Okanogan County, Washington - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 24 of those read), 1904

Political

The political history of Okanogan county dates back to the Territorial days of 1888. On the organization of the county the first commissioners appointed by the governor, as provided in the bill forming the county, were Guy Waring, William Granger and George J. Hurley. The other county officials named by these commissioners at their second meeting, March 7, 1888, were C. B. Bash, auditor; E. C. Sherman, treasurer; Philip Perkins, sheriff; Frank M. Baum, assessor; J. B. Price, coroner; A. Malott, county school superintendent and C. H. Ballard, probate judge. Guy Waring had been chosen chairman of the board of county commissioners. May 30 Mr. Warring resigned the chairmanship and that office remained vacant until June 19, when Hiram Beagle, Sr., of Conconully, was selected by the other two commissioners to fill the vacancy, and George J. Hurley was elected chairman of the board.

At the general election of November 6, 1888, the following county officials were elected : J. B. Price, coroner; C. H. Ballard, probate judge; Richard Malone, assessor; Robert Allison, sheriff; E. C. Sherman, treasurer; F. M. Baum, auditor, and William A. Dean, county clerk. During the following year Sheriff Allison resigned and M. A. Rush was appointed in his place. July 10, 1890. The county commissioners elected were E. W. Lee, Charles Johnson and P. C. McDonald. They took the oath of office in March, 1889. On the removal of Commissioner Lee the office was declared vacant, August 4. 1890, and D. J. McGillivery was appointed in his place and made permanent chairman of the board.

session laws of 1889-90, the offices of auditor and county clerk were combined, as were also those of sheriff and assessor, in Okanogan county, and it was provided in the measure that at the next general election only one person should be elected to fill these respective offices. In the spring of 1891 the board of commissioners comprised D. J. ]\IcGillivery, chairman, J. B. Tonkin and F. M. Wright.

In 1889 followed the admission of Washington into the union. The late Charles E. Laughton, who resided one mile north of Conconully, was elected the first lieutenant-governor of the state. At the first session of the W'ashington state senate Okanogan county was represented by F. H. Luce, Republican, a resident of Davenport, the senatorial district at that period comprising Lincoln, Okanogan, Adams and Franklin counties. Mr. Luce served through the session of 1889-90. The county of Okanogan was represented in the first house by Harry Hamilton.

At the November election of 1 890 the county cast 610 votes. The result of this election was a division of the county officials between Republicans and Democrats. The vote on removal of the state capital resulted in a plurality of 88 votes for Ellensburgh. Bonds for county purposes were defeated by a majofity of 70; bonds for road purposes were successful by a majority of 21. On the county ticket no nomination appeared for the office of attorney, but a scattering vote resulted : M. C. Barney, 5 ; Judge Chase, i ; James Robertson, i : W'. Dorwin. I ; O. C. Campbell, 2; William I'eickert. 2. Following is the vote on otiier ctuinty and state officers :

D. J. McGillivery, Democrat, 288; L. C. Burton, Republican, 284. Majority for Mc- Gillivery, 4. For County Commissioner, Second District :

Mrs. V. M. Grainger, Democrat, 443; Henry Carr, Democrat, 2 ; E. D. Finch, Republican, 2; F. Hunt, Republican, i. Plurality for Mrs. Grainger, 438. For County Surveyor :

In the legislature of 1891-2 William Luce was a '"hold over" senator, representing at the time only Lincoln and Okanogan counties, Adams and Franklin having been thrown into another senatorial district. Okanogan county was represented in the house by Hiram (Okanogan) F. Smith, Democrat.

The November election of 1892 was largely in favor of the Republican ticket. The vote for governor showed that McGraw had carried the county for governor against Snively and Young; Luce, Republican, for lieutenant governor against Willison and Tiviss; Price for secretary of state against McReany and Wood ; Bowen for state treasurer against Clothier and Adams; Grimes for state auditor against Bass and Rodolf ; Jones for attorney general against Starr and Teats ; Bean for state superintendent of public instruction against Morgan and Smith; Forrest for commissioner of public lands against Lewis and Calhoun. John L. Wilson, Republican, carried the county for member of congress. The Republican presidential electors chosen by a vote of 578 to 439 for ClcA-eland and 148 for Weaver, were Mc- Millan, Calhoun, White and Navarre. The total vote by precincts was as follows :

