CHAPTER XXV

The Powell Campaign of 1887-Democratic State Convention of 1887-Nomination of Thomas E. Powell for Governor-The Union Labor Party-Reelection of Governor Foraker-Comments on General Powell by the Cincinnati Enquirer Sketch of Thomas E. Powell-Disagreements in Republican Legislature— Democratic State Convention of 1888-National Affairs-The National Conventions of 1888-Cleveland Defeated by Benjamin Harrison.

The Democratic State Convention met at Cleveland, July 20, 1887. The preliminary organization on the first day of the convention was under the control of the State Central Committee, of which Henry Bohl of Washington County was chairman, and that committee arranged for the permanent organization.

The convention opened on July 31st with George W. Seney of Seneca County permanent chairman. Three prominent Democrats were put in nomination for Governor. James E. Campbell of Butler County, who was destined to be elected two years later, was nominated by Hon. James E. Neal of Butler County and the nomination was seconded by Isaac M. Jordan of Cincinnati. Thomas E. Powell of Columbus was placed in nomination by Hon. Charles W. Baker of Cincinnati and the nomination was seconded by Boston C. Young of Marion. Martin A. Foran was nominated by E. M. Heisley of Cuyahoga.

The first ballot gave Powell 321, Campbell 251, Foran 86. No one having received a majority of the votes cast, the secretary called for a second ballot which gave Powell 3562, Campbell 2511⁄2, Foran 562. President Seney thereupon announced that General Powell had received more than a majority of the votes cast and declared him the nominee of the convention. Immediately James E.

Neal, who had nominated Mr. Campbell, made a motion to make the nomination unanimous, which was done amid a scene of great enthusiasm.

General Powell was then escorted to the platform and accepted the nomination in an address that stirred the convention and elicited warm approval from the Democratic Press of the state.

The ticket was completed as follows: For Lieutenant-Governor, DeWitt C. Coolman of Portage, who was nominated on the first ballot over George P. Tyler of Brown and David L. Wadsworth of Lorain; for Supreme Court Judge, full term, Lyman R. Critchfield of Holmes; and for Supreme Court Judge, short term, Virgil P. Kline of Cuyahoga, both by acclamation; for Auditor of State, Emil Kiesewetter; for Member of Board of Public Works, Peter Murphy of Butler. The last named declined and Orasmus E. Niles of Pickaway was substituted.

The Republican State Convention met at Toledo, June 27th, with Daniel J. Ryan for temporary chairman. John Sherman was made permanent chairman and the most interesting feature of the convention was the inauguration of a boom for Senator Sherman for the Presidential nomination in 1888. Governor Foraker was renominated and William C. Lyon chosen for Lieutenant-Governor. For Judge of the Supreme Court, full term, William T. Spear, was the nominee; Judge of Supreme Court, short term, Franklin J. Dickman; Auditor of State, Ebeneezer W. Poe; Treasurer of State, John C. Brown; Attorney-General, David K. Watson; Member of Board of Public Works, Charles A. Flickinger.

The campaign was a spirited one. General Powell made a number of campaign speeches and was most favorably received wherever he went. The Democrats brought Congressman William H. Crain of Texas into the state to deliver a number of Democratic speeches, but it is doubtful if he helped the Democratic cause. It was a few years too soon for such an experiment. The bloody shirt was still being waved, many people were still fighting the war, and the advocacy of a Southerner must have tended to stir some bitter memories and provide ammunition for the Republicans. Governor Foraker ad

vocated his own reelection and Foraker was an orator and an able

man.

The Union Labor Party had a gubernatorial candidate in Ohio, for the first time, in 1887. Working men have always formed a strong element in the Democratic Party and the Labor ticket unquestionably drew from the Democratic ranks in that year. They polled 24,711 votes, which, added to the Democratic vote, would have defeated the Republicans. In 1884 the Union Labor vote for Secretary of State was only 3475. For the next two years they had no candidate, but in 1887 they polled the vote already mentioned. In 1888 their vote for President was only 3496 and in 1889 it fell away to 1048 for John H. Rhodes, their candidate for Governor.

The charge has been made, but it came from Republican sources, that some Democratic leaders did not give the head of the ticket their hearty support. The statement is embodied in Smith's History of the Republican Party in Ohio, but General Powell never gave the assertion any credence.

