CHAPTER XXIX

The Chapman Campaign-Political Affairs in 1897-The Democratic State Convention-Nomination of Horace Chapman for Governor-Other Nominations-Sketch of Mr. Chapman-Result of the Election.

The enthusiasm which Bryan aroused in the Democrats of Ohio in 1896 did not begin to wane with his defeat for the Presidency but continued to increase throughout the following year. The defection of the Gold Democrats ceased to be regretted and the Democrats of Ohio united, harmonious and enthused with the inspiration of magnetic leadership looked forward with confidence to a victory in 1897, and prepared for the most important battle in its eventful career. The party was united and harmonious, while dissensions sprang up in the Republican Party immediately after the election of William McKinley.

When President McKinley formed his cabinet in 1897 he offered the portfolio of Secretary of the Treasury to John Sherman who accepted the office and resigned as United States Senator. To succeed Sherman had been the ultimate ambition of Mark A. Hanna who had suddenly sprung to prominence in the Republican Party through his masterful direction of the national campaign which placed McKinley in the President's chair. His demand to be Sherman's successor could not be ignored, although he was not acceptable to a large contingent of the Republican Party in Ohio at the head of which stood ex-Governor Joseph B. Foraker. Governor Bushnell gave him the appointment he so much desired and immediately found himself in the position of the man in the fable who fed a fly at his table until it grew so large and hungry that it attempted to devour him. As soon as Hanna felt the Senatorial toga upon his shoulders he assumed the position of dictator of the Republican Party in Ohio; indeed, he went further and became the national Republican boss.

When the Republicans of Ohio began to look forward to the gubernatorial contest of 1897 and to organize for that contest, Governor Bushnell decided that he would make Charles L. Kurtz chairman of the Central Committee and manager of his campaign. Senator Hanna desired to place Maj. C. W. F. Dick in that position and the contest which ensued threatened for a time to disrupt the Republican Party. The Republican State Convention met at Toledo on June 22nd and all other issues were, for a time, subservient to the question of who should be chairman of the State Central Committee. Governor Bushnell considered that his renomination was assured and that as head of the ticket he should be allowed to name the campaign chairman. Hanna gave the Governor the alternative of receding or forfeiting the nomination, and Bushnell receded. Then the Hanna forces proceeded to slaughter all Foraker aspirants for membership of the State Central Committee, and that faction became so dissatisfied that the Democrats looked forward to a break in the Republican ranks through the defection of the Foraker forces. Bushnell, having yielded to Hanna, was renominated by acclamation. To heal the breach George K. Nash was made chairman of the State Executive Committee.

During the early part of 1897 the silver forces organized all over the state and great enthusiasm was shown in the county conventions. The Democratic Party was united, and although it was only a few months since McKinley had carried the state by nearly 50,000 votes over Bryan, the Democrats were so sanguine of electing the next Governor that an unusual number of able men aspired to the Democratic nomination.

The Democratic State Convention met in the new auditorium in Columbus, on June 28th. It was probably the largest and most representative state convention the party has ever held in Ohio. The great hall was not large enough to accommodate the masses who wished to hear the convention. The party was never before so harmonious, so completely devoted to any event, and the result of that grand gathering was looked forward to with the most hopeful anticipations, and when the convention had completed its work the Democrats all over the state were not only satisfied but delighted with the platform and ticket. While delegations were coming in the claims of many candi

dates for Governor were discussed.

state.

Many of the aspirants were on

the ground early, and at first Judge Robert E. Hough of Highland County seemed to have the largest following. He appeared to be popular in counties having large delegations. John C. Welty of Stark County was a candidate and came to Columbus escorted by an imposing procession led by a brass band. Dennis Donovan of Henry County was also a candidate and his genial smile and glowing optimism were encouraging to the delegates from the northwestern part of the Paul J. Sorg of Butler County had a large following because of his services to the party and the prestige of his name. John W. Winn of Defiance, Judge A. W. Patrick of Tuscarawas, Allen W. Thurman and John J. Lentz of Franklin, Judge Samuel M. Hunter of Licking, Judge John M. Vanmeter of Ross, and Judge John G. Reeves of Lancaster were also prominently mentioned, but Horace L. Chapman was very strong with a large number of delegates because his name carried with it a suggestion of qualifications superior to those possessed by any other candidate.