The plurality in the county for President Harrison was 139, and for Governor McGraw, 154. The Republicans elected R. J. Reeves, Republican, joint senator, against R. A. Hutchinson, Democrat; Wallace Mount, Republican, superior judge, against N. T. Caton, Democrat, and Jackson Brock, Populist. H. F. Smith, Democrat, was elected against Charles E. Laughton, Republican, and T. A. Wright, Popuplist, for the house of representatives. The county ticket elected was as follows : Auditor, F. M. Baum; attorney, W. A. Bowser; treasurer, G. W. Elliott; assessor. H. C. Richardson; sheriff, M. A. Rush; school superintendent, J. F. Samson; surveyor. L. S. Baldwin; coroner. N. Read ; county commissioners, D. J. McGillivery, J. I. Pogue and L. H. Spader.

County Auditor F. M. Baum, Democrat, led his ticket, receiving the largest \ote thus far cast for an oflficial of Okanogan county where there was opposition.

In the state senate of 1893 Lincoln and Okanogan counties were represented by R. A. Hutchinson, Democrat, of Mondovi, Lincoln county. Hiram (Okanogan) F. Smith, Democrat, represented the county in the house. During the World's Fair, in Chicago, 1893, the county was ably represented on the commission by C. H. Ballard, of Ruby, who was also a member of the executi\-e committee of that body.

The county commissioners who took the oath of office February 23, 1893, were D. J. McGillivery, chairman, J. I. Pogue and L. H. Spader. November 22, 1894, County Auditor F. M. Baum resigned, his resignation to take effect January 7, 1895. It was accepted and H.

C. Davis was appointed by the commissioners to fill the unexpired term of office, from January 7 to January 14, 1895. On the latter date the Okanogan county commissioners were L.

The total vote of Okanogan county at the November election of 1894 was 1155, about 200 less than were cast in 1892. But few people appeared to understand the constitutional amendment act, and consequently it received but slight attention. Out of the total vote of 1 155 only 163 balloted on the question, 92 for the amendment and 71 against it. Following is the total county vote by precincts :

With the exceptions of representative, sheriff, coroner and treasurer the entire Republican ticket in the countv was elected. The vote generally throughout the county indicated that but little attention was paid to party lines, and that personal and local interests were guiding spirits of a majority of the voters. F"ollowing is the full vote for each candidate on the ticket : For Members of Congress :

William H. Doolittle, Republican. 492; Samuel C. Hyde, Republican, 497 ; B. F. Heuston, Democrat, 262; N. T. Caton, Democrat, 252 ; W. P. C. Adams, Populist, 243 ; J. C. \'an Patten, Populist, 228. Hyde and Doolittle elected. For Judges of the Supreme Court :

Following is a list of the names appearing on the poll books as candidates for the offices of constable and justice of the peace in the va'-ious precincts of the county, and the number of votes each received :

Okanogan Precinct

Edward C. Lathrop, 46; Joseph Coball, 11 ; James Johnson, 4 ; William Grainger, i ; Patrick McDonald, i ; S. T. Stanton, i. For Justice of the Peace :

Wenatchee Lake Precinct

Republicans - Charles O'Berg. 54; J. D. Whitney, 53. Democrats - Jordan Webb, 64; George Hood, 55. Populists - Ross Simpson, 42 ; George H. Mulford, 36. For Justices of the Peace :

In December, 1895, the Okanogan county commissioners were L. D. Burton, chairman, L. H. Mason and George J. Hurley. December 27, 1895, ]\Ir. Hurley removed from the county and the vacancy caused by his resignation as commissioner was filled. January 7, 1896, by the appointment of Robert Allison. January 1 1 , 1 897, the commissioners taking office were M. D. Griffin, chairman, R. T. Prewitt and T. J. Cannon. January 9, 1899, the commission- ers subscribing to the oath of office were T. J. Cannon, chairman, Alexander Watson and Allan Palmer. January 18, 1900, T. J. Cannon resigned and Allan Palmer was chosen chairman of the board. April 4, W. A. Ford was elected to fill the vacancy. January 14, 1901, the commissioners were Allan Palmer, chairman, Robert Prewitt and P. H. Pinkston. January 12, 1903, the commissioners taking office were R. T. Prewitt, chairman, F. W. Rosenfelt and A. George Wehe.

