Buffalo County, Nebraska - Chapter 49, 1916

On Saturday, September 23, 1876, the Buffalo County Republican Convention for the election of delegates to the Republican State Convention, was held in Kearney and greatly to the surprise of the writer he was chosen as one of the delegates to the state convention. For months there had been a bitter factional strife in the republican party and usually designated Hitchcock and anti-Hitchcock, United States Senator Hitchcock being a candidate for re-election to the Senate and opposed by the railroad interests. Nebraska at that date had one congressman and the nomination for congressman was made at the state convention. Also there was to be nominated a "contingent" congressman, and I smile to myself as I write the word "contingent ;" how ambitious we all were in those days. Delays were intolerable; tradition, precedents, insurmountable legal obstacles were brushed aside as of little or no importance when additional recognition of our importance as a state was to be attained or another representative in the national Congress secured. I have often w^ondered how our "contingent" congressman lived and paid expenses when thus serving the state at the national capital. He was never "recognized" by the speaker and of course was not on the congressional payroll. Doubtless it is best for all concerned that the unrevealed secrets as to how he lived and paid expenses be not revealed even in this generation. In the preliminary canvass in the county, L. R. More, a banker in Kearney, had been mentioned as a possible candidate for state treasurer. ^Ir. Afore was classed as a railroad candidate. N. H. Hemiup was also a candidate for attorney-general. Immediately after adjournment of the county convention the writer was approached by the deputy county clerk and informed that in elcctmg the writer as a delegate to the state convention it was understood that I should give my proxy to the station agent of the Union Pacific Railroad at Kearney and the deputy county clerk had the proxy made out and ready for signature. While the writer was pleased at being chosen a delegate he at once realized that he could not afford to go, as this was the year following the grasshopper raids and the expense of the trip would be too great under the circumstances, railroad fare being 5 cents a mile, making about fifteen dollars for the round trip. As the voi.r - 2?

writer had voted with the Hitchcock faction, he at once felt that this was a railroad scheme and refused to give a proxy to a railroad employe. This was on Saturday ajid the state convention was called to meet on the Tuesday following. On the next day, Sunday, Judge Hemiup sent word that transportation for the delegates had been arranged for and as this was the largest item of expense, arrangements were made to go. (Never to be forgotten even though left unwritten, in relating incidents of this character in the early settlements of the state is, that included in the word "arrangements" is the encouragement of the good wife and the personal sacrifice incident to such "arrangements" on her part and of the other members of the family, not only of the comforts but often of necessities of life.) Monday morning the pony was mounted and ridden to Lowell, some ten miles distant, and there left until the return, and taking the B. & M. at Lowell the writer was handed a round trip pass - his first introduction to the free pass evil. Judge Hemiup had secured headquarters at the Commercial Hotel but the writer being a member of the grange went direct to the office of the secretary of the state grange and arranged with the secretary, P. E. Beardsley, to make his headquarters there and to sleep on a table in the office and Mr. Beardsley was so kind as to bring blankets from his own home for covering. This delegate was not the only delegate to that convention who slept on the floor in a convenient office. Sleeping on the floor was no novelty to homesteaders in those days.

The Buffalo County delegates were Rice Eaton, A. L. Webb, L. A. Groff, L. B. Cunningham and S. C. Bassett. The convention was held in the academy of music, a hall on the second floor, lighted at night with numerous kerosene lamps and when filled with perspiring politicians and clouds of tobacco smoke is it any wonder that stomachs of homesteaders used to the broad prairies, fanned by gentle breezes, rebelled? The convention was called to order on Tuesday, at 2.30 P. M. There had been a spirited canvass by C. H. Gere and T. M. Marquette for chairman of the convention, resulting in Mr. Marquette being chosen temporary and Mr. Gere permanent chairman. A. G. Kendall and George L. Brown were named as secretaries.