An executive session of the State Central Committee was held at the Chittenden Hotel on the afternoon of the 29th to confer with a committee representing the free silver Republicans, with a view to having that element represented on the Democratic state ticket. After a conference the matter was referred to a committee of three with instructions to confer with the committee on Rules and Order of Business. The delegation of three waited upon the committee on Rules and Order of Business and recommended to them that two places be left vacant on the ticket to be filled later by the new State Central Committee. The committee on Rules and Order of Business, however, decided to leave the matter to the convention itself.

The committee on permanent organization met at the Neil House on the evening of the 30th with Orville J. Williams as chairman and A. L. Barron as secretary, and decided to recommend Ulric Sloane as chairman of the convention and William A. Taylor as secretary, the temporary organization to become permanent.

On the day for nominations the convention was a scene of dramatic situations and unexpected developments. When it would seem that victory was already assured to the Chapman forces, efforts would

be made to stampede the convention away from him, and when the prospects of some other candidate brightened up, attempts would be made to stampede the convention for Chapman. But it was a deliberative body which exhibited rare good judgment. When the supporters of the different contestants were making frantic efforts each to carry their own candidate to the front Chairman Sloane announced that no candidate would receive the nomination except on an actual ballot.

Hon. Allen Andrews of Hamilton nominated Paul J. Sorg for Governor. Judge Allen Smalley of Wyandot, was presented by Gen. E. B. Finley of Bucyrus. Horace L. Chapman was placed in nomination by W. E. Fink of Perry County. Judge Samuel M. Hunter of Licking County was placed in nomination by John McSweeney of Wooster, and Judge John M. Vanmeter of Ross County by Silas F. Garrett of Chillicothe. The name of Robert E. Hough of Highland was presented by Jesse M. Lewis of Urbana and Judge A. W. Patrick of Tuscarawas was placed in nomination by Judge John H. Mitchell of New Philadelphia. Benton Childers of Franklin presented Allen W. Thurman of Columbus, and after some other nominations had been made J. J. Reid of Stark County took the platform and instead of presenting John E. Welty's name, as was expected, he sprung the name of Maj. James A. Rice of Canton. Some delegates immediately broke into an enthusiastic demonstration, and right then an attempt was made to stampede the convention to Rice, but the moment was inopportune because the adherents of the other candidates would not abandon their favorite before a ballot was taken and the respective strength of each indicated.

Judge Robert E. Hough, John C. Welty and Paul J. Sorg withdrew their names as candidates because they felt that Mr. Chapman could gather around him the vital elements of strength which would be needed in the campaign.

The first ballot gave Sorg 118, Patrick 60, Vanmeter 29, Rice 113, Smalley 12834, Thurman 78, Donovan 11034, Chapman 24112, Lentz 9, Warren 2, Hunter 61, Reeves 16.

Just before the result of the first ballot was made known Captain Joe Dowling of Dayton ascended the platform and made an unex

pected effort to stampede the convention for Chapman. It was not successful but it was not necessary that it should be, for the second ballot gave Chapman 599 votes, and 480 was a majority of the convention, which totalled 959 delegates. The announcement of the ballot was received by the convention with wild demonstrations of enthusiasm, and Judge Smalley, as soon as he could be heard through the pandemonium, moved that Chapman's nomination be made unanimous. The motion was seconded by Jesse M. Lewis of Champaign County and was carried amid a scene of the greatest enthusiasm. A committee was then appointed to escort Mr. Chapman to the platform and the nominee delivered an able and patriotic speech, drawing to himself the hearty allegiance of every member of the convention.

It was the consensus of opinion in the convention that Horace L. Chapman, representing the commercial, manufacturing and mining interests of the state, and also being closely in touch with the laboring classes, would be a tower of strength as leader of the Democratic Party of Ohio in the political contest that year. The Cincinnati Enquirer had this to say of the convention and Mr. Chapman:

"In the midst of a heated contest for gubernatorial honors the convention put aside all personal loves, all local preferences, all factional differences, and placed at the head of the ticket a man of surprising strength in all that goes to make an invincible leader in the contest for the cause of good government, commercial prosperity and the amelioration of Labor's ills."

Immediately after Mr. Chapman's speech a stormy scene was precipitated by the proposal of General E. B. Finley that a silver Republican be given a place on the ticket and that further nominations be left over until the following morning. This brought forth a storm of opposition and a number of speeches were made. Judge Daniel Babst of Crestline finally settled the matter by saying that he could state authoritatively for the silver Republican State Committee that they did not desire a place on the ticket. He further declared that the Democratic platform and the candidate nominated for Governor would be entirely satisfactory to the silver Republicans and would receive their endorsement. General Finley then withdrew his motion and the ticket was completed with the following nominations: For