CHAPTER XXVIII - POLITICS (CONT'D)

Political speech-making began early in Shelby county. From the Council Bluffs Nonpareil one learns that S. A. Rice, Republican candidate for attorney-general of Iowa, was billed to speak at both Harlan and Shelbyville on September 8, 1858, and from the same source it appears that John A. Kasson and D. O. Finch, opposing candidates for Congress in the fifth district, were scheduled for a joint debate at Harlan on Thursday, August 21, 1862. C. C. Nourse, Republican candidate for attorney-general, also addressed the people of Harlan on Saturday, August 16, 1862.

Subsequent political campaigns have brought to Shelby county many famous men. Among these might be mentioned Senator William B. Allison, Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver, Hon. W. P. Hepburn, Hon. M. J. Wade, Senator A. B. Cummins, Senator William F. Kenyon, Major Joseph Lyman, Senator Lafayette Young, Judge Thurston, Hon. L. M. Shaw, Hon. F. W. Lehmann (now one of the greatest lawyers of America), Hon. Smith McPherson, Hon. Claude Porter, Col. John H. Keatley, Hon. Dan Hamilton, Col. W. F. Sapp, Hon. William J. Bryan (who came to Harlan and made a speech at the opera house very early in his political career), Hon. B. I. Sallinger (recently elected to the state supreme court of Iowa), John A. Kasson, J. W. McDill, J. B. Weaver, C. C. Nourse, William Larrabee, L. G. Kinne, Hon. J. C. Burrows, Buren R. Sherman, Gov. George W. Clark, Congressmen Good, Haugen and others; Hon. John F. Lacey and others.

Perhaps the most spectacular campaign was that of 1884, known as the Blaine-Cleveland campaign, which resulted in the election of Grover Cleveland as President. This campaign marked the culmination of the torchlight processions, marching clubs, mounted clubs, etc. During this campaign men indulged in a great many personalities and jibes, and frequently carried in their parades banners upon which appeared many “a strange device.” One of the greatest events occurring during this campaign in western Iowa was the Republican rally at Harlan in 1884, which is well described by a local paper of the time, and which, in order to give the spirit of the times, the author quotes as a part of this chapter.

This, the most famous political “rally” ever held in Harlan and perhaps in western Iowa, was held on August 17, 1884. This well illustrated the exceedingly serious way in which men took their partisan politics in those days. There were on this occasion one thousand five hundred men in line with torches, and it is said that the number would have been two thousand had there been enough torches to go round. A newspaper thus describes the event:

“A crowd of seven thousand people witnessed the parade. The meeting was in honor of Blaine and Logan. The earliest clubs to appear were those from Defiance, Astor, Earling, Irwin, Panama and Kirkman, all of the men marching being called “Plumed Knights,” in allusion to the sobriquet of Blaine. Later, men from Portsmouth appeared. As darkness came on they were joined by the Harlan Black Eagle Legion, of three hundred men, and the Harlan Ladies’ Blaine and Logan club, consisting of forty-five ladies. Then arrived the mounted Guards of Lincoln, under the command of Capt. George D. Ross, with Michael Headley at the head with a big rooster perched on a pole, with a banner on top, inscribed “Crowing Over Ohio,” and very soon after came the mounted Cohorts of Corley, under the command of Dr. Piper and carrying appropriate banners. Those present, amid great cheers from the people, were marshaled into line of march by Commander Mosby and went to the depot to escort the companies expected on the train.

“Nearly seven hundred filed out of the cars at the depot. Of the companies which came on this train there were two hundred uniformed Knights from Shelby, with John Sandham as flag bearer, and under the command of Capt. S. D. Abbott. There was also the Avoca corps, composed of the Avoca Plumed Knights, Avoca Ladies Club and Avoca Cadets, which numbered about four hundred, with the Walnut and Marne Knights and members of clubs from Hancock and Carson, numbering about fifty more.

“One of the tableaus was represented by a large wagon drawn by four handsome horses. Upon the wagon was a large platform, handsomely draped and decorated, upon which stood a stately and beautiful young lady dressed to represent the ‘Goddess of Liberty.’ She carried a banner on which was inscribed, ‘We Don’t Want Free Trade.’ Opposite the ‘Goddess of Liberty’ was a very tall, middle aged man dressed as ‘Uncle Sam,’ carrying a banner with a motto to answer that of the ‘Goddess of Liberty,’ inscribed, ‘Not Much.’ Immediately following the protection tableau, was one to represent free trade, which consisted of an old ramshackle vehicle, to which was attached a couple of spavined, ringboned and knock-kneed ‘crow-baits,’ with old harness rope lines. In this wonderful chariot were the driver and three boys, all in rags, who looked as woebegone as they could get themselves up. They carried a large banner upon which was inscribed, ‘Fre Traid.’ As a take-off, it created much merriment. A juvenile tableau of Protection, followed, consisting of a platform, mounted on wheels, on which were seated a little boy and girl, dressed as the Goddess of Liberty and Uncle Sam, with appropriate mottos on the sides of their car. This was loudly cheered. The procession marched to the opera house four abreast and when the head of the column had reached the opera house the foot of the column had not come up the hill by the depot. The Harlan Cornet Band led the way, and fine martial bands from Avoca, Defiance, Portsmouth, Shelby and Irwin followed.