The campaign ended with the election of the entire Republican state ticket by majorities ranging from 23,000 to 31,000. General Powell ran 7,000 ahead of his ticket and his associates were, every one, men of the highest type, men whose names remain and will remain prominent in the annals of Ohio.

The Republicans also elected a majority of both branches of the Legislature. The Senate was composed of 23 Republicans and 17 Democrats, while the House was composed of 67 Republicans and 45 Democrats. It was a Republican year.

The Cincinnati Enquirer, in its issue of July 22, 1887, the day after General Powell's nomination for Governor, had this to say of him:

"Thomas Edward Powell, the nominee for Governor, is of Welsh descent, his father having been born in Wales. He is a native of Delaware County, Ohio, and is a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University and one of its resident trustees. When a student he entered the army and was assigned to the position of high private. He remained in the service four months, when his term of enlistment expired. Mr. Powell read law with the late Colonel William P. Reid

and on being admitted to practice became his partner under the firm name of Reid & Powell. He early exhibited great natural ability for the science of law, and his studious habits and untiring energy soon won for him a prominent position in his profession. In 1872 he commenced an active career in politics, going on the stump in the Greeley campaign, and doing effective work for the Party. In 1875 he was nominated by the Democracy for the position of AttorneyGeneral and ran ahead of his ticket, the majority for his competitor being less than that given to R. B. Hayes who was elected Governor over William Allen. In 1882, his party, contrary to his wishes, made him the nominee for Congress in the Ninth District, and while not elected, he exhibited his popularity by leading the ticket in his district. In the campaign of 1885, at the earnest solicitation of Governor Hoadly and other prominent members of the party, he accepted the chairmanship of the Democratic State Executive Committee."

It should also be mentioned that in 1872 General Powell was Presidential elector for his district and in 1884 was Presidential electorat-large from Ohio when Cleveland received his first nomination for President. General Powell placed the name of Governor Hoadly in nomination at that convention. At the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis, in 1888, he made the nominating speech for Allen G. Thurman. He had taken a very active part in politics from his youth up and continued to be a prominent figure at Democratic conventions for a quarter of a century. He nominated Thomas Ewing for Governor in 1879 and Durbin Ward in 1883. He never was even accused of factionalism. His Democracy has always been as broad as the platform, and the nominees of party conventions have always been acceptable to him.

For the past twenty years General Powell has taken a less active part in politics, his extensive legal practice leaving him little time for public affairs. In 1887 he moved from Delaware into Columbus and has since been a resident of the capital city. In Delaware he was head of the firm of Powell, Gill & Kauffman, his partners being Judge J. S. Gill and Frank Kauffman. After moving to Columbus the legal firm of Powell, Owen, Ricketts & Black was formed. Judge S. N. Owen, formerly of the Supreme Court, remained in the

firm for about eight years, when he retired. Subsequently, when Samuel S. Black became Probate Judge, the partnership was dissolved, and General Powell has since continued his practice alone. A recent Ohio history had this to say of General Powell:

"He has had connection with some of the most important litigation in the Ohio courts, a notable case, in which he represented the plaintiff, being the Deshler Will Case, involving more than a half million dollars. He has been attorney for the American Sugar Refining Company of New York, the Standard Oil Company, the Ohio and Western Coal Company, the National Cash Register Company, and many other large corporations of New York and Ohio. During his practice in Columbus, his fees from New York have exceeded those from Ohio, notwithstanding the fact that he has tried cases in nearly every county in the state. He has tried cases in nearly one-half the states of the Union, and appeared in all the courts, from the Common Pleas to the United States Supreme Court. He has, without doubt, tried more cases than any other lawyer in Ohio, now living. The extent of his practice bespeaks his ability, his comprehensive knowledge of the law, his forensic ability, and his rank among the foremost of his profession."

The Legislature which convened in January, 1888, was Republican and it was expected that the Republicans would carry everything according to their own desires. Right at the beginning of the session, however, disagreements arose among the senators, with the result that eight Republicans joined the Democratic minority and defeated the nominees of the Republican caucus for subordinate positions in Senate and elected selections of their own which included one Democrat. This caused considerable bitterness among the Republican politicians and brought forth unstinted criticism from Republicans whose hopes of preferment were blasted. The bolting members did not add to their own popularity in their home districts.

Altogether it was a good Legislature and enacted some wise legislation which still remains upon the statute books. The Board of Pardons was created to advise with the Governor in reference to the release of prisoners, and a law was enacted providing that instruction be given in the public schools on the effect of narcotics and al