There was also chosen a sergeant-at-arms and later additional sergeants-atarms were appointed in order to protect the delegates from the numerous lobby which at times so swarmed about the delegates that it was impossible to proceed vyith the business of the convention. At 4 P. M., the convention took a recess until 7.30. L. R. More was balloted for as one of the candidates for lieutenantgovernor, receiving twenty-two votes, but none from the Buffalo Countv delegation. The ballot on nomination for attorney general was not reached until long after midnight. The candidates were George H. Roberts, N. H. Hemiup and others. On the first ballot Judge Hemiup received seventeen ballots out of a total of 259. After the first ballot the Buffalo County delegation wished to withdraw Judge Hemiup's name, but to this the judge would not consent, saying that the "plan" was for him to get a few votes on the first ballot and then begin to gain and that he was "dead sure" of being nominated. On the second ballot Judge Hemiup received twelve votes and his delegation got into the band wagon, voted for General Roberts, who was nominated. It was then 3 A. M., but General Roberts being called for mounted the platform and made a speech of an hour's length and of this speech I can still recall the story which he told of the "Trojan

Horse." It cannot be recalled that the "Trojan Horse" story had any apphcation to circumstances surrounding his nomination but whether it had or not we were all too tired and sleepy to care and at the close of his speech, 4 A. M., adjournment was taken to 9.30 A. M.

The most bitter fight of the convention was over the nomination of congressman, the principal candidates being Frank Welch, Gen. J. C. Cowan. C. A. Holmes, Guy C. Barton of Lincoln County and Leander Gerrard of Platte County. A majority of the Bufi:'alo County delegation supported Gerrard and on the third ballot attempted to change from Gerrard to Welch, but were ruled out. On the fourth ballot Welch was nominated. T. J. ^Majors of Xcmaha County was nominated for "Contingent" congressman.

It is believed that the intense interest manifested and the extreme bitterness of feeling often exhibited at this convention has not been equalled at any succeeding political convention held in the state. It was at this convention that the railroad interests obtained a grip, a control of, an influence and a power in the politics of the state which was not loosened or relaxed for any appreciable length of time, no matter what political party was in power, until the abolition of the free pass evil in 1907. This convention did not adjourn until Friday, it being in session four days and all of one night, the last act of the convention being to adopt a party platform.

There were no end of caucuses held by the politicians in the heackjuarters room at the Commercial Hotel, and in connection with the holding of one such caucus the writer first "met" Edward Rosewater, editor of the Omaha Bee. Mr. Rosewater w^as not a delegate to the convention but took an active interest in all its proceedings. Going to the headquarters of Judge llemiu]) in the Commercial Hotel during an evening recess of the convention the incident of "meeting" Mr. Rosewater occurred. The stairway in the Commercial Hotel at that date was at the rear of the office with a broad landing midway to the second floor. When I reached this midway landing Mr. Rosewater was being pushed and kicked by a large and powerful man from the head of the stairway, landing in a heap on the midway landing. I assisted him to his feet and incfuired if he was hurt or injured. He said no and passed on as though nothing serious had happened. The man who did the kicking claimed that Air. Rosewater had been listening at a door of a room where a political caucus was being held.

At this convention acquaintances were made and friendships formed, some of which have continued to the present time; others only terminated when the friend "passed over the river." Some of these men have been prominent in the state (w^ere prominent at that time) and their friendship has not only been greatly prized but has been useful and helpful in many ways not at all concerned with political affairs.

Nebraska was young as a state in 1876. and was being rapidly settled so that no one, be he a political leader or not, had then what might be called a state acquaintance, hence it was, the men who as])ired to leadershi]) in the state, and more especially in the republican party, exerted themselves to become acquainted with delegates from out in the state in attendance at this convention. Not only did these would-be leaders welcome an introduction to such delegates but some of them sought such introductions and exerted themselves to further the acquaint- ance. There was no cold formality on their part, but the greetings were hearty and genuine. Thus it was that the writer was introduced to scores of delegates, the names of only a few of whom can be recalled and these only for the reason that friendships dating from that time were formed, the value of which can not be determined or estimated, nor the time and place forgotten. Of the Buffalo County delegation Rice Eaton was editor of the Central Nebraska Press; L. B. Cunningham, editor of the Kearney Junction Times ; L. A. Groff, an attorney-atlaw ; A. L. Webb, a dealer in hardware ; and the writer, then and still a farmer.