“A platform had been erected in the street opposite the opera house and from this the procession was reviewed by General Baker, candidate for attorney-general, and Judge Lyman, our next congressman, who each, in turn, addressed the great crowd. Judge N. W. Macy also addressed the crowd eloquently. In the large room of Lamm Brothers, good coffee and ham sandwiches were dealt out freely to the people. The transparencies were very attractive and numerous and the following mottoes were displayed: ‘Brains vs. Neck,’ ‘Education vs. Ignorance,’ ‘Loyalty vs. Treason,’ “Protection vs. Free Trade,’ ‘1860—Lyman at the front, Pusey at Home,’ ‘1884—Lyman Again at the Front, Pusey Lost,’ ‘Ohio Redeemed by 12,000 Republican Majority,’ ‘Affidavits for Sale by J. N. Baldwin,’ ‘Oscar May Want Cleveland, but We Don’t,’ ‘Westphalia 120 Votes for Lyman,’ ‘On to Victory,’ ‘The Woods are Full of ‘Em,’ ‘For a Pure Ballot,’ ‘Iowa is Solid,’ ‘The Boys in Blue are for Logan,’ ‘We Crow for Ohio,’ ‘Civil Service Reform,’ ‘English Gold Wants Free Trade,’ ‘Keep the Rascals Out,’ ‘Protect Our Home Markets,’ ‘Free Trade is Ireland’s Curse,’ ‘Shall Johnny Bull Rule?’ ‘The Irish are With Us,’ ‘Democratic Taffy Soured on Pat,’ ‘The G. B. Party is Dead—Democracy Owns the Corpse,’ ‘We are for Jim and Jack,’ ‘For Grover’s Record Ask Bro. Beecher,’ ‘For Liberty, but Not for Libertine,’ ‘No Fire-in-the-Rear Men Need Apply,’ ‘Botna Valley Booms for Lyman,’ ‘No Kangaroo Ticket for Us,’ ‘Ohio is Ours,’ ‘The Ninth Will be Redeemed,’ ‘Put Pusey in his Little Mint Bed,’ ‘No Pension to Rebels,’ ‘Democratic Diet After November,’ -–Cleveland Crow, Butler Buzzard and St. John Soup.’

“There were a number of pictorial transparencies also. One represented the picture of a hideous reptile; underneath were the words, ‘A Copperhead,’ and on the body of it were the words, ‘Pusey, Cleveland, Hendricks.’ Another represented an old goose, with the word, ‘Hiss-s-s-s’ on her beak, and underneath were the words, ‘A Quack.’ On the body of the goose was the single word, ‘Pusey.’ On the other side of it was the legend: ‘This goose will be cooked November 4.’ Portraits of Blaine and Logan were also shown. Lamm Brothers were thanked for the free use of their large room. D. F. Paul, who was a drummer boy in the United States army in the Civil War, played in the procession.

“The Democratic club showed excellent spirit by loaning one hundred and fifty of their torches.” It was stated that the palm for the best drilled company should be properly awarded to Shelby, but that Defiance was a close second. The paper contains this interesting item: “The ladies of Harlan were especially pleased at the handsome manner in which the Shelby Club doffed their helmets at the word of command.” Roger’s Martial band was on hand. Henry McGuinness was one of the hardest workers for the success of the occasion. Capt. O. F. Graves was praised for the splendid illumination of his store windows, also H. M. Cook for a light hung on the top of his highest tree. Miss Hille, who was the Goddess of Liberty, was highly praised for the splendid way in which she took her part, as was J. H. Bates, who got up the car and impersonated “Uncle Sam,” and H. M. Locke, who drove the horses. About fifty men, in lieu of torches, carried brooms. “There were only about half a dozen intoxicated persons in the town.”

At the general election of August 7, 1854, Augustus Hall, candidate for Congress, received forty-three votes, and Rufus B. Clark had nine votes, and at the general election of August, 1856, J. L. Curtis, candidate for Congress, had forty-six votes; Augustus Hall, five votes; Samuel R. Curtis had six votes, and Samuel Jones two votes.

In 1857, forty-four votes were cast for finishing the court house at Shelbyville, and forty-seven votes against finishing it. At the election of April, 1858, thirty-seven votes were cast in favor of permitting the county judge to borrow three thousand dollars to aid in building a court house at Shelbyville, and sixty-five votes were cast against giving such permission. At the same election, sixty-two votes were cast in favor of letting stock run at large, and fifty-one votes against.