revolutionizing county politics. Pipestone countv being iioiiiinally republican, the principal campaign is now made for the republican nomination, ami generally there an' (juU a few e<uitests for county office at the general election.

The first primary cleution was held September 16, IKO-i. All of the peoples party nominees and many of tiie republieans were chosen without ojiposition. Fojl<i\vinL;- was the vote for ri'puhliean candidates for offices where more than one soujrht the nomination:

At the o'eneral election ir)93 votes wei-c cast. The county was found to be stroniih rejiublican for state, congressional and legislative offices. On the county ticket the peoples party elected auditor and three of the four county commissioners; the ntiier offices went to the republicans. The vote of the 1902 general election in detail:

At the 1904 primary election tbei'e were only three conteste for the rejiublican nominations and none in the other parties. The vote for the republican contestants was as follows:

Sixteen hundred twenty votes were east at the geneial election in 1904. The re- ]iublicans made almost a clean sweep. Theodore Roosevelt secured a record iireaking majority for president and tl)e republican candidates for state and district offices received majorities. The peoples party elected the auditor, and an independent was chosen county commissioner ; otherwise the republicans cajjtured all the offices. The vote follows:

The democrats carried Pipestone county at the general election of 1906 for governor and congressman, while the republicans elected every niuninec for county office. Fourteen hundred fifty-nine votes were cast. The result:

The general election of 1908 went to the republicans almost by default, there being 110 contests for county offices. An independent was elected commissioner from the first district. Sixteen hundred thirtyfour was the highest numbers of votes cast for any one office, though 1G99 ballots were deposited in the ballot boxes, out of a registration of 1041. Following is the result :

At the last general election before the publication of this volume, that of November 8, 1910, 1447 votes were ca.st for the nominees for state senator. This vote was divided among tlie several precincts as follows : Aetna, GO ; Altona, 56 ; Burke, Eden, 91: Edgerton, 8G; Elmer, 47; Fountain Prairie, 28; Grange, :!8; Gray, 47; Holland, 61; Jasper, 102; Osborne, 74; Pipestone, first ward, 223; second ward, 176; Rock, 37; Ruthton, 74; Sweet, ,54 ; Trosky, 35 ; Troy, 57 : Woodstock, 48.

The republicans carried the county for all state offices and congressman and elected the entire county ticket witliout opposition. One democratic commissioner was chcsen. The vote as officially canvassed :