The presidential election of November 3, 1896, in Okanogan county was a victory for the Populists. The largest vote polled for Republican electors was 285. The Democrats polled 42, Prohibitionists 11, Nationals 5 and Populists 912. For Governor John R. Rogers carried the county against P. C. Sullivan, Republican, by a vote of 891 to 324. For representative in congress the Populists carried the county by nearly as heavy a plurality. James Hamilton Lewis, Populist, received 910 votes, and Wilbur C. Jones, Populist, received 886, as against 317 for S. C. Hyde and 292 for H. W. Doolittle, their Republican opponents.

In the county field there were three tickets. Republican, People's Party and Union Silver, the latter representing largely the Democratic vote. Henry Carr, People's Party, was elected representative by a vote of 553, defeating A. S. Lindsay, Republican, 268, and Frank Reeves, Union Silver, 421. For superior judge Okanogan county gave C. H. Neal, People's Party, 710 votes, and his Republican opponent, Wallace Mount, 511. Two People's Party candidates and one Union Silver candidate were elected county commissioners, the vote being: First district - Allan Palmer, Republican, 441 ; M. D. Griffin, Peoples' Party, 529: William Grainger, Union Silver, 244. Second district - S. H. Mason, Republican. 474: Robert Prewitt, Peoples' Party, 702. Third district - Bernard Devin, Republican, 432 ; T. J. Cameron, Union Silver, 545. For the other county officers the vote was as follows :

The election of 1898 was a complete reversal of the election of 1896, and the Republicans carried the county by good-sized majorities, electing every county officer. At this election 973 votes were cast. For representative in congress Wesley L. Jones, Republican, received 470 votes, Francis W. Cushman, Republican, 448, James Hamilton Lewis, Peoples' Party, 427, and William C. Jones, Peoples' Party, 380. For state representative M. E. Field, Republican, defeated Henry Carr, Peoples' Party, by a vote of 541 to 377. Two county commissioners were elected, the vote being as follows: First district - Allan Palmer, Republican, 550; M. D. Griffin, Peoples' Party, 334: Second district - Alexander Watson, Republican, 529; Robert Prewitt, Peoples' Party, 362. Follow-

As in the previous presidential election the* free silver party, which was labeled the "Peoples' Party" in 1896, was again successful in 1900, as the Democratic party. Not only was it successful in the national and state tickets, but the entire county Democratic ticket was elected.

The highest vote for Republican electors was 465, the Democrats polling 714 votes for their presidential ticket. The prohibitionists polled 10 votes for their candidate for president, the Socialist-Labor party 3, and the Social-Democratic party 17. For Governor John R. Rogers, Democrat, received in Okanogan county, 730 votes, and J. M. Frink, Republican, 412. For representatives in congress - F. W. Cushman, Republican, 448; W. L. Jones, Rel)ublican, 459; F. C. Robertson, Democrat, 692; J. T. Ronald, Democrat. 663. For state senator the county gave M. E. Hay, Republican 480, and Gottleib Garber. Democrat, 660 votes. For state representative Stephen E.

Barron, Democrat, defeated J. O. Calhoun Republican, by a vote of 679 to 444. For superior judge C. H. Neal, Democrat, polled 709 votes to 391 for H. A. P. Myers, his Republican opponent. Two county commissioners were elected. Alex. Watson, in the second district. Republican, was defeated by Robert Prewitt, Democrat, by a vote of 699 to 448. In the third district P. H. Pinkston, Democrat, defeated James P. Blaine, Republican, by a vote of 666 to 468. For other county officers the \ote was as follows :

In the election of 1902 the Democrats were in the lead for most of the county offices, although the two commissioners elected were Republicans who were successful by narrow majorities. For representatives in congress Okanogan county cast its vote as follows : Republicans - F. W. Cushman, 563 ; Wesley L. Jones, 597; William E. Humphrey, 552. Democrats - George F. Cotterill, 544; O. R. Holcomb, 552: Frank B. Cole. 569. For state senator the Democratic candidate carried the county by a small plurality, George J. Hurley, Republican, receiving 550 votes to 599 for his Democratic opponent. J. M. F. Cooper. J. I.

Pogue, Republican, defeated J. G. Garrett, Democrat, for the house of representatives, by a vote of 623 to 581. For county commissioner, first district, A. George Wehe, Republican, received 582 votes to 573 votes cast for A. A. Batterson, Democrat, and in the third district Fred Rosenfelt, RepubHcan, defeated H. H. Mayhew, Democrat, by a vote of 586 to 561. Other county candidates received the following